Rome, the ‘Eternal City’, is not only enriched by buildings and monuments that preserve the culture of Italy in the symbolic center of Christianity and the hub of the Italian Republic. The architecture of Rome also tells the story of a process of restoration and innovation. During the 1930s, the social and cultural revolution led to calls for functionality and practicality, which are represented by impressive modern public and residential works, as well as by major initiatives from architectural forces of urban change in the capital. This handy pocket guide to modern and contemporary architecture in Rome has entries for 87 buildings, and a clever folding map with thumbnail photographs which correspond to marked locations. It includes indices by architect and by project, accessibility to the public, and directions by bus and metro.

November 19, 1479: a dynastic alliance, two noble scions, a regal wedding, short-lived and with an unhappy ending. These pages reconstruct the story of the magnificent bas relief in the Acton Collection (Villa La Pietra, Florence), commissioned to celebrate the marriage between Antonio Basso Della Rovere, nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, and Caterina Marzano d’Aragona, the niece of King Ferdinand I of Naples. The heraldic symbols of the three coats of arms leave no doubt about the identities of the characters and events surrounding its creation, and lead us to the original location of the work, born as the overdoor to the main portal of the Basso Della Rovere Palace in piazza della Maddalena in Savona. Through close examination of the Della Rovere in Rome, this study highlights some previously unknown facts about the family’s origins and returns to Savona and its role as a political, cultural, and artistic protagonist in late 15th-century Italy.

“What the historian must describe factually, Gee Svasti brings to life through the experience of Chai, Sumet and their comrades who traveled to war-torn Europe to bring honor and glory to their king. This is history made intimate, written in a gripping and heart-warming style.” Stefan Hell, author of Siam and World War One.

France 1918: with the war entering its last, critical chapter, a company of Thai drivers is late to the scene.

Commanded by the prudish Captain Sumet and his hard-pressed deputy, Chai, their missions see them thrown into the chaos of the Meuse-Argonne front, delivering shells to the artillery batteries and Grand Cru vintages to the high command and medicine to beleaguered platoons, before their trucks are stolen by an American tank courts.

Last to the Front is about the clash of empires, and social and historical change. It is also a personal story of the lives of young Siamese soldiers, thousands of miles from home, thrown into the world’s most brutal catastrophe, battling language, prejudice and intolerance, as much as shells bayonets and machine guns. Chai, wounded in Germany, goes back to Bangkok more sanguine and wiser, but he also leaves behind deep friendships and love.

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.

Tough and stubborn. That’s Amsterdam Castle Muiderslot, the oldest and best-preserved castle in the Netherlands. It is a magical place, surrounded by greenery and water. Built by Count Floris V in 1285, during its long history it has been used as a home, besieged and occupied, demolished, rebuilt and refurbished. This book tells the turbulent story of the finest Medieval castle in the Netherlands, now a lively place enjoyed by many visitors.

The beautifully illustrated volume is an editorial tribute to the history of the Comunale Theatre in Bologna, a city institution of international fame. With previously unpublished and richly detailed images and complementary texts by Professor Piero Mioli, this publication celebrates the theatre’s great and unique story. Also included is a rich photographic array from the theatre’s historical archives featuring posters, stage photos, sketches, drawings and figurine plates, which have been hidden from public view, until now.

Text in English and Italian.

“Anyone who always wanted to know about the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood, it can all be found here thanks to high-quality images from photographer Mariona Vilarós, who has captured every production step in detail.” — Octane
Step inside a world of engineering excellence with this collection, dedicated to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The authors were granted unique access by the Rolls-Royce company. Detailed descriptions of the manufacturing process are set against a backdrop of heritage and prestige,including an exclusive showcase of the company’s manufacturing facility and a splendid gallery of Rolls-Royce cars dating back to sketches of work from the1930s. This collection includes numerous unseen photos of Sir Henry Royce driving early versions of his iconic cars.

A true behind-the-scenes experience, this book introduces the reader to the Rolls-Royce master craftsmen at work.High-quality images and detailed insights reveal the process by which each caris constructed, from the 2019 Ghost Zenith back in time to the 1904 Original.Rolls-Royce opens their archive to reveal a spectacular timeline of design, providing readers with an insight into the world of those who still uphold the words of Sir Henry Royce: “Strive for perfection in everything you do”.

