“You can be as smart as Einstein, but if you fail to direct your attention to what is important, then what good is that high IQ? People who are focused are more alert, experience less stress, and worry less. Unfortunately, focus has become a rare commodity: our attention span has dramatically decreased over the past decades.” – Elke Geraerts
How many times have you been distracted today from what you actually wanted to do? We live in a world of constant connectivity, where distraction lurks around every corner. Our endless to-do lists and packed schedules are a merciless reflection of what’s going on in our minds: we are constantly in overdrive, and our focus is completely lost. No wonder stress and burnout rates are at an all-time high. Despite the fact that we now know more than ever what we need to remain resilient and healthy, our overstimulated brain seems unable to handle all that knowledge, let alone put it into practice. Ten years after her bestseller Better Minds, Elke Geraerts presents a book tailored to a generation without attention. She combines powerful insights with practical tools that can be implemented immediately. Her goal? Sharpening our focus again. Not only by making us work more efficiently and attentively but also – and especially – by teaching us to deliberately unfocus. Are you ready for a mental revolution?
“Blurring the line between personal research and artistic expression, the book raises complex questions about truth, proof, and what we can and cannot see.” — About Photography
In recent years, photographer Bieke Depoorter developed an overriding interest in astronomy. She sought out amateur stargazers, visited state-of-the-art observatories and researched the history of the field. Gradually, it became clear that her interest in astronomy was linked to lost memories from her past. After all, the night sky is a kind of shared memory; the light of celestial bodies takes hundreds, thousands or millions of (light) years to reach our eyes on earth. In Blinked Myself Awake, photographer Bieke Depoorter explores the power and fragility of memory, the human desire for objectivity and the elusive nature of ‘truth’. She does this by interweaving photographs of amateur and professional stargazers, diary-inspired texts and fragments of astronomical history, in which often-forgotten female astronomers play a role.
During the German occupation, a Jewish Dutch couple had to sell a painting to go into hiding. Their daughters were placed in a children’s home, but were rounded up in early 1944 and deported to Auschwitz, where they died. The parents survived the war and did not discover their children’s fate until 1946. The search for the painting also remained fruitless for a long time, until Origins Unknown Agency discovered that it had ended up in a German museum. The museum had previously tried unsuccessfully to trace its provenance. Thanks to the Origins Unknown Agency, the heirs of the original owner were found. The German museum and the heirs agreed that the painting, an 1882 work by Camille Pissarro, would remain at the museum. As part of the compensation, the painting will be kept on display from November 2024 to February 2025 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.
” …an intriguing look at what is the relatively recent past, and a great one for nostalgia – especially if you’ve ever paid a visit to the island yourself for a week of carefree abandon.” — Amateur Photographer
“The photographs in Dean’s new book ‘Back in Ibiza 1998 – 2003’, taken in the heat of many magic moments, capture the golden age of happy, all-in-it-together, 24 hour party people, bacchanalian excess, and sunkissed beach life…” — Bureau of Lost Culture Podcast
“…The photos come fast and furious, without captions, encouraging the readers to figure it out for themselves — just as they would have to in real life if this all was happening in front of them.” — CNN
Dean Chalkley has been taking compelling cultural photographs since the mid 1990s and his work with the likes of Oasis, Idris Elba and Amy Winehouse is widely celebrated.
At the tail end of the ’90s, Chalkley found himself in Ibiza, the capital of the clubbing world. For many, the turn of the millennium represents the peak of club life, when clubbers would lose themselves for days in the often-surreal abandon of their favorite Spanish party haven. Working for Mixmag, the biggest dance-music magazine in the world, Chalkley amassed a vast archive of images from this unrivaled golden era in the island’s near-history.
Back in Ibiza 1998 – 2003 offers a thrilling deep-dive through those images, illustrating the unfiltered and sometimes unhinged club scene from a world before Snapchat and TikTok reels. This unique collection is essential viewing for partygoers and clubbing fans, a joy to behold, and a nostalgic reminder of what a real party can look like.
