An impressively tattooed but unnamed Easter Island (Rapa Nui) man appears often in the pages of Pacific Island histories and museum catalogs. The Swedish ethnographer Dr. Knut Hjalmar Stolpe knew him only as Tepano, the Tahitian version of the Christian name Stephen. But what was his real Rapanui identity, and what can his life story tell us about the history of Easter Island?

This book reveals his identity, who illustrated him, and how he transcended the tragic events of 19th-century Rapa Nui to become one of the most iconic faces of the Polynesian past. The authors summarize the history of tattoo as practiced by Rapanui artisans, link that history to island geography, and present rare barkcloth sculptures as a visual record of tattoo patterns.

This title is the first in a new series on Polynesian Arts & Culture by Mana Press, in partnership with Floating World Editions.

For a list of future titles, visit: www.FloatingWorldEditions.com. For more on Rapa Nui, the Mana Gallery and Mana Books, visit: www.eisp.org.

Miyamoto Musashi (c. 1584-1645) is the most revered and celebrated swordsman in Japanese history; in Japan alone close to a thousand works have taken the ancient warrior as its subject. Unfortunately, our modern portrait of this folk hero is derived mainly from popular books, comics, and film, with little heed paid to the early denki, chronicles recorded by men who, though they had not known Musashi in his lifetime, faithfully recorded what was passed down by those who had. The Bushû Denraiki is the earliest such record still in existence. Completed in 1727 by Tachibana Minehide, the fifth generation master of Musashi’s Niten Ichi school of fencing, it is the most reliable record of Musashi’s life and exploits outside those from the hand of the master swordsman himself. Now, after three centuries, Minehide’s insight into this enigmatic and solitary swordsman are available to the English reader. His text throws a new and refreshing light on many aspects of especially Musashi’s early life-his troubled relations with his father, his first battle experience during Japan’s period of unification, the sad death of his illegitimate child, and of course his legendary duel on Ganryû island.

Step into the captivating world of Chanel, where heritage, reinvention, and effortless chic intertwine in a story of timeless allure. This expanded volume guides you through the legendary house of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, exploring its journey from a trailblazing atelier to a global symbol of modern elegance.

Uncover the tales behind Chanel’s most iconic creations—from the little black dress and the classic tweed jacket to the legendary No. 5 fragrance—and the unforgettable women who made them iconic, from Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy to contemporary muses like Keira Knightley and Kristen Stewart.

Trace the evolution of Chanel’s creative vision, from Coco’s revolutionary designs that liberated women to the innovative interpretations of Karl Lagerfeld and today’s forward-thinking creative directors. With exclusive photographs and fresh perspectives, this book reveals the captivating world of Chanel and its lasting influence on fashion and culture.

Also available is ISBN 9788794190589 The Essence of Chanel.

This book – researched and authored by recognized rum expert Pascal Kählin – offers a comprehensive overview of a wide range of different rums and the most important places of production around the world. The evolution of rum is closely tied to the cultural history and prevalence of sugar. As a comprehensive guide, Rum – Rhum – Ron discusses and classifies different rum brands and portrays important distilleries in image and texts, detailing their history, local variations and particularities. This ‘atlas of rum’ tells rum’s story and its rise from sailor’s drink to collector’s item – a compendium for experts and anyone with an interest in spirits.

Marriage a la Mode is the most famous of William Hogarth’s ‘progresses’ or series paintings, the story of a marriage de convenance and its unhappy consequences in fashionable 18th-century London. Contemporaries relished teasing out the meaning of all its rich detail, and the most extensive and popular of all the commentaries on the artist’s accomplishment: was that of the witty, many-sided German, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. Brilliantly translated, thoroughly annotated, this text is accompanied by the earlier and less-known commentary by Hogarth’s friend, the French-Swiss enameller Jean-Andre Rouquet, and by a selection of Lichtenberg’s remarks (in letters to friends) on his purposes and problems in interpreting Hogarth’s work. Included also is another and very rare ‘explanation’ of the plates, an anonymous 1746 pamphlet titled Marriage A-la-Mode-An Humorous Tale, in Six Cantos. A foreword on Lichtenberg, and an historical essay on Hogarth’s work by Mr. Coley, supply necessary background on artist and commentary. Of Hogarth’s greatness there is little that need be said. But it is worth noting that, of his several ‘progresses’ or ‘modern moral subjects’, only Marriage a la Mode centers on the upper levels of British society – the aristocracy and the mercantile class.