The contents list guides the reader through the complete construction of a car: Design and Customisation, Paint and Finish,Chassis Assembly, Woodwork, Leather, Testing, The Spirit of Ecstasy Hood Ornament, and more. With a glimpse at the Rolls- Royce Training Academy and a plethora of featured cars from last year to the start of the last century, this is the ultimate Rolls-Royce collectors’ volume. Featured cars include the new Ghost (2020), the Phantom Tranquility (2019), Phantom Aviator Coupe (2012), the Phantom II Continental (1934), the AX201 Silver Ghost (1907), and many more.

Robert Konieczny, founder and principal of KWK Promes, in Poland, specializes in projects renowned for ingenious concepts and unique design. His works examine closely the nature and interpretations of spatial journeys for the viewer or those who inhabit the space, be it for residential works, public buildings, or international cultural festivals and exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale. The firm’s work especially with kinetic architecture fuses seamless design principles with inventive concepts, namely movable structures that both catch light and create a uniquely experiential environment. A leader in industry innovation, Konieczny and KWK Promes was awarded the World Architecture Festival Award for the best building in 2016.

“Our designs are shaped by logic. Inside these pages we showcase a unique and detailed précis that narrates the story of the concepts behind our buildings.” — Robert Konieczny
“The ideas expressed by Robert Konieczny are quite radical and surprising—his forms are unexpected, and often closed or heavy at first sight. Though the Polish context, in terms of climate, history, and sociology may imply such solutions, KWK has laid out a series of concepts that could readily be applied to other places, surely generating other types of buildings. This is not a style so much as it is an intellectual construct.” — Philip Jodidio

A unique insight into the ways in which one of today’s leading artists is inspired by great works of the past. In 16 emphatically modern new paintings, renowned artist, Alison Watt, responds to the remarkable delicacy of the female portraits by eighteenth-century Scottish portraitist, Allan Ramsay. Watt’s new works are particularly inspired by Ramsay’s much-loved portrait of his wife, along with less familiar portraits and drawings. Watt shines a light on enigmatic details in Ramsay’s work and has created paintings which hover between the genres of still life and portraiture. In conversation with curator Julie Lawson, Watt discusses how painters look at paintings, explains why Ramsay inspired her, and provides unique insight into her own creative process. Andrew O’Hagan responds to Watt’s paintings with a new work of short fiction and art historian Tom Normand’s commentary explores further layers of depth to our understanding of both artists.

Embroideries from the Greek islands dazzle with their bright colors and charming motifs. This publication reveals little-known pieces from the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford, newly photographed and published here for the first time. The embroideries include fragments of pillowcases, bed valances, tents and curtains, as well as items of dress. As with all collections of textiles, the story of the Ashmolean holdings is chiefly about their makers and their ingenuity. Once forming the bulk of bridal trousseaux, Greek embroidered textiles were produced and maintained by young and old women for themselves and the house using locally produced materials. A mark of their worth and a platform for self-expression, embroidered textiles also helped Greek women to negotiate their place in the community, signalling status and affiliation.

Peter Hinssen’s radical long-term view on organizing and innovation is as fascinating as it is insightful. This is a great read about the future of business, aimed at those who want to witness the potential of this age of disruption. Adam Pisoni, CEO at Abl Schools, Co-founder of Responsive.org and Co-founder of Yammer. “Peter Hinssen has done it again! The Day After Tomorrow is a provocative and inspiring book that will challenge you, educate you and open your eyes to possibilities that you never thought existed. A must-read for any organization that wants to prepare for disruptive changes.” Costas Markides, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. “Many futurists entice us with fanciful notions. Peter Hinssen, however, manages the impossible, combining a stunning clear vision of the future with a compelling but concrete framework to act on now.” Eddie Obeng, Professor at Pentacle The Virtual Business School For today s organizations, our exponentially changing world has come with great consequences. In this book, Peter Hinssen tells the story of the pioneers who managed to adapt to those changes and who moved beyond today and even tomorrow in their approach to innovation. In doing so, they were able to change the course of entire industries. Peter’s book focuses on the business models of these pioneers, on the organizational culture, the talent, the mindset and the technology we should tap into in order to maximize our chances for survival in the ‘Day After Tomorrow’. It will shift your perspective on your future, on the future or your company and even that of your grandchildren.

The uniqueness of Silke Trekel (*1969) lies in the melding of artisan skills and awareness with a particular sensibility for the character and texture of the inherent quality of her materials. Whether industrial or organic, they play a crucial role in her designs. The many travels of the Halle-educated artist broadened her perspectives, validating them in a concept of jewelry fed by universal symbolic metaphors of form. The publication gives a first in-depth account of her development, of this dialog between abstraction and ornamental tradition. In fact Trekel invites us to rethink, for her work unites motifs and guiding concepts, which galvanized 20th century art – between sculptural spatial configurations and signs held in suspension. Trekel takes an active part in this story.