Over the course of a year, Brian Rose set out to photograph all the neighborhoods at the ends of the subway lines in New York City. He had multiple reasons for engaging in such a project, but the strongest was the desire to portray New York as a highly diverse, multi-centered metropolis. Having spent a major part of his career photographing the city through often challenging times – the dichotomy of destruction and creativity of the 1980s, the mortal wounding of 9/11, and the suspended animation of the Covid-19 pandemic – Rose was perhaps uniquely equipped to document the city at this moment of political uncertainty under the increased strain of new arrivals, many of whom are refugees from around the world. For a new generation of New Yorkers, the trains roll on ceaselessly, and despite the title, Last Stop is not so much about endings as it is about reinvention.
Life is always winking at us, calling our attention to the beauty hidden in plain sight. And yet, we often miss what’s right in front of our noses, either lost in thought or tethered to never-ending to-do lists. This is a handbook for anyone who feels some of the shine has worn off their daily life and wants to reconnect with the beauty hidden in plain sight. In this exquisite collection of photographs, poems and creative invitations, we are reminded that we don’t need to wait for miracles to be astonished. Wonder is a state of mind, available to us every day of our lives.
With Road Work, Andrew Holmes continues his pilgrimage through the seductive litter of modern life. Cities are conventionally viewed as static objects, but a third of Los Angeles is on the move; it is a kaleidoscope trapped in a grid, where what you see is what you drive past. Road Work presents 500 of Andrew Holmes’ Los Angeles Polaroids, capturing the machines that deliver people and goods to different parts of the city each day. These vehicles are seen at the airport, at a truck stop, always in a parking bay, set classically against azure skies, frozen like statues in a Renaissance garden. Everything has equal status. Nothing transgresses the grid. The work is even, chrome and rust are its soul. Along with commentaries by David Greene and Holmes himself, Road Work includes lyrics by Chuck Berry and others, and extracts from a variety of road novelists and writers.
It’s easy to fall in love with the Hamptons. Charming towns, pristine beaches – and that luminous light cherished by locals and generations of beach lovers. While it’s famous for its magnificent mansions and coiffed hedges, there is so much more here to than meets the eye. Come find the hidden secrets of the Hamptons waiting to be discovered with 111 Places in the Hamptons That You Must Not Miss. Hang ten at a secret surfers’ beach. See the studio where artist Jackson Pollock painted his masterpieces. Get lost in a field of lavender. Visit a haunted lighthouse. Ride a horse along a secluded beach. Take a stroll in the graveyard where Picasso’s forgotten muse is buried. From wood-shingled windmills to hydrangea-rimmed roads. White, sandy beaches – to calm, bayside views. These places of nature, history, art, and delightful quirkiness are the very reasons why the East End of Long Island has become one of the most beloved travel destinations in the world.
An exciting new historical novel.
Every so often a long-lost manuscript from the dusty shelves of an obscure archive to challenge our entrenched views of former times, far-off places, exotic peoples. Such a lucky find by a pair of Bangkok-based expats forms the subject of this book, a work of historical fiction. Binding the tattered tapestry of fact with filaments of fiction, this book brings to life the dramatic events of a near forgotten place and time of battles, subterfuge, and broken alliances in a manner that rivals classic histories of the past.
Live From My Studio is the first book to showcase the Art of Edie Baskin. The pioneering, 2x Emmy-nominated photographer and art director, created the signature look of a show that would transform television, popular culture and influence the people and events that have shaped our lives for 50 years. Her iconic hand-colored portraits of the stars of rock, screen, stage and television were a signature of the show, broadcast to tens of millions of homes every week, reflecting the show’s wit, charm and mischief, captivating generations while reviving a long-lost art form.
One of the leading social documentary photographers of the 1960s, Steve Schapiro’s images stand among the most important of the 20th century, covering Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Baldwin and many others. These largely unknown jazz photos – shot just before his career breakthrough – showcase his early mastery and his empathy for his subjects, making Jazz Heroes an essential archive.