a+u’s May issue features Manthey Kula. Based in Norway, the firm was founded in 2004 by Beate Hølmebakk and Per Tamsen. This issue includes 13 built works and five paper-architecture projects. Manthey Kula’s buildings result from the encounter between the given program, sensitivity to the site, and methods of construction, while their paper architecture explores the relationship between storytelling and form through varied inspirations – dreams seen by others, women depicted in literature, an imaginary tribunal, and narratives woven by self and others. Manthey Kula’s architecture is based on story, making, and how things are made. They use words, drawings, and materials to construct a new and potent reality. In a world where architectural approaches and values have diversified, Manthey Kula targets another public realm – fiction – prompting the viewer’s intuition and imagination to “reaffirm our presence in the world.”

Text in English and Japanese.

Postcards were to people in 1900 what the Internet was to the world in 2000. The world went from a thousand to a billion postcards in a very short span of time, with the finest painters from India, Austria and Japan getting involved. Paper Jewels is the story of postcards during the Raj, and covers India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Burma. It is the first book on the subject and features hundreds of professionally-restored images in original format, weaving together the postcard artists, photographers, and publishers who define the rich history of the medium. The author’s research also charts the history and progression of the technological aspects of postcard publishing and its key players. The concluding chapters explore the role postcards played in the Independence struggle, from the First Non-Cooperation Movement through the Dandi March and Partition. It includes some of the earliest cards of Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and other political figures. Many of the images in the book have not been seen since they were first published nearly a century ago. Published in association with The Alkazi Collection of Photography.

Dr. Balkrishna Doshi (1927–2023) was foremost among the modern Indian architects. An urban planner and educator for over 70 years, Doshi has to his credit outstanding projects ranging from dozens of townships and several educational campuses. Apart from his international fame as an architect, Doshi was equally known as an educator and institution builder. He received several international and national awards and honors, and in 2018 Doshi was selected as the Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, internationally known as architecture’s highest honor.

This autobiography captures Doshi’s career from his childhood to his studies in Bombay and London, his work at Atelier Le Corbusier in Paris and collaboration with Louis I Kahn for IIM Ahmedabad. It recounts his meetings with the most remarkable persons in his own and allied fields, and his equally remarkable patrons, and the story of his own family.

Put together, for the first time, from the lifelong diaries and notes maintained by him, Paths Uncharted is a personal recounting of this remarkable journey unfolding over more than 80 years and across all the continents.

“The most important portraits to me are the ones of people who have enriched my own thinking or awareness. Areas of philosophy, religion, psychological perspectives, poetry, music, art history, women’s roles and the inner life are important issues for me – and all have been nurtured by these people whom I have met through portraiture.” – Victoria Crowe. Victoria Crowe is one of Britain’s most vital and original figurative painters. Here, Duncan Macmillan explores the exceptional skill of this remarkable artist’s portraits and Victoria Crowe, herself, contributes many insightful accounts of her own thoughts and perceptions as each work developed. This book also tells Crowe’s own story – both professional and personal – through her art. She has developed an approach to portraiture that seeks to do more than record the outward appearance of a person: she aims to represent something of the inner life. With 80 illustrations, the portraits include the artist’s family, composer Ronald Stevenson, pioneer medical scientist Dame Janet Vaughan, poet Kathleen Raine, actor Graham Crowden, psychiatrist Professor Sir Peter Higgs and many others.

The hidden art of London is for the ever-curious roamer of both the back streets and the familiar places you never quite see – churches, gardens, graveyards, pubs. What little garden finds the poet John Keats sitting in the corner of a bench? Which abandoned building tells the story of a great Roman Road?
There are always marvels hidden in plain view – the back corner of a museum containing great sculptures by Rodin or the naked, street-corner golden boy, who marks where the Great Fire of London finally petered out. A famous literary cat or a painting by Hogarth on the bend of a stairs in an ancient hospital.
This guidebook takes you exploring London beyond its most famous sights to find the art we have never quite noticed before: the hidden statues, paintings, and murals that have escaped from the official museums, and often live unnoticed lives in tucked away places.

