How do artists produce exquisite art? Part of the answer is that each one must discover and create their own particular working space, harnessing inspiration from their surrounds, be it from the humble backyard shed, a beautifully refurbished industrial space, a room inside the home, a loft, or an architecturally designed house/studio set on a cliff, overlooking the natural beauty of the landscape. Some artistic souls thrive in seeming chaos while others must have an ordered studio space about them. In each instance, the role of the “studio” plays an important part in stimulating the artistic process.
This book offers an intriguing and exhilarating peek into the often secretive and off-limits creative spaces of thirty artists and practitioners. Whether it be for photography, music, sculpting, painting, architecture, writing, film, or furniture making, this selection of highly illustrated case studies from around the world reveals how these artisans and practitioners have crafted and designed their unique working environment. This beautiful collection of works also provides practical advice and innovative ideas on the architecture, interior design, site, and setting of workspaces that help these artists flourish through their creative journey.
Food is a social phenomenon: it keeps us alive, influences our identity and creates social codes and values. Food and food preparation is no longer simply a question of sustenance, but of lifestyle as well. At the same time, however, agriculture and the current standards of food production are among the main drivers of climate change. What does the future of our food look like in the light of dwindling resources and the globalization of the food industry? How can we produce enough food for the rapidly increasing global population in a way that respects the earth’s ecosystems? Food Revolution 5.0 tries to find answers to these questions. The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg has invited the Dutch design studio Makkink & Bey to create a multidisciplinary laboratory dedicated to the future of food, including four stages – farm, supermarket, kitchen and table as visual representations of the food cycle from start to finish. The book takes a critical look at the global food industry and presents visions of designers, architects, scientists and photographers. Text in English and German.
Melle Smets and Joost van Onna took only twelve weeks to assemble Turtle 1, a car built entirely from recycled parts. Made in Africa, Turtle 1 is entirely suited to the local context, sufficiently sturdy to resist the climate and the road conditions, and easy to operate.This book is part of an extensive documentation of the project; this documentation spans several years and has used exhibitions, films and apps to tell the story of this great idea. The automobile industry is monopolised by multinational companies who care only for profit, and constantly seek to outbid each other by developing ever more sophisticated technology. The majority of people outside of the Western world have little access to this market. However, Turtle 1: Building a Car in Africa proves how people’s ingenuity can tackle any challenge. Dutch artist Melle Smets and sociologist Joost van Onna went to Suame Magazine in Ghana, one of the largest industrial areas in sub-Saharan Africa where some 200,000 people dismantle and repair cars and sell used spare parts. Their aim was not only to develop a totally new type of car but, more importantly, to boost autonomy and self-reliance in an attempt to be free from global economic interests. Within two years, the vehicle attracted much attention from the public and the media both in Africa and the Netherlands, prompting Smets and van Onna to create the conditions for producing the car on a small, local scale. The production, however, never took off as their Ghanaian partners had other intentions in spite of all success. While Smets and van Onna promoted their recycling model, the Africans had tragically begun to work on a luxury version of the car. A homage to a project that was never fully realised, this book is a succinct demonstration of humanity’s ability to overcome odds. Exhibition runs until 28 August 2016, Project Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The dahlia, a flower that was once thought of as old-fashioned, has surged in popularity over the past few years due to the development of new varieties and an uptick in appreciation from Royals and celebrities. They appear in a broad spectrum of beautiful colors and eccentric shapes, and thanks to their long flowering time they are garden crop favorites. This inspirational book explores every aspect of the dahlia from its history to its sustainable cultivation.
Silence of the Tides
presents a stunning selection of images from a newly-released documentary about the Wadden Sea, the largest tidal wetlands area in the world. Stretching for 500 kilometres (310 miles) and encompassing 43 islands, this UNESCO World Heritage Site touches on the North Sea borders of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. The film beautifully captures the vulnerable relationship between nature and humans, and the unique dynamic of the Wadden Sea and its surroundings. This book features frames from the documentary and photographs of the filming itself which have been selected by its director, Pieter-Rim de Kroon, an award-winning Dutch cinematographer.
“Silence of the Tides is a cinematic portrait that breathes and gives the audience the opportunity to draw their own conclusions.” – Pieter-Rim de Kroon.
“A hypnotizing large screen look into the cycles and contrasts of the seasons: life and death, storm and silence, the masses and the individual. All this is set against a larger than life backdrop of sky, water, wind, mist and constantly changing light.” – Film and Digital Times.
The book presents and describes the treasures hidden away in centuries-old shipwrecks: visible treasures like Chinese porcelain, as well as invisible treasures in the form of new knowledge revealed by the ships and their cargos. The stories of seven shipwrecks not only paint a picture of the Maritime Silk Road but also of the development of maritime archaeology in the Netherlands and in Asia.
Text in English and Dutch.