In the early ’60s, when Schapiro arrived on the scene, New York jazz was enjoying a golden age. A young freelance photographer who had grown up in the Bronx and somehow snagged a gig with Riverside Records, he began voraciously documenting shows, players, venues, recording sessions and gatherings both in his native New York and later in Chicago. Whether it’s Sonny Rollins lifting weights backstage, or Bobby Timmons lost in an instant of discovery at the piano, Schapiro was on their wavelength.
Written by New York Times journalist Richard Scheinin, Jazz Heroes features dozens of never-before-seen photos of jazz legends like Cannonball Adderley, Dorothy Ashby, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie and more.
Humans are at home on land, not in the sea. We know more about the surface of Mars than about our own deep sea. The ocean contains the highest mountains on Earth and is home to countless mysterious sea creatures that have barely been studied. Due to this lack of knowledge, we underestimate the crucial role the ocean plays for the planet—and therefore also for humanity for example, in the fight against climate change. This book aims to change that. Based on the latest scientific insights, it seeks to immerse the reader, through storytelling, in the hidden beauty and complex workings of the ocean. The authors explain how ocean warming, acidification, overfishing, and pollution not only threaten its fragile flora and fauna, but also us. Yet all is not lost: technological revolutions offer hope—if we act in time. The Unknown Sea explores how we can rise to the challenges. The Unknown Sea is officially endorsed as an Ocean Decade Activity under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). This recognition highlights the book’s contribution to advancing ocean knowledge and supporting global efforts toward a more sustainable and resilient ocean. Through its insights and perspectives, The Unknown Sea aligns with the Ocean Decade’s mission to transform ocean science into actionable solutions for society.
Iron People tells the story of the war in Ukraine through the unique perspective of its railway workers. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the 230,000 men and women working on Ukraine’s railways have played a vital role in the country’s defense and daily survival. Stretching nearly 25,000 kilometers, the railway network has been a frequent target of Russian attacks. More than 1,100 railway workers have been injured, and over 790 have lost their lives. Yet despite the danger, a deep sense of duty—and the will to survive—drives these workers, supported by their families, to keep the trains running. Dutch photographer Jelle Krings has been documenting the lives of these railway workers and their loved ones since the start of the invasion. His work paints a powerful and moving portrait of resilience, courage, and humanity.
Looking for the ultimate guide to New York City? You’ve found it! The New York Bucket List brings together the most authentic, quirky, romantic, and one-of-a-kind tips. Whether it’s your first time in NYC or you’ve been living here for over 50 years, this guide will inspire you like never before. This compact pocket guide helps you get the absolute most out of the city. It’s divided into nine themed chapters (Adventurous, Authentic, Romantic, Special, Trendy, Happy, Tasty, Sexy, Fun) so you can easily find the best tips without feeling overwhelmed. Say goodbye to decision fatigue—and getting lost in the city that never sleeps. New York isn’t just a city trip. It’s a journey around the world.
A mystical, artistic, and poetic journey into the heart of the Domaine des Étangs in Charente Limousine, a familial domain hidden among quiet ponds, now turned into a five-star hotel. A unique spot of 2500 acres conceived around the five elements — water, earth, air, fire, and ether — which houses an exceptional contemporary art collection — paintings, photographs, sculptures, and books. The artwork can be discovered not only in every room of the 18th century castle but also throughout the park. At last, a place of rejuvenation out of the world and out of time which allows us to reconnect with nature.
Structured around the five elements, the book first explores the domain’s landscape and waters before revealing how the hotel is conceived around the three other elements — fire, air and ether.
Text in English and French.
