In Immersions: Bombay/Mumbai, Priya Sarukkai Chabria weaves an elegant narrative around the ever-pulsating metropolis – India’s financial capital – accompanied by Christopher Taylor’s fascinating photographs that complement the text. Readers receive a fresh experience of Mumbai – layered with pungent edginess, abundant human stories, ruin versus new rooting and its throbbing – often decomposed – corporeality. The cross genre book – memoir, travelogue, investigation, poetic expositions all perfectly blended – maps several rhythms of time as the author and photographer travel round the city. Unexplored precincts, high-rises and heritage villages, poignant stories from the streets, the city’s history and the illusory yet surreal Bollywood images come to the fore, outlined by the city’s inequality, demographics and vitality in the stimulating prose and fabulous photographs – ruminating on the flow of life in a cruel yet captivating city. Contents: Introduction; Concrete to Basalt; Mosaics of Movement; Tides; Transport: Movements Seen and Unseen; Tales of Migrants; Money; South to North: From Old to New; Immersions; Mills to Malls; Holy Trinity: Bhuleshwar-Kalbadevi-Madhav Baug; Mazagaon; Dadar & Matunga: Once Bombay’s Suburbs, Now Central Mumbai; Behind Bollywood; Urban Forest; Cab ride through; Bombay/Mumbai; Notes; Select Bibliography; Acknowledgements.

Kathak: The Dance of Storytellers explores the philosophical and practical aspects of Kathak dance – its origin, development, and techniques. Investigating this compelling dance style from cultural and historical perspectives, the book delves into the essential principles of Kathak, its schools and major artists, the format of Kathak performance, repertoire, Kathak music, predominant trends in training, and the system of practice through the lens of theory and application. A rare resource, the text is a comprehensive read for dancers, teachers, and Kathak lovers. Due to the increase of Kathak performances along with dance classes in the west, Kathak practitioners living outside India will immensely benefit from this book.

With the recent recognition of Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the spotlight on its creator, Le Corbusier considered the 20th century’s greatest architect-planner attains a more illustrious glow. Against this backdrop, Le Corbusier Rediscovered: Chandigarh and Beyond weaves together an anthology of inspired essays by eminent, global experts on Corbusier’s life, ideas and work, both in Chandigarh and at other places. The diverse yet interlinked themes forming a composite compendium, rediscover the timelessness of Corbusier’s architecture and revisit his impact in India and the world over. Current issues like conservation of Chandigarh’s architectural heritage, future strategies for its growth and the Smart City model for Indian urbanization are also addressed. The book is imbued with a patina of historicity imparted by the inclusion of some rare archival images and texts. With focussed essays by international experts like B.V. Doshi, William J.R. Curtis, Raj Rewal, Rahul Mehrotra, Jacques Sbriglio, Michel Richard, Alfredo Brillembourg, S.D. Sharma, Jagan Shah, Rajnish Wattas and Sumit Kaur on thematically linked topics this richly illustrated book – with nearly 250 images – constitutes a seminal new publication. It rediscovers Le Corbusier and his crowning glory Chandigarh, viewed afresh in a new light.

Madhubani art’s origin is believed to go back to the ancient era of the Ramayana, when the town was decorated by inhabitants of the region for the wedding of Lord Rama and Sita with elaborate wall paintings and murals. The philosophy of Madhubani art is essentially based on the principle of dualism. The artscape appears inundated with divine deities, the sun and moon, and flora and fauna along with features found in Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, tantric symbols and classical Hinduism. Primarily a significant socio-cultural engagement for the womenfolk of Bihar, this art was a welcome break from their daily drudgery. Immersed in the folklore of Mithila, fresh forms and figures are painted and repainted on walls and floors of their homes to mark special occasions. Well-established procedures are followed and techniques are passed on from one generation to the next, keeping the ephemeral art form and ancestral tradition and its lore alive. Madhubani artists today are seen to work more with brushes and acrylic paint rather than natural dyes and pigments. They now also work on paper, cloth, canvas and wood to create art and artifacts, besides painting on walls and floors. Contents: Foreword by H.E.M.S. Puri, Ambassador of India in Belgium; Preface by Martin Gurvich; Imaging the Divine: Artscape of Bharati Dayal by Sushma K Bahl; Krishna; Shiva; Ganesha; Devi; The Mahabharata Nature; Bharati Dayal.