The work of the Dutch jewelery-maker Robert Smit. The book involves the reader in the sensuous qualities of his work and sets a new standard in documentation and book design.
After having finished training in painting, ceramics and sculpture, Moniek Vanden Berghe changed her focus to floral art. Her style is contemporary-modern. One of her main specialities is bridal work. With an eye for stunning detail, she designs, with great accuracy, bridal bouquets, floral purses, corsages, hair claps and tiaras… She also decorates the bridal table, the cars, the church and the bridesmaids in an elegant and harmonious way. This book offers ‘bridal ideas’ to florists and is an inspiration for anyone who’s soon to be married and wants to have a flourishing party. This is an excellent addition to Moniek’s first bestseller on the theme of love and marriage.
Text in English and Dutch.
Also available:Flowers in Love ISBN 9789058561619 $45.00Wedding Emotions ISBN 9789058561756 $85.00Brides in Bloom ISBN 9789058561190 $85.00
Madras Then: The Story of Madras is the tale of several small villages that grew to become metropolis. In the sixteenth century, when the Dutch raised the price of pepper by 5 shillings, 24 merchants in London formed the East India Company in 1600 to corner the India trade. This event was to change the course of Indian history and to lead to the formation of several Indian cities, including Madras. A city of myth and historical importance, Madras and the region around the city has served as an important administrative, military and economic center for many centuries. With rare archival photographs from museums and libraries from around the world the book showcases a large number of photographs from private collections and tells a story of a city earlier also known as Blacktown. City of the oldest living language in the world, Chennai is different from the other three metros of India. A city also popularly called the cultural center of South India, Chennai is fast becoming home to some of the major global IT and automobile companies as well as India’s foremost center of medical tourism. A city of politics and films, Chennai has made Karunanidhi and Jayalalitha as popular as Rajnikanth and Kamal Hassan. From a lazy, sleepy Madras of the early twentieth century, the city is changing rapidly and this photo journey showcases the different facets of this beautiful city on the harbor.
It is often said that you can’t take the same walk twice in New York. Its history may be short compared to that of European cities, but it is also a history marked by lightning-fast change. This pictorial journey into the history of New York City starts from the small town that began as New Amsterdam in the 17th century, tracing the unbridled expansion of the 18th century and waves of mass immigration of the 19th and 20th centuries. The authors, both experienced NYC tour guides, explore iconic districts like Times Square, Harlem, Wall Street, Central Park, Ellis Island and the Bronx, bringing the past and people to life through engaging stories and images. An inspired selection of archival photos, prints, vintage maps, stereographs, and ephemera make this publication, with its elegant, silver-edged finish, a fascinating visual homage to the vibrant city that is New York today.
shows the many interpretations and meanings of the term ‘Home’ that artists give to it in their work. They are personal views that deal with domestic circumstances that can be easily felt by everyone. The artists participating in this book are socially committed and/or provide insight into their work as a world citizen. The sum of the visions on the ‘Home’ theme are testimonies of the universality that everyone clings to love and security.
When people are faced with cancer, fear is common. After the initial shock of diagnosis and medical treatment, people want to pick up their life again. This is not always easy. Fear of cancer recurrence and fear of cancer progression can have a strong impact on life, even when there is a good medical prognosis. It is understood that worry and anxiety is normal, but not many people know what you can do about it. In this book you will find a 5-step program that will guide you. You will be learning to work with uncertainty and fear and develop new ways to cope with stress.
“Coen Völker offers us a book of great value for all people with cancer. He gives us a map of how we can face our fears.” – Hiske van Ravesteijn, MD PhD, psychiatrist and mindfulness trainer
“In his book, Coen Völker shows how engaged he is to guide and support people with cancer throughout difficult and fearful times. It is filled with lots of practical examples, metaphors, inspirational quotes and a clear-cut program that helps people with cancer and caregivers to deal with fears that are inherently connected with the uncertainty that this disease brings along. I recommend this book to all people with cancer who struggle with fear and anxiety but also to caregivers who want to guide people with cancer in how to deal with uncertain times”. – Nathalie Cardinaels, Clinical Psychologist, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, mindfulness & heartfulness trainer and author on topics surrounding cancer.
Instagram photographers take us around the world to new and breath-taking locations where we can spend the night and enjoy the sunrise. Curated by the three Sizoo brothers – Bob, Willem, and Bastiaan – Depart unveils the whereabouts of some of the best locations, making this an inspirational photography book and a practical guide for travel enthusiasts. Over 40 stunning destinations from around the world are captured by up-and-coming as well as established photographers, with useful traveling information for when you get there.
Ifa Brand never felt satisfied as a model. The dissatisfaction stemmed from not being able to represent her true identity: ‘I fell “between styles”: alternative but not alternative enough; fetish but not in a typical sense. I also disliked photographers telling me how I should look, pose, behave; telling me no to red lips, no to precious lingerie and all the things I loved.’