An elegant photographic book highlights BFF’s new headquarters. Viale Scarampo, in Milan, saw the inauguration in 2025 of the BFF Banking Group’s new headquarters, a building whose transparent airiness and environmental and social sustainability ensure it provides an entirely original contribution to the city’s skyline. Designed by OBR (Open Building Research), the structure places the accent on the brightness of its interior and does not seek to compete in height with the skyscrapers of the nearby City Life district. The book is organized in a series of alternating photographs and text, drawing attention not only to the architectural features and the building’s functional characteristics, but also to the aim of creating a working environment that is intimately linked to its surroundings, in contrast to the traditional view of corporate architecture.
Casa BFF is not only the headquarters of a B2B bank, it is also a building that embraces the neighborhood and the city as a whole, starting with the museum it houses, which is accessible to all and contains the BFF Collection of post-war Italian art. Here the visitor will find works by Valerio Adami, Franco Angeli, Enrico Baj, Alberto Burri, Lucio Del Pezzo, Lucio Fontana, Gianfranco Pardi, Mario Schifano, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Giò Pomodoro and Emilio Tadini. The Bank inaugurated the museum with an exhibition dedicated to Enrico Baj’s series of 40 etchings inspired by John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The book does full justice to the exhibition spaces, as well as to the works that hang on the building’s walls.
Text in English and Italian.
Living Buildings celebrates the 60th Anniversary of Donald Insall Associates, the Practice founded by distinguished British architect Donald Insall, a leading exponent in the field of Architectural Conservation. Probably best known for the restoration of Windsor Castle after a devastating fire in 1992, the team s dedicated work has ensured the longevity of many of Britain s national treasures. This book presents a detailed examination of a painstaking approach to architectural conservation, comprehensively illustrated by case-studies, drawings, plans and in-depth descriptions. It is designed for a wide readership among all those who love and care for old buildings and appreciate good new design in sensitive areas.
Switzerland is well-known for its host of remarkable collections of 18th century European porcelain. Exemplary representatives include renowned collectors such as Dr Albert Kocher and Dr Marcel Nyffeler. A number of these magnificent collections can be found today – as a result of endowments or gifts – in Switzerland’s renowned institutions. Today, the ‘white gold’ from Saxony still fascinates Swiss connoisseurs: this publication is dedicated to their passion for collecting and for exceptional treasures, and is enriched with articles by renowned art historians and porcelain experts. An impressive overview of the gems from the most sumptuous Meissen porcelain of the early period.
Bruges City Guide 2016 is THE most comprehensive guide to visiting the ‘Venice of the north’; this guide contains up-to-date information (opening hours etc.) on ALL places of interest, museums and attractions, and will be revised every year. The convenient address guide will help you find the best shops, hotels, bed and breakfasts, cafés and restaurants, while the fold out street map will help you get to your destination. This definitive little guide includes three atmospheric walks, as well as cycling routes, through the city, helping you discover the incredibly diverse museums, from the Groeninge Museum, featuring fine art from the 15th to the 21st century, to the Hospital Museum – two medieval hospital buildings in the centre of Bruges, enjoying a new lease of life as art galleries; monuments, such as The Belfry, with its carillon that has rung every quarter hour for over 700 years; well-known locations, such as the historic city centre – A UNESCO World Heritage Site; and picturesque, hidden alleyways. It also includes tips from locals, letting you in on the secrets that only those native to Bruges would know, and features information on cultural events. Bruges City Guide 2016 illustrates how this historic city, with its cherished architecture and artistic treasures – and its breweries and 50 or so chocolate boutiques – really does have something for everybody, whether you’re planning a daytrip or a weekend getaway. Text in Italian.
Greenwich is the one London district whose name resonates around the world. As ‘the place where time began‘, everyone has heard of it, so naturally everyone wants to come here when they visit the capital.
With a memorable and picturesque Thames-side location, its maritime history means that there‘s more to see here per square foot than any other outer London neighborhood, and this new guide tells you how to do it.
111 Places not only tracks down the most interesting nuggets among Greenwich’s mainstream sights, from the Cutty Sark to the Meridian Line, it also lifts the lid on the area’s lesser-known attractions – from haunted Jacobean houses and mudlarking in Deptford Creek to classic pie and mash shops and famous riverside pubs. It explores beyond the confines of Greenwich town centre, turning up treasures like Henry VIII’s favorite residence, Eltham Palace – now an Art Deco gem – and nearby engineering feats like the Thames Barrier.