As the first ever organized collection of Delhi’s maps, containing a chronology of magnificent ancient and modern hand-drawings as well as digital maps of the city, this book is as visually stunning as it is informative. Dr Guerrieri describes each map as an individual entity. She gives the maps unique and detailed focus, elaborating on their idiosyncrasies, aesthetic details, and rich historical relevance. The evolution of planning and architecture, which elegantly unfolds through the maps, mirrors the political, social, and historical progression of the capital. Maps of Delhi is both beautiful and stimulating, while also offering deeply insightful commentary that will be appreciated by the most discerning of scholars. It is an indisputable milestone for those wanting to research the capital. The book reveals, as A.G. Krishna Menon notes in the foreword, the charm of printed maps and the many pleasures and insights they offer when they are physically handled. It is a remarkable tribute to a remarkable city.

This beautifully illustrated two-volume set is the most comprehensive survey of Indian painting that the West has ever seen. Spanning 800 years and including some 600 artworks by more than 40 artists, it dispels the notion of anonymity in Indian art. The high points of artistic innovation in the history of Indian painting are demonstrated through works of the greatest Indian masters, some of whom are identified for the first time. The two-part volume is structured chronologically, which is unusual since Indian paintings have traditionally been classified according to regional styles or dynastic periods, with an emphasis on subject matter and narrative content.

Contents: Volume I: Foreword; Introduction; Indian Painting from1100 to1500; Mahavihara Master; The Master of the Jainesque Sultanate Shahnama; The Master of the Devasano Pado Kalpasutra; Indian Painting from1500 to1575; The Masters of the dispersed Bhagavata Purana; Master of the Laur Chanda Series; ‘Abd al-Samad; Indian Painting from 1575 to1650; Basawan; Manohar; Keshav Das; Miskin; Farrukh Beg; Aqa Riza and Abu’l; ‘Abid; Mansur; Bishandas; Muhammad ‘Ali; The Masters of the Chunar Ragamala and the Hada Master; Daulat; Payag; Balchand; Govardhan; ‘Ali Riza (The Bodleian Painter); Sahibdin; The Early Master at the Court of Mandi; Indian Painting from1650 to1730; Kripal, Devidasa and Golu of Nurpur; Masters of Early Kota Painting; The Sirohi Master; The First Bahu Master; The Master at the Court of Mankot, possibly Meju “The Stipple Master”; Bhavanidas Chitarman II (Kalyan Das); Dalchand; Indian Painting from1730 to1825; Nihal Chand; Mir Kalan Khan; Sahib Ram; Manaku; Nainsukh of ; The First Generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler; Purkhu of Kangra; Bagta and Chokha; Indian Painting from1825 to1900; A Maisor Court Painter of the Early 19th Century; Masters of the “Company” Portraits; Ghasiram Sharma; Appendices: The Technique of Indian Painters; A short note; Painting Workshops in Mughal India; Bibliography; Image Credits; Index of Painters. Volume II: Foreword; Introduction; Indian Painting from1100 to1500 29 Mahavihara Master; The Master of the Jainesque Sultanate Shahnama; The Master of the Devasano Pado Kalpasutra; Indian Painting from 1500 to1575; The Masters of the dispersed Bhagavata Purana; Master of the Laur Chanda Series; ‘Abd al-Samad; Indian Painting from1575 to1650; Basawan Manohar; Keshav; Miskin Michael Brand; Farrukh Beg; ‘Aqa Riza and Abu’l Hasan; ‘Abid; Mansur; Bishandas; Muhammad ‘Ali; The Masters of the Chunar Ragamala and the Hada Master; Daulat; Payag; Balchand; Govardhan; ‘Ali Riza (The Bodleian Painter); Sahibdin; The Early Master at the Court of Mandi; Indian Painting from1650 to1730; Kripal, Devidasa and Golu of Masters of Early Kota Painting; The Sirohi Master; The First Bahu Master; The Master at the Court of Mankot, possibly Meju; The “Stipple Master”; Bhavanidas; Chitarman II (Kalyan Das); Dalchand; Indian Painting from1730 to1825; Nihal Chand; Mir Kalan Khan; Sahib Ram; Manaku; Nainsukh of Guler B; The First Generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler; Purkhu of Kangra; Bagta and Chokha; Indian Painting from1825 to1900; A Maisor Court Painter of the Early 19th Century; Masters of the “Company” Portraits; Ghasiram Sharma; Appendices; The Technique of Indian Painters; A short note; Painting Workshops in Mughal India; Bibliography; Image Credits; Index of Painters.

