In 1839, photography was invented almost simultaneously in France and England, quickly finding fertile ground in Belgium – a young nation established in 1830. Positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Belgium became a hub for technological innovation, where photography flourished as both an art form and a means of self-representation. Driven by a wealthy middle class eager to capture its image, as well as strong support from the government, industry, and financial sectors, photography rapidly spread across the country. This book explores Belgium’s pivotal role in the early development of photography, offering a fascinating look at how a new medium shaped a nation’s identity. Featuring numerous nostalgic photographs by François Braga & Joseph Pelizzaro, Guillaume Claine, Joseph Ernest Buschmann, William Henry Fox Talbot, among others.
Text in English and Dutch.
Since 2004-05, the producers of the ‘Gute Aussichten – New German Photography’ competition have presented their winning photos at over one hundred solo shows. The competition fills a gap in the art world, which had previously left it up to chance or good luck to decide whether talented new photographers gained attention. The competition takes place every year, and the magazine Der Spiegel describes it as “Germany’s most prestigious competition for new photography.” This book showcases the top entries to the competition. The travelling exhibition starts on the 18th of November 2016 at the NRW-Forum in Düsseldorf, Germany. It will appear at different venues worldwide throughout 2017. Text in English and German.
Both beautiful and unusual, the images in this exquisitely bound book capture the freshest contemporary photography of flora from both famous and lesser-known photographers around the world. Although enchanting, the pictures move us away from traditional and sometimes predictable images of gardens, wildflowers and tropical plants. This beautifully bound book makes a perfect gift and shows flowers in a new light, whether shot in the studio, on location or using surprisingly abstract techniques.
This beautifully designed book is a celebration of one of the world’s most creative, dynamic and fascinating cities: Tokyo. It spans 400 years, with highlights including Kano school paintings; the iconic woodblock prints of Hiroshige; Tokyo Pop Art posters; the photography of Moriyama Daido and Ninagawa Mika; manga; film; and contemporary art by Murakami Takashi and Aida Makoto. Visually bold and richly detailed, this publication looks at a city which has undergone constant destruction and renewal and it tells the stories of the people who have made Tokyo so famous with their insatiable appetite for the new and innovative – from the samurai to avantgarde artists today. Co-edited by Japanese art specialists and curators Lena Fritsch and Clare Pollard from Oxford University, this accessible volume features 28 texts by international experts of Japanese culture, as well as original statements by influential artists.
Going against the grain of conventional street photography or humanist photography—both too traditional for his bold creative vision—Ray K. Metzker (1931–2014) uniquely appropriated urban space through its vertical and horizontal lines, with complete mastery of light. Long underrated, his work has previously only been featured in about a handful publications, all of which are now out of print. This new monograph, bringing together approximately 150 photographs, offers a fresh perspective on Metzker’s work as well as a (re)discovery of the American photographer, who developed an emotional affinity early on with the cities of Chicago and Philadelphia. His photography broke free from narrative aesthetic conventions, elevating monochrome photography to new heights.
From wild parrots in the streets of Tokyo to prize pigeons outside New York, this book brings together the world’s best contemporary photography of birds and asks us to look anew at these mysterious winged creatures in all their complexity and majesty.
Featured photographers: Frankie Alduino, Barbara Bosworth, Xavi Bou, Giacomo Brunelli, Robert Clark, Tim Flach, Andrew Garn, Mark Harvey, Leila Jeffreys, Simen Johan, Tracy Johnson, Katerina Kaloudi, Sanna Kannisto, Tom Leighton, Neeta Madahar, Dillon Marsh, Joseph McGlennon, Yoshinori Mizutani, Yola Monakhov, Carla Rhodes, Pentti Sammallahti, Joel Sartore, Aniruddha Satam, Søren Solkær, Tamara Staples, Luke Stephenson, Julia Tatarchenko and Janice Tieken.
Albert Dros has a passion for landscape photography. Although he travels the world in search of the most beautiful images, the Netherlands is still his favorite subject. After all these years, Albert has created extremely atmospheric, colorful and almost romantic photographs of the Netherlands. His dream images in this book show everything that makes the Netherlands the Netherlands: from tulips to windmills, from purple moors to vast river landscapes and from picturesque towns to animals in meadows and in the wild. The Beauty of the Netherlands is the result of ten years of craftsmanship by an internationally renowned photographer who captures a Netherlands that few people will ever see with their own eyes.
To wander is to travel without a fixed route or destination, to move expectantly through the world. Wander, the second volume in Sean Palfrey’s photography book series, explores the joy of following a winding course.