You could come to London and spend half your time in Greenwich, and we wouldn’t blame you if you did. This book tells you how to make the most of London‘s maritime borough.
This fully illustrated and researched catalog commemorates an exhibition of over 200 pieces of Chinese and related ceramics collected within the members of the Oriental Ceramic Society of London. The selection spans the complete range from Neolithic to contemporary ceramics, from minor kilns in many different regions to the major kilns working for the court, and from pieces of academic interest to world-famous masterpieces. It privileges unusual and rarely seen artifacts and avoids well known, repetitive designs such as that of the dragon, which is so firmly identified with China that it has become a cliche of Chinese art. It also aims to demonstrate the vast variety of wares and the inventiveness of Asian potters well beyond the classic confines.
Text in English and Chinese.
In the 1930s Grigory Barkhin became particularly interested in theater architecture, and this culminated in the publication in 1947 of a two-volume work, Architecture of the Theatre. This was the most comprehensive and deeply researched study of theater architecture of the time. The first volume follows a historical timeline, from early classical theaters to some of Europe’s national treasures – La Scala, Opéra Garnier, Vienna State Opera – and the development of theater architecture in the Russian Empire. The second half of the book is devoted entirely to Soviet theater architecture of the pre-war period, in particular the five-star design of the Red Army theater in Moscow, and competition projects for theaters in Rostov-on-Don, Sverdlovsk and Minsk, which Barkhin himself designed with his son Mikhail. These projects can be seen as the cornerstone of the development of Soviet architecture of the time. In this remarkable book, published here in English for the first time, Barkhin sets out a blueprint for architecture that combines an understanding of the subject with a bold and uncompromising vision.
There’s more to the South of France than sun, beaches, palm trees and the azure blue sea. For over a hundred years, it has been the favorite destination of many artists, who find themselves drawn to the superb light and the pleasant climate. The South of France for Art Lovers will show you what the area between Collioure and Menton has to offer in terms of surprising and remarkable art and cultural treasures. Journalist and art connoisseur Eric Rinckhout (Knack Magazine a.o.) selected more than 350 exceptional places: from the chapel decorated by Louise Bourgeois to the studio of Matisse and the apartment of Nabokov, from Eileen Gray’s modernist Villa E-1027 to architect Frank Gehry’s most recent design, from the oldest cinema in the world to street art in Marseille. Discover the best and most unique spots in inspiring lists such as contemporary sculpture gardens on wine estates, in the footsteps of painters and writers, chansonniers and rock stars, sleeping inside art, gardens that are artistic gems and much more.
This volume is a continuation of the first instalment of the editorial project Canova | In Four Tempos, ISBN 9788874399215, born in co-edition with the Pallavicino Foundation in Genoa with the goal of collecting in a refined publication the photographic research of Luigi Spina focused on the plaster models by Antonio Canova almost entirely preserved at the plaster cast gallery in Possagno.
This project accompanying the four-year Canovian celebrations (2019–2022) is structured in four publications, each focused on a specific nucleus of plaster models. Its aim is to give new dignity to Antonio Canova’s creative process while highlighting the fundamental role of the bronze nails (repères) that made the metamorphoses from plaster model to marble sculpture possible.
The first volume is devoted to the dialogue of Myth and Faith, illustrated by Spina with photographs of Cupid and Psyche, Paolina Borghese Bonaparte, Venus and Mars, the Lying Magdalen, Peace, and the Lamentation of Christ, while this, the second volume, revolves mainly around Myth. The sculptures on which the visual narrative focuses are: Dancer with Finger on Chin, Dedalus and Icarus, Theseus Defeats the Centaur, Naiad, Pius VII Praying, Venus and Adonis, and Sleeping Nymph.