Rabindranath Tagore: His World of Art focuses on the artist’s world, including cultural influence, visual development and use of color both in his art and in his writing. It features his work in the context of German Expressionism, his role in the development of a modern art in India, his idea of aesthetics and its introduction into Santiniketan as well as accounts of his exhibitions and his interaction with the global art world. This volume traces the course of the artist’s life; his paintings are discussed chronologically, his unique perspective is reflected throughout his writing, and has now been translated from Bengali into English. A brilliant insight into his life and influences and the impact that his work has within the international art scene.

A large bulk of Indian miniature paintings comes from Rajasthan. These miniatures are endowed with warm colors, primitive vigour, directness of expression and all that corresponds to the unique land of Rajasthan. They encompass its fun and festivities, the charming women and heroic men who fought with valour, loved with great zeal and warmth, celebrated each moment of life and died like great heroes. The major schools of miniatures of Rajasthan are Mewar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Jaipur, Alwar, Bundi, Kotah, Kishangarh and Nathdwara. The Rajasthani painter saw hardly any contradiction in combining romance with religion, or the mundane with the transcendental. Rajasthani Miniatures: The Magic of Strokes and Colours presents, through a detailed narrative and exquisite photographs, a glimpse into this art that has spanned several millenia. It traces the stylistic sources of Rajasthani miniatures, discovering elements that go beyond geography and time to reveal Rajasthani art’s generic growth. The miniatures have varying styles, belong to different schools and have been painted under many succeeding patrons with different tastes and preferences. This book reflects the uniqueness of Rajasthani art, where shades and strokes come together in what almost appears as a divine interplay to create magic.

The temples of the Early Chalukyas, dating from the 6th to 8th centuries, are unrivalled in all of India for their comparatively early date and unusually complete condition, the remarkable juxtaposition of their different constructional techniques and building styles, and for the sheer beauty of their figural and decorative carvings. In spite of their appeal and outstanding historical significance, these monuments have until now lacked an adequate publication.

This volume is the first to fully describe and illustrate the architecture and art of the Early Chalukya temples in Badami, and nearby Mahakuta, Aihole and Pattadakal, all situated on or near to the Malprabha River in central Karnataka. Michell’s definitive text is complemented by forty of his measured drawings, which constitute the most thorough graphic documentation ever undertaken. These are accompanied by more than 150 splendid, newly commissioned photographs by Surendra Kumar.

Contents:
Preface; Historical Background; Architecture; Sculpture; Badami; Mahakuta; Aihole; Pattadakal; Maps; Building Chronology; Glossary of Architectural Terms; Glossary of Indian Names; Select Bibliography; Photo Credits; Index.

This volume highlights the treasures of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, and houses a world-class collection of art objects. It is categorized primarily into three sections: Art, Archaeology and Natural History. The Museum has some fine and rare collections featuring ancient Indus Valley artifacts that date back to 3000 BC as well as relics from the Maurya and Gupta period (320 BC AD 800). The Indian Miniature Painting Gallery houses art treasures from almost every significant school of miniature painting.

The Kama Sutra is a two thousand year old mystical treatize on sexuality – read and revered for generations. This first ever collector’s edition takes a contemporary look at the perennial classic and pairs the ancient text with vibrantly colored and richly detailed illustrations.

Rare miniatures, gouache and tantric paintings are published here for the first time. The gold edged book comes in a hand made box made of pure silk. The lavish packaging and sumptuous production of the book makes it a remarkable keepsake.