In 2017, she decided to go her own way. She saw photography as an opportunity to be her own creative director, to follow her own storylines, and to explore her own vision of sensuality, eroticism and fetish.
Hers is a quest for personal empowerment through the art of self-portraiture: ‘I find it very important to present a strong, independent woman. There needs to be an element of being untouchable. The message to the viewer is: yes you can look but solely on my terms.’
“If you didn’t manage to travel abroad this year, Homes for Nomads: Interiors of the Well-Travelled is just the ticket.”—Harrods Magazine
For the passionate traveler, a design book that features 20 gorgeous interiors that incorporate objects collected from around the world, bringing a touch of exotic and far away places into the home. The authors showcase unique objects – a Vespa, a tiki bar, a surf board, an African mask – that embody memorable and meaningful travels, and represent the nomadic spirit of the traveler in daily life. They reveal how these elements can be creatively and beautifully displayed, giving the sense of traveling at home without leaving home.
Text in English, French and Dutch.
The Hanau City Map project by Claus Bury relates to the new city of Hanau, which was formed from 1597 on and is characterized by its strictly geometric pattern of streets and star-shaped ramparts. The walk-on granite sculpture on the square directly next to the Walloon-Dutch church references the city map engraved in copper in 1632 by Matthäus Merian and revitalizes Hanau’s historical 17th century topography through its relief-like recesses and encompassing seating areas. An installation spanning centuries that brings the history, present, and future into a flourishing dialog for the visitors of Hanau.
Text in English and German.
With TraumA, the Triennial of Bruges dives into the ‘uncanny’ history and reality of Bruges. Historical layers are exposed, forgotten or hidden storylines discussed. This edition explores the thin line between dream and trauma, between paradise and hell. It appeals to the imagination, to the pomp and circumstance, but also to the ‘uncanny’ that is present underground. For although Bruges seems to be a dream destination for many, poverty, loneliness, pollution or fear also lurk in this picture-perfect world.
Triennial Bruges 2021: TraumA uses artistic and architectural interventions to bring the less attractive aspects to the surface and make them part of the city’s image. It creates a polyphonic discourse, where there is room for imagination, beauty, darkness and complexity. A space where artists and architects can explore both the stage and the dusty wings. Triennial Bruges 2021: TraumA balances between the present and the hidden. With a course of sculptural, architectural and organic creations, it is a celebration of the versatility and mobility of this city. Between private and public. Between dream and nightmare.
Text in English and Dutch.
Where’s the best place to go out on a Saturday night in Barcelona? What off-beat museums can be discovered after Sunday brunch (and where to have it)? Which locations offer the best viewpoints of the Catalan capital? What Gaudí buildings are essential? Where does Barcelona’s modernizm reach its zenith? Where to take the children? What’s the best place to buy wine? And where do the locals hang out?
The 500 Hidden Secrets of Barcelona reveals hundreds of good-to-know addresses, avoiding the touristy places and pointing out the urban details you are likely to miss. Mark Cloostermans, a Belgian journalist living in Barcelona, unlocks the various districts, pointing out historical details in the streets of the old town, taking you from green Montjuïc hill to the beach and back. The best places to eat halal, the must-visits for Barça fans and the various festivals you can plan your visit around: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Barcelona reveals it all.
This is the story of the Reeves Collection of botanical paintings, the result of one man’s single-minded dedication to commissioning pictures and gathering plants for the Horticultural Society of London. Reeves went to China in 1812 and immediately on arrival started sending back snippets of information about manufactures, plants and poetry, goods, gods and tea to Sir Joseph Banks. Slightly later, he also started collecting for the Society but despite years of work collecting, labeling and packing plants and organizing a team of Chinese artists until he left China in 1831, Reeves never enjoyed the same degree of recognition as other naturalists in China. This was possibly because he had a demanding job as a tea inspector. Reeves himself never claimed to be a professional naturalist and the plant collecting and painting supervision were undertaken in his own time. Furthermore, fan qui (foreign devils) were restricted to the port area of Canton and to Macau, so that plant-hunting expeditions further afield were impossible. Furthermore, Reeves never published an account of his life in the country, unlike Clarke Abel and Robert Fortune, but he left us some letters, notebooks, drawings and maps. The Collection is held at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Library in Vincent Square, London. It is a magnificent achievement. Not only are the pictures accurate and richly colored plant portraits of plants then unknown in the West, but they stand as a record of plants being cultivated in nineteenth-century Canton and Macau. In John Reeves: Pioneering Collector of Chinese Plants and Botanical Art, Kate Bailey reveals John Reeves’ life as an East India Company tea inspector in nineteenth-century China and shows how he managed to collect and document thousands of Chinese natural history drawings, far more than anyone else at the time.