Palfrey is a renowned pediatrician and child health advocate, who travels the world with his work and for pleasure. His fascination with people, places, and stories informs both his artistic and professional practices. Wander traces Palfrey’s journeys across continents and cultures over five decades and features seventy photographs of remarkable places, from the mountain ranges of South Africa to the beaches of Chile, the woods of Canada to the deserts of New Mexico, to name a few. In the text accompanying each photo, Palfrey recounts his experiences and meditations in lyrical narratives.
Wander depicts and describes vastness, intimacy, beauty, and loss. Palfrey affirms photography’s capacity to spark our imaginations: “Every photo here has a story, a backstory, a then-story, and a since-story.”
In September 1939, thousands of German soldiers were turned loose on Poland. In 1940, they descended on Holland, Belgium and France. In 1941 they went to the Balkans, and then to the USSR. Armed with Leica and Rolleiflex cameras, some of these soldiers were officially commissioned as photographers, while others were asked by their commanders to snap records of events. Among them were trainees who knew about the Bauhaus, and other, older, men who could remember Weimar. Some excelled at formal portraiture, others were storytellers, stylists or humanists who wept at what they saw. The style and content of their work changed along with the collective mood after 1942, a change that is discernible in the photographs themselves. Celebrated author and art historian Ian Jeffrey – author of How to Read a Photograph and The Photography Book – has trawled through these albums, picking out the most compelling of these works to create an intimate record of anonymous lives experiencing the unprecedented.
In a world of infinite images here is a guide to 65 of the best ever taken. From early experiments with light and form through Leica masterpieces and now artificially generated images, take it or leave it, this is our opinion as to why these particular photographs rise above so many others and how they shaped the history of photography as an art form as well as the way we see ourselves and the world. This is the third book in a new series of Opinionated Guides on art movements, mediums and ideas which builds on the success of Hoxton Mini Press Opinionated Guides to London.
New times require new ways of thinking and seeing. Hardly any industry is undergoing more change than the automotive industry.
This book presents 50 of Germany’s best automotive photographers on over 300 large-format pages. In international comparison, they are among the best in their guild. A unique and comprehensive show of work with more than 250 photographs.
This high-quality coffee-table book is a real feast for the eyes for all car lovers.
“This monograph offers vivid explanatory captions, but there is little additional text to distract from the powerful images that put a human face on conflict.” — Communication Arts
“Tomasevic’s images sear themselves into your consciousness. I have never seen such powerful imagery that not only captures the horror of war itself but also its heartrending impact on innocent civilians, on our sense of our own humanity. But they do much more than that. They have an iconic quality as if created with a painter’s eye for detail, composition and contrast.” – John Green, Morning Star
“This powerful, terrible book conveys a Dantesque vision of our humanity. Admiration for Goran Tomašević, a wonderful Caravaggio of photography!” – Francis Kochert, Académie nationale de Metz
Goran Tomašević is a living legend. Not only has he survived for 30 years in crisis zones, but he has mastered the supreme art of photography, interpreting the world in a humanistic way, following in the footsteps of Robert Capa and James Nachtwey. This powerful, terrifying book conveys a Dantesque vision of our humanity. Current circumstances lead us to believe that this madness will go on and on. Goran is just 13 years old when his father gives him his first camera – an ancient FED 5V. And with it, his life begins to become a constant adventure, described in the 444 pages of this book. The quality of his reportage and the power of his images enabled him to join the Reuters agency in 1996 and, over the next 20 years, to become one of the most awarded photographers in the world. His œuvre can be called a photographic synthesis of the arts, an eminent contribution to the great path of photo reportage and an indispensable history of the last 30 years. Goran Tomašević’s credo:
“If you want to present the facts authentically, you have to be where they are. That’s the challenge.”
Text in English, German, and French.
This anthology celebrates the remarkable beauty of our feline companions. Deliberately striking, the photographs in this exquisitely bound book emphasize modern, innovative perspectives – showcasing fresh, unexpected projects from both renowned and emerging photographers around the world. Moving beyond the traditional, sometimes predictable shots of cats lounging on windowsills or in laps, these images re-imagine cats in a new light, whether captured in studio settings, on location or using surprisingly abstract techniques.
Between the twilight years of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867) and the end of the Meiji Era (1868–1912) that followed it, photography offered a unique insight into the rapid transformation of Japan from an isolated, feudal society to a modern, industrialized state. In the four decades that followed the opening of the country in 1853, the camera evolved from an imported novelty to a familiar witness of Japanese daily life. Operating from the Treaty Ports of Yokohama and elsewhere, early practitioners of photography plied an often precarious trade in images of Japan and laid the foundations of what would soon become a highly competitive industry with a global reach. Whether cherished as souvenirs of an exotic land of fond imagination or curated as visual documents of a fast-changing society, these images by foreign and Japanese photographers, often packaged in exquisitely produced albums, enjoyed a wide circulation abroad and played an important role in influencing perceptions of Japan in the West well into the early 20th century.