Bombay Art Deco Architecture presents a treasury of Art Deco buildings comprising residential, commercial and civic architecture. These monuments were created during the mid ’30s and ’40s, a glamorous and optimistic era that predated the official end of the British Raj. The architects, a small list of first-generation Indian architects and builders, were mostly educated in English schools and trained in western architectural traditionst. Impatient with the British reluctance to shed the Gothic and Indo-Saracenic architectural styles that had dominated Imperial Bombay’s urban landscape, these visionaries were determined to imbue the city with a new modern style. That style shares its provenance with the Art Deco architecture of Miami Beach, termed ‘Tropical Deco’ by author Laura Cerwinske in her seminal 1981 book. Built in the same era, the Art Deco architecture of the two cities exhibits similar scale, geometry, tropical vocabulary, and love of romance.

This monograph showcases the trajectory of an empire built by the sheer dint of its driving success. Archgroup has gained international recognition as a comprehensive service provider in the architectural segment, with special focus being on its prolific and vital role dominating the skyline of the UAE’s world-class destination, Dubai. The firm’s work has now become synonymous with epithets such as ‘tallest’, ‘highest’ and ‘longest’ across the Gulf region.

Inside, the richly illustrated pages chronicle close to 100 projects by Archgroup, both built and in progress. Each work provides insight into the values, design-thinking and process-orientated approach that is the firm’s signature, making this volume a valuable resource that goes beyond the study of the built form to talk about the firm’s inimitable ethos that guides its design candor.

Beginning with Habitat ’67, his seminal experimental housing project constructed for Montreal World’s Fair, Safdie has contributed meaningfully to the development of many building types – museums, libraries, performing arts centres, government facilities, airports and houses – and the realisation of entire cities. Volume Two of this new, two-volume monograph features an essay by Safdie presenting his current thoughts on the significant issues facing architecture today. Complementing it are texts by William Mitchell on the theme of a global practice responding to a wide range of varied local conditions, and by Thomas Fisher on Safdie’s books, which, like his buildings, continue to influence the international architecture community. Featured projects from around the world, include from the United States the Salt Lake City Main Public Library, the Peabody Essex Museum and the US Institute of Peace Headquarters; from Israel the Holocaust History Museum at Yad Vashem, the Yitzhak Rabin Center and the new city of Modi’in; from India, the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex; and from China, the Guangdong Science Center and the Guangzhou No. 2 Children’s Palace. Previously announced.

Delhi Then and Now comprises two masterful essays that trace the story of Delhi from the days when it was known by other names Indraprastha, Firozabad, Dinpanah to its reincarnation as New Delhi. Historian Narayani Gupta takes us through the city of Sultans, Mughal emperors and viceroys, while journalist Dilip Bobb shows us the face of New Delhi as it is now. A rich portfolio of archival photographs and illustrations, together with vibrant new pictures, edited by Pramod Kapoor, capture Delhi in all its glory past and present.

Delhi Then – A city of empires and dynasties, Delhi through the ages has evoked nostalgia of its history written on the red sandstone walls. From Quila Rai Pithora to the palace on Raisina Hill, the changing face of Delhi is remarkably discernible in these photographs – a special collection that give words to the spoken and unspoken history of this city. Delhi Now – A city of dreams and desires, Delhi’s urban landscape is incomplete without the stones of seven ancient cities which give it a distinct meaning, a distinct outlook. A modern city on the move, the colors and digital vibrancy of the photographs capturing Delhi in all moods and moments, is as imposing as the grand old structures of yesteryears. A twin city of old-world charm and new extravagance, Delhi has evolved through the ages and is looking forward to an era that will be remembered down the ages.

The Afterlife of Silence is the first-ever comprehensive book on the still lifes of Jogen Chowdhury, one of India’s leading modern painters. The book takes a close look at the essentials of the European tradition of still life painting and argues that Chowdhury’s works, while sharing certain common concerns of the tradition also differ significantly from it, and are firmly rooted in his indigenous situatedness. It explores how, in his still lifes, unregarded, everyday objects are irradiated with new life and unique relational possibilities. It also examines how his still lifes oscillate between life and death, between stillness and animation, a movement that conceptually underpins the cycle of nature and lived life, and how moments of silence and stillness acquire afterlives -with trails of significations that often go beyond the context of particular artworks.