Text in English and German.

Published to accompany exhibitions at Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein, Munich, from 5 March-17 April 2021, at Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau from 12 September-10 November 2021, and Galerie Viceversa, Lausanne from February 12–March 12, 2022

Nathdwara, located in the Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan, is home to Shrinathji, a 15th-century manifestation of the child-god Krishna holding up Mount Govardhan. Since the establishment of the haveli (temple mansion) in 1671, artists have flocked to the sacred town to adorn the walls where Shrinathji dwells with painted cloth hangings as well as to provide painted icons for the pilgrimage trade. At one time there were hundreds of artists in the service of Shrinathji.

This catalog explores Anil Relia’s comprehensive collection of Nathdwara paintings and sketches, celebrating the wide-ranging talents of various artists. The painters are creators of icons and storytellers of Krishna’s exploits. Krishna lives in their everyday lives permeating their thoughts and guiding their brushes. At the same time, they record important events in temple history and portraits of the people who participated in these affairs.

The paintings that document festivals adhere to a traditional hieratic style, but the artist displays a freer hand in telling the exploits of Krishna. A prominent artist showcased in this collection is Ghasiram Hardev Sharma, a master draughtsman with a penchant for naturalism. He influenced a whole generation of 20th-century artists and is still held in high esteem.

Fred Bervoets (b. 1942) is a legend in the Belgian art world and revered by the younger generation of artists.

For years he has made both expansive, teeming artworks and extremely traditional prints, the latter of which has seen him develop his own unique technique. Although his spontaneous and gestural style seems to accord with Expressionism, Fauvism or Cobra art, Bervoets is above all an idiosyncratic artist who uncompromisingly treads his own path and gives free reign to his imagination.

A simple anecdote from a friend in a café might provide the catalyst for a work in which the story assumes new proportions and adopts its own twists. His personal life also engenders self-portraits or other types of artworks, all crowned with an essential degree of self-mockery and irony. Bervoets allows everyday events to expand into miniature universes governed by their own rules and laws. The horror vacui of his large paintings conceals countless details, all of which contribute to the narrative.

Bervoets’ works might seem playful but they are tinged with melancholy. His caricatural figures are compelled to stand their ground in a denuded world. They achieve this by completely surrendering, with the necessary humour, to the inevitability of life. In recent years, Bervoets has increasingly presented himself as a peintre-graveur. This means he does not use the etching technique as a method of reproduction but as a means of expression.

Each and every one of his chaotic and colourful works testifies to his pictorial passions, consummate skill and unbridled energy. This book presents the evocative work produced by Fred Bervoets between 2015 and 2019, including his most recent Night Drawings series, the masterful embodiment of the nocturnal reveries and memories that persistently haunt his mind.

Following the success of Portrait of Britain and Portrait of Humanity, this third edition of the latter brings together 200 new portraits taken by photographers of all levels from all over the world, selected from tens of thousands of entries. The publication supports a world-touring exhibition which will visit USA, India, Hungary and among other places, bringing global exposure to the book. The award and exhibition is organized by 1854 Media (British Journal of Photography). Each image in the book is accompanied by a short, telling story from each photographer, bringing home the humanity of those photographed.

“With each day spent outdoors I am reminded of what a beautiful world we all call home, and the challenges that face ecosystems across the world.” – Alfie Bowen

“The photographs are outstanding, and the story behind them inspirational. Given the odds stacked against Alfie throughout his life, this book is a significant success and bodes very well for a continued and very inspiring career as a world-class photographer.” – Chris Packham

“There are illustrated books that go straight to the heart, leave you speechless and humbled….and “Wild World” by Alfie Bowen is just such an illustrated book. Wildlife photography in perfection, for which there are no words, because Bowen succeeds in letting the viewer look directly into the soul of the animals with his photographs.” – Lovely Books Germany

“Bowen’s photographs are truly breath-taking. Hours are invested into every piece to ensure the results are exactly as Bowen envisioned… ” – Lovely Books

Alfie Bowen is an exceptionally talented young autistic photographer and wildlife activist. His latest project offers a glimpse into the private lives of numerous wild animals from across the globe and reveals the highs and lows of living as an autistic environmental campaigner.