Drawing from an extensive private collection assembled over many years, this book presents a unique selection of 19th century photographs of Japan, many of which are published here for the first time.
Multiple Exposures – Allen Jones & Photography explores the numerous ways in which artist Allen Jones has engaged with the possibilities of this medium. Historian Philippe Garner has researched Jones’s extensive archive to develop and present the insightful narratives implicit in this remarkable, often surprising selection of images.
Studying at Hornsey School of Art, then at the Royal College of Art till 1961, Jones achieved swift success within a dynamic roster of artists celebrated as ‘The New Generation: 1964’ at the Whitechapel Gallery, London. Alongside his practice as a painter, sculptor, and printmaker, Jones nurtured an ongoing fascination with photography. This volume – an important addition to the literature on Jones’s oeuvre – reveals how he was first drawn as a student to the camera’s potential, making his earliest experiments in black and white.
Through the sixty-plus years of Jones’s career – using camera and, more recently, iPad, and iPhone – photography has become ever-more integrated within his wider practice as an artist. We observe his incorporation of ‘found’ photographs within his early collaged works; we discover the photographs he has taken as a visual ledger of all that intrigues him; we see a telling selection of the imagery that he has collected, mostly drawn from vernacular sources, such as post cards, newspaper cuttings, and magazine tear-sheets; we find his playful images of his studio and its juxtapositions; and we follow his investigation of the ways in which his paintings and sculptures can interact and invite fresh readings when transmuted into photographs.
The images in Multiple Exposures, mostly hitherto unpublished, are supported by an introductory text by Philippe Garner and by revelatory chapter introductions and pertinent pull-quotes by Allen Jones. The dynamic design of the book is by the legendary graphic artist David Hillman.
Jordi Gómez: Unlimited showcases the dynamic visual world of photographer and multi-disciplinary artist Jordi Gómez, capturing his 25-year journey. From his early analog work to his exploration of digital photography, this collection highlights his unique ability to capture the essence of his subjects with a signature blend of fantasy, glamour, and sex appeal.
Born in 1978 near Barcelona and based in Ibiza since 2002, Gómez draws inspiration from hedonistic Ibiza and global cities like London, Miami, and Tokyo. His eclectic portfolio includes geisha, sumo wrestlers, ballerinas, models, and celebrities from music, fashion, and sports.
Pushing creative boundaries, Gómez merges photography, graphic design, and AI to craft immersive installations. His art extends beyond galleries into hotels, restaurants, and private collections, even appearing on furniture, fashion, and wine bottles.
Jordi Gómez: Unlimited is a tribute to his limitless imagination and groundbreaking artistic expression.
Text in English and Spanish.
“…a significant contribution to the study of Chinese photography.” – The Art Newspaper
From political leaders to celebrities, photographic portraits exert considerable influence over our reaction to public figures. As the first academic publication focused on the Taikang photography collection, this book explores both the mechanics of portraiture and its psychological effects.
Taikang Space is one of the most important non-profit art institutions in China. Based in Beijing, they focus on contemporary art and photography. The Chinese Portrait: 1860 to the Present is based on the framework of the eponymous exhibition, which ran at Taikang Space from March 2017. This book introduces the curator and researchers involved with the exhibition, as well as researchers such as Shi Zhimin, Jin Yongquan, Liu Jianping, Liu Zhangbolong, who deliver their own unique angles on the topic of portrait photography. The Chinese Portrait: 1860 to the Present also features the curator’s interviews with Qia Sijie, Chen Shilin and Zhang Zuo – respectively the personal photographer, standard portrait re-toucher and darkroom technician of Chairman Mao.
Robin Grierson’s photography book, Steam Rally is published by Lost Press and has an introduction by the esteemed journalist and author, Ian Jack. It consists of 72 high quality color photographs that explore steam rallies in England over the past 30 years. The images record the engine men, their restored traction engines, and the lively steam heritage scene, which draws thousands to its events around the country every summer.
Having grown up around his father’s bus garage in County Durham and spent much of his formative years tinkering with engines, Grierson found himself instinctively drawn to the steam people and their beloved vintage machines. This collection of thoughtfully composed images, include respectful portraits, close up details of people and their machines, and wider views of the steam rally within the rural landscape. Grierson pays particular attention to the work-worn textures, stained surfaces, and subtle colors of the working steam environment.