The images presented in this book take us to the heart of India’s rich folk traditions. The display of paintings accompanied by recited or sung commentary has been a part of that heritage since very early times, as attested by references and legends in Sanskrit sources, such as the Harsacarita, a 7th century work by Banabhatta. Known as ‘patacitras’ (or ‘patas’ for short), these illustrated narratives are painted on rectangular fabric, paper, or scrolls. They are a type of performed art that reaches out to audiences, mostly in India’s rural provinces. They convey the artists’ responses to legends and social themes from varied social and cultural bases. This book focuses on a particularly powerful set of such paintings from the Bengali-speaking region of eastern India, which depict events from the Ramayana in the form of scrolls that can be rolled out as the story unfurls. The vividly colorful images presented in this book occupy a special niche in the history of Indian art. They are remarkable because they are not only aesthetically beautiful, but also act as pictorial translations of a text that has been part of Indian culture for years, often used as their source of moral guidance. Especially astounding is that these ‘patas’ by Bengali folk painters diverge so often from the magisterial Ramayanas of adikavi ‘First Poet’ Valmiki. They leave out important parts, and import into the Rama saga episodes from local narrative caches. Following conventions of both art and storytelling, these portrayals constitute what is now recognized as a tradition of rural counter-Ramayanas, which express alternative alignments of ethical judgment. Contents: Foreword – 9, Preface – 13, Ackowledgements – 15, Introduction – 17, The Narrative Tradition of Indian Painting and the Ramayana – 29, The Bengali Patuas: History, Background & Style – 41, Songs of the Patuas – 51, The Ramayana of the Bengali Patuas – 63, Book I – 70, Book II – 81, Book III – 83, Book IV – 92, Book V – 95, Book VI – 98, Book VII – 116, Summing up – 128, References – 131, Index – 135

This pocket sized picture book is an artwork to itself telling the story of the famous trio and their art over the last 12 years. From the most human moments to their wacky adventures to the gigantic murals they have birthed – the Sool Boomb Book will transport you into the colorful world of this prolific Italian art crew.

Miami is a city in constant motion, where luxury high-rises reshape the skyline and vibrant art, neon-lit beaches, and tropical charm create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Beyond the lively nightlife lies the serene paradise of the Keys, a chain of islands steeped in history, hidden gems, and sun-soaked adventures.

This guide uncovers Miami and the Keys’ most unusual experiences, inviting you to explore places you’ve passed or never noticed. Discover rotating art displays in a millionaire’s mansion, dance to Latin rhythms in Little Havana, or slide down a two-story chute into a shopping haven.

Dive into crystal-clear waters to explore pirate shipwrecks, visit the country’s smallest post office, or track down Florida’s elusive Skunk Ape. Seek tranquility at a tropical Buddhist temple, stroll through mango groves, and celebrate sunsets at the southernmost point of the U.S. 111 places are waiting to reveal the magic of Miami and the Keys.

Leaving behind a comprehensive archive, Alfred Buckham wrote in detail about his exploits, including his nine crashes and how, to get the best images, he would stand up while flying in an open biplane, tying his right leg to the seat with a scarf, in order to loop the loop in ‘perfect safety’.

But dive a little deeper and there is an even more interesting story – how he created these unbelievable photographs. Using a combination of different negatives, Buckham used his skills in the darkroom to craft stunning images that capture the experience of flight but with a little extra drama.

Published to accompany the first major exhibition of Alfred Buckham’s work, this book draws on the photographer’s archive, held by his grandsons, and exciting new acquisitions made by the National Galleries of Scotland including the camera he took to the skies and a selection of the negatives used to craft his most celebrated images.

Introducing Keepsakes: A Design Memoir, by noted Russian designer Constantin Boym. Featuring a specially curated group of personal objects, some designed by Boym, and others collected through his travels from Russia to Turkey, Italy, Qatar, but all accompanied by a witty commentary on the objects themselves as well as what they mean to him. Each brings up a different story, but is always referenced back as a source and inspiration for Boym’s design principles and process. Through these often humble objects, items providing insights into the life and culture of the people using or making them, Boym points out enduring truths for today.

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.

Golden Glass: Verre Églomisé brings the reader into the glittering world of Miriam Ellner, the foremost practitioner of verre églomisé, the ancient process of gilding precious metals on the reverse side of glass, etching in a design, and setting it off with color. While it was first developed in 200 BC, Ellner is one its acknowledged modern masters. These seductive materials coalesce to enliven the surface of glass with luminous reflections creating moving glass paintings. She is one of few experts in this rare art form, making it fresh and relevant in the 21st century. Her work enhances private collections and design projects around the world.
Beginning her career as a dancer, Ellner brings energy, dynamism, and sense of motion to her art. This book offers stunning views into both Ellner’s process, her personal work, and the way she has worked on commissions with many leading interior designers and architects to create pieces that transform their rooms and bridge the worlds of art, craft, and design.
Golden Glass: Verre Églomisé contains reflections from her collaborators, coupled with hundreds of incredible photographs, as well as Ellner’s own insights into her decades-long practice, journeying into the ethereal world of illumination, reflection, and color.