Bowen’s photographs are truly breath-taking. Hours are invested into every piece to ensure the results are exactly as Bowen envisioned, and Bowen conducts in-depth research on every animal he captures, believing it is of the utmost importance to understand his subjects. In this book, Bowen discusses overcoming the limitations of technology and how autism has given him the obsession needed to persevere in often cold, lonely and difficult circumstances. From Bowen’s relation of his struggle to capture the perfect picture of a cheetah, to his majestic portraits of some of the most beloved animals on the planet, this book captures the powerful sensory experience Bowen enjoys whenever he immerses himself in nature. 

Featured animals include: lions, cheetahs, leopards, tigers, snow leopards, Geoffrey’s cats, red pandas, chimpanzees, monkeys and colobuses, lemurs, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, deer, flamingos, eagles and other birds, and koi.

“Her stunning images push boundaries and feature portraits of a wonderfully diverse selection of strong, bold people of all ages, races, and body types.” —Loeidela Photographie

“Inspirational, feminine and colourful…” —Flair Mode Magazin

“…[pays] homage to all these forms of beauty that our society struggles to recognize”.—Costanza Spina, Lense

Alexandra Sophie is a French artist and renowned fashion and fine art photographer. Her work is described as sensual, fresh, and feminine, often entwining humans with nature. Alexandra Sophie’s powerful and award-winning photographic work narrates stories on being human, the human being in environmental contexts — interwoven through floral themes — and explores identity through subjects such as sexuality, feminism, and interrogations on what constitutes the “normal” frontier.

Alexandra’s award-winning photography has gained international recognition, featuring collaborations and covers with high-fashion clientele, such as Swarovski, Cacharel, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar UK, among many others; in 2018 Forbes named her as one to watch in its 30Under30 Europe profile.

This highly illustrated book, which will include a preface written by Nathalie Colin (former Creative Director at Swarovski), comprises a lavish and rich portfolio of Alexandra’s photographic portraits that is inspirational, beautiful, contemporary, and colorful. Her stunning images push boundaries and feature portraits of a wonderfully diverse selection of strong, bold people of all ages, races, and body types.

a+u February issue features the architecture office E2A based in Zurich, Switzerland. E2A, which represents architects by 2 brothers, Piet and Wim Eckert, was started in 2001.

The E2A architecture dominates our eyes with their solid design of strong truss structure and clear vertical and horizontal lines. This is the result from the work of resolving contradictions caused by the diverse functions, programs, ambitions and wishes, site constraints and conditions required of architecture, as symbolically explained in E2A’s statement, before finally putting them into the form of an architecture. E2A has clear strategies, finds methodologies, but at the same time recognizes that they must not lose resilience. The solutions derived from these points, that is, architecture, are clear and simple to understand. It is as if there was no struggle to unravel such contradictions and confusing issues. This is probably why their architecture which is vigorous seems overwhelming at first glance; but it is not.

Text in English and Japanese.

A vibrant, colorful and beautiful book that introduces readers to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. It explains the difference between the two movements and the main artists associated with each. Illustrations are drawn from the renowned and outstanding collection of French art held by the National Galleries of Scotland and they include a number of rarely seen works.

This book tells the fascinating stories of how key paintings and drawings found their way into the collection.

Artists include Monet, Millet, Gauguin, Bastien-Lepage, Charles Jacque, Troyon, Corot, Degas, Seurat, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Vuillard, Bonnard, Derain, Matisse, Legros and Rodin.

Christo (1935–2020) and Jeanne-Claude (1935–2009) created some of the most breathtaking artworks of the 20th and 21st centuries. Their projects radically questioned traditional conceptions of painting, sculpture, and architecture.

This lavish photo book is the first comprehensive publication on the artists’ oeuvre to be released after Christo’s death in May 2020. It also serves as a curtain-raiser for Christo und Jeanne-Claude’s last major project – the wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which will be carried out posthumously in the fall of 2021.

Presenting a wealth of photographs and studio snapshots from 1949 to 2020, some of which are private, this book allows an intimate peek behind the scenes of Christo und Jeanne-Claude’s monumental installations which fascinated the public for decades. In addition to pictures capturing the artists at work, it includes photos documenting all of their major projects.

Matthias Koddenberg (b.1984), art historian and close friend of the artists, spent many years compiling the more than 300 images featured in this volume. Among them are pictures taken by companions and friends and hitherto unpublished photographs from the artists’ estate. Together they tell the extraordinary story not only of the couple’s artistic collaboration, but also of their five-decade-long partnership.