“The genuine tone of this work derives undoubtedly from the photographer’s long acquaintance with tough working men and the tools and sounds of busy engineering yard’s” – Ag magazine
A new, thoroughly revised and expanded edition of the beloved Scotland guide by local Lauren MacCallum. Because she is so passionate about exploring new places, Lauren always has a list of new secrets ready to share. The new entries in this book include her favorite and recently discovered spots in Orkney Islands and the far north of the Highlands, like the coolest places along the North Coast 500. She also added, for example, the best activities in every season in her home area of Cairngorms.
This book isn’t your typical Scottish travel guide; instead, it aims to encourage you to define your own sense of adventure, to explore beyond the usual hot spots and get to know the real Scotland. It will help you to see beyond the tartan trinkets, Irn-Bru and haggis, and to experience the authentic life in Scotland, so you’ll understand what’s so unique about this small stretch of land and its inhabitants. The book covers an eclectic range of over 60 themes such as: unusual art spaces; gin and whisky distilleries worth a visit; amazing coastal walks; dramatic lochs and bookshops with character.
‘British Wine’ was once shorthand for bad imported grape mush. Not anymore. The rise of sustainable methods, youthful experimentation and, dare we say it, a new climate, mean that Britain is no longer the home of a few fine sparklings but a whole roster of dynamic reds, pinks and even oranges. This book celebrates the people who are growing, producing and championing the best of new British wine. This sumptuous coffee table book, filled with superb original photography, brings together personal interviews with some of the most inspiring people in Britain’s fast-growing, eclectic wine scene – taking you on a tour of over 30 influential winemakers, sommeliers and restaurants, from Cornish vineyards to Scottish wine bars.
Portrait Miniatures from the Merchistion Collection is the fifth in a series of titles which examines the portrait miniature. This collection, which has never been on public display, was assembled on the London art market during the 1970s and 1980s. Scottish miniaturists from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries are particularly well represented with fine works by Scouler, Bogle, and Skirving and Sir William Charles Ross. Of outstanding interest is Nicholas Hilliard’s matching pair of tiny lockets of Queen Elizabeth and her admirer Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Stephen Lloyd’s essay discusses the formation of the collection and the impact of the invention of photography on the art of miniature painting. It also explores the social history of the miniature. Twenty of the key works are illustrated in color, with extended captions, and a complete list of the collection is also included.
The New York jewelry firm of Marcus & Co. (1892–1942) created exceptional examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry for an art-loving, wealthy elite. Innovative in their collaboration with contemporary artists, and in their captivating window displays and advertisements, the firm captured the imagination of Gilded Age families such as the Rockefellers. This volume chronicles their story, from the founder’s apprenticeship in Dresden to the firm’s grand premises on Fifth Avenue neighboring Tiffany and Cartier. The triumphs and tragedies of three generations of Marcus jewelers, both artistic and entrepreneurial, are presented here together with exquisite jewelry and archival design drawings spanning 50 years.
This book accompanies a major exhibition in the Ashmolean Museum on the early work of internationally acclaimed German artist Anselm Kiefer. It focuses on his paintings, drawings, photographs and artist books created between 1969 and 1982, in the private collections of the Hall Art Foundation. Anselm Kiefer: Early Works is the first institutional show and publication in the UK dedicated to Kiefer’s early practice. The book introduces themes, subjects and styles that have become signature to Kiefer’s work, while providing a more intimate and complementary context for his large-scale installations that he is best known for today. The early works are accompanied by three recent paintings from the artist’s own collections and White Cube, chosen by the artist himself.
Art historians, artists, curators and experts of Kiefer’s art from Germany, Austria, Belgium, Britain and the US have contributed 46 original texts on individual works, organized in a chronological structure. An illustrated chronology at the end of the book compiled by Stephanie Biron from the Hall Art Foundation provides an overview of the artist’s early practice and life, to contextualize the works.
The book begins with Kiefer’s iconic Occupations and Heroische Sinnbilder series, created in 1969 and 1970, which Kiefer views as his first serious works. Kiefer was among the first generation of German post-war artists to directly confront the country’s troubled past and identity. Full of complex references to German socio-political history but also to culture, literature and his personal life, Kiefer’s early works carry a unique iconography, linking classic ideas of great art with a distinctive understanding of concrete artistic materiality. The landscapes in his watercolors are historically charged; hand-written words on paintings are closely linked with poetry well known to most German viewers; motifs and symbols point at Nazi ideologies and a collective feeling of guilt.
In the last twenty-five years contemporary art in Scotland has grown from a tiny and tightly knit community to a globally recognized center of artistic innovation and experiment. This book provides the first comprehensive and fully illustrated guide to the art of the period. Featuring the work of more than eighty contemporary artists who first made their careers in Scotland including Turner Prize winners Douglas Gordon, Simon Starling and Martin Boyce. An accessible introduction for new audiences and a handy reference guide to the art of this period.