The book analyzes the development of Chowdhury’s still lifes chronologically; a section deals with the distinctive ways in which his still lifes negotiate with desire – and its obverse, dread – and manage to create autonomous symbolic systems, addressing the nostalgia of inaccessibility. A separate chapter examines how his familiar organic lines, used to define human forms, are used in still life forms as well, and in this context, several of his major works are examined closely.

This book features about 80 impactful images of Chowdhury’s paintings and an in-depth interview with the artist by the author that reveals how the painter’s art is permeated by his universe of ideas and ideals.

World-renowned architectural writer and critic Philip Jodidio delves into his selection of the Top Twenty-six of the most contemporary and current house designs from around the world, showcasing the most innovative and influential designs from Europe, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South and Central America, India, and Asia. He provides an incisive analysis of the site-specific elements, key environmental factors of the landscape design, the use of spatial visualizations, light, sustainability, and materials, and other critical design features of each home. He expertly articulates and examines the relationships between the architecture and the intentions of the design for the people who live there, taking into account how the architecture affects human behavior, what enhances the success of the design of each home in this collection, with an overview of current industry trends, and where to next for residential design innovation. This beautifully presented book, filled with stunning photographs and detailed plans and diagrams, celebrates residential luxury, inspirational style and design innovation from around the globe.

“This is the travel photography book for our digital age. Tom’s incredible eye for capturing historical detail creates captivating imagery for the ultimate in escapist pleasure.” Kelly Wearstler, Interior Designer

“A true Renaissance man, Tom shares his vast architectural knowledge, artistic talent, and sense of humor in photographs and watercolors.” Amy Astley, editor-in-chief, Architectural Digest

This book is a celebration of the power of the smartphone camera combined with Tom Kligerman’s unique eye. Tom is a New York architect who adores travel and the different cultures of the world, recording vibrant details and evocative scenes on his iPhone as he journeys from India to New Mexico, from Beaux-Arts monuments to rustic barns, from ocean to mountaintop. The images have been curated into dynamic pairs that spark a conversation about the world and the different ways of seeing it. They are accompanied by Tom’s reflections, and those of his Instagram followers, in a series of captions, comments and mini essays. This book is a child of the pandemic, a time when people could only dream of traveling or relive past experiences, as Tom has done, from the image banks on their mobile devices. It rejoices in both the potential of new media and the physical pleasure given by a beautifully made and structured book. It allows readers a moment of pause and reflection, so necessary if we are not to be lost in the digital feed.

In 2019 Ali Kazim, one of the most exciting contemporary artists working in Pakistan today, became the first South Asian artist-in-residence at the Ashmolean Museum. Drawing inspiration from the objects in the Eastern Art collections, and their contextual history, he saw his time in the Museum as an opportunity to reimagine the objects in his own work and practise. Thus, the exhibition and accompanying catalogue will focus mainly on Kazim’s engagement with the Ashmolean collections and the works created between 2019 and 2021. Widely exhibited and collected internationally (including the British Museum, V&A, Metropolitan Museum, Queensland Art Gallery, etc.), Kazim lives and works in Pakistan. The exhibition and book provide the Museum an opportunity to engage wider diverse audiences, while also presenting the works of a contemporary multidisciplinary artist who reflects and draws strength from the Ashmolean collections.

Richly designed with beautiful images and illustrations, this edition, published in collaboration with INTACH Kashmir Chapter, is a celebration of architectural ornamentation in shrines and mosques of one of the most beautiful regions of India. The book is also a study to understand the Islamic architecture in the era of continuity and change. 

It began with a new camera, a retirement present from the author’s wife. The Kameng area in Arunachal Pradesh, familiar to the author’s family for over six decades, and the Monpa people provided the perfect subjects to indulge his interest in photography. Over time, the idea of a book firmed up, and the photographs coalesced into what was envisioned as a sensitive, not necessarily comprehensive, look at the Monpa way of life and their land, Monyul. The intent was not to be ethnographic or academic, but to portray the rapidly changing world of the Monpas. A meditative travelog in images that transforms into a thoughtful exploration, the book captures the lives of the people and the region. The author’s personal stories, interspersed throughout the book, tell of the Monpas’ hospitality and warmth, providing insight into the everyday lives of a spiritual community.