What’s next? The question of whether future retail design will be analog, digital or hybrid has long since been answered. It is now interesting to ask what synergy effects result from this and how these can contribute to the resilience of our built environment. Especially the mature inner cities are facing enormous innovation pressure. Smart alliances are being formed and daring retail concepts are being tried out that add value in the urban space. The new yearbook shows solutions that accompany us worldwide into the “new normal”.

Text in English and German.

Joan Mitchell, an extraordinary figure in 20th-century art, remains one of the most celebrated painters of the Abstract Expressionist movement. Born in 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, she grew to redefine abstraction, blending emotional intensity with lyrical beauty. Her work, characterized by dynamic brushstrokes, vivid colors, and profound emotional depth, established her as a towering presence in a predominantly male art world.

Joan Mitchell had at least nine dogs during her lifetime, and Georges du Soleil, a brown poodle, was her first beloved canine companion. Known for her deep affection for animals, Mitchell treasured Georges as a constant presence during her New York years. Like the other dogs that would follow, Georges was more than just a companion; he was also part of the vibrant, dynamic environment that nourished her creativity and her ability to channel emotion into her art.

“Dogs are objects of love (I suppose people could be? Sometimes)” wrote Joan Mitchell.

From her first dog, the adored Georges du Soleil, to Skye Terriers Idée, Isabelle, and Ibertelle (“Bertie”), Brittany Spaniel Patou, German Shepherds Iva, Marion, and Madeleine, and not forgetting Prunelle and Belle-Bête; all of them cherished companions in her life and work, all of them celebrated here. Joan Mitchell and her dogs: a love story.

Text in French. 

Push open the gleaming doors of a luxury retailer, and you step into a world of curated elegance designed to captivate the senses and transport you into a realm of exclusivity. But it’s when the doors close that L’Atelier Five’s magic begins.

L’Atelier Five is the invisible hand behind glamorous brand activations and dazzling installations, creating opulent and engaging experiences that are imaginatively crafted to resonate on an emotional level. L’Atelier Five: Contagious Creativity celebrates the firm’s tenth anniversary by showcasing its award-winning projects and special collaborations with the world’s most acclaimed and luxurious brands, including Bulgari, Cartier, La Prairie, Dior, and Hublot, among many others.

This superb monograph also shares the entrepreneurial journey of L’Atelier Five’s founder and managing director, Saina Attaoui. From humble beginnings, Saina has created a thriving enterprise that’s taken the world of designer goods by storm. An alchemist, outsider, entrepreneur, innovator and creative, Saina brings the world’s most luxurious brands, and their customers, on the extraordinary journey with her. As Saina says, “Do it with passion, or not at all.”

Supercars is a celebration of the world’s most beautiful and iconic motorcars, ranging from icons like the Ferrari F40 to modern classics such as the Bugatti Veyron. Belgian photographer Rudolf van der Ven captures the essence of each car in this stunning 224-page coffee table book through his photography and unique stories. Foreword by Tim ‘Shmee150’ Burton.

Follow The Coast guides you along the Atlantic coast, on the west side of the Iberian peninsula, from San-Sebastián, the capital of gastronomy, to Gibraltar, on the southern tip of Europe. This visual travel guide explores the Spanish and Portuguese coastlines, with countless charming beaches, rugged cliffs and hidden gems. The book is a photobook gathering high-end nature photography, but also a guide which can be your companion for a road trip or beach holiday. Last but not least, it tells the formidable story of our project where we run the entire European coastline with a collective of brave runners who run 100km a day.

The wreath is Japanese floral artist Manabu Hashiguchi’s preferred floral shape. Its symbolism is universal. With no beginning or end, the wreath represents eternity and the endless processes in nature. Hashiguchi’s designs are so graceful that they look as if there has been no artist’s hand involved, and nature created the shapes by accident. Even the humblest of materials get the chance to shine and tell their story. Discover this intriguing collection of seasonal wreaths, which balance on the thin line between classical floristry and land art. Text in English and Japanese.