“…his stories are always interesting, lively and well written, giving an insight to the art world as he experienced it.” — Literary Review

“If you read one book on art this year, it must be this brilliant critique of art today seen through the lens of retired museum curator Julian Spalding.” — International Property & Travel

Julian Spalding’s career as a curator and creator of museums was amongst the most controversial and effective of his time. In this collection of essays and memoirs he revisits some of the important events and battles of the last 40 years, when he spearheaded resistance to the cult of conceptual art being promoted from the centre. Witty, illuminating, coruscating and blazingly intelligent, this book is a vital guide to the ways in which we consume art today, for good or ill. 

Scientists have discovered more than a million different species of insects that every day, in every part of the world, live their very diverse lives. Many fly, others walk or bore through wood. Some are pleasing to the eye, like butterflies; others, like cockroaches, a bit less. For the most part, insects are small – sometimes so small that you need a magnifying lens to see them – and that is the way we are used to thinking of them. But in this book, the insects are presented in their actual sizes and in many cases readers will be genuinely surprised to find some veritable giants among them. The book includes other impressive insect characteristics – how much they weigh, how fast they are, how large and small insects differ from each other – all of which can be seen in the life-size illustrations that make the insects seem as though they have just landed on the page. Ages: 7 plus

In Reimagined Worlds: Narrative Placemaking for People, Play, and Purpose, Margaret Chandra Kerrison presents an indispensable manifesto, compelling designers of environments and experiences to embrace a people-centred approach fuelled by intentional narratives. This thought-provoking book delves into the realm of uncharted possibilities, envisioning a world that fosters a deep sense of belonging and authentic self-expression. She shares her unique insights, drawing from her experiences as a former Walt Disney Imagineer and the 2023 Paul Helmle Fellow at Cal Poly Pomona’s School of Architecture. By combining storytelling with architectural and experiential design, the book inspires the creation of meaningful places that cultivate strong communities and shared values. Through this narrative lens, she encourages us to imagine and build a world we truly desire to inhabit, one that thrives on collaboration and purposeful living.

Published on the occasion of the monographic exhibition at the Corner of the MAXXI, this catalogue is illustrated with the earlier paintings and never-before-seen large works created especially for the museum, a dialogue between nine sets of twins and one work in which it is possible to recognise an expressive direction filtered through the lens of abstraction. In addition to the essay by the curator, the volume includes an interview with the artist, a critical text by Aurelio Picca, and a bio-bibliography. In short, the volume provides a complete portrait of Marco Tamburro: from the references to classical cinema, to the theatre and to contemporary photography, to his personal history and paintings, which combine aspects of his own life with imaginary events. His main source of inspiration is the city of Rome, consumed and crisscrossed by an infinity of trajectories, overlaid by buildings and skyscrapers.

Text in English and Italian.

A Year in the Vineyard is a tribute to the cycle of the vine. From winter pruning to vine leaves capturing the energy of the late autumn sun, the narrative is spun through vignettes about activities in vineyards around the globe, accompanied by photographs and background paintings. The book honours seasonal rhythms and rituals without glossing over potential risks, such as hail piercing acres of nascent chardonnay in Champagne or wildfires in the Napa Valley. The hope is that each spread captures a gesture, a step in a dance with the natural world, thus providing an experiential understanding of the axiom ‘wine is made in the vineyard’ and of the notion that fine wines are achieved in tandem with nature, not through triumph over the elements. It also shows wine growers as operating on the front line of the climate crisis, posing questions and offering potential remedies in response to the earth’s changing ecology.

“Award-winning Belgian photojournalist Nick Hannes casts a critical eye on six newly built capital cities around the world, from Korea to Kazakhstan, and questions whether they are really serving the people who live in them.” — Elle Decoration UK
What does the ideal capital look like? Photographer Nick Hannes travelled to six countries – Egypt, Korea, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Brazil – that have recently built a new capital or are in the process of doing so. Each and every one of them is a typical example of what Rem Koolhaas calls the Generic City: a planned city without historical layers, local identity, or its own character. As a visual sociologist with a sharp eye for detail, Hannes searches for the human dimension in a setting full of spectacular architecture and pompous prestige projects. New Capital is a critical reflection on unbridled neoliberal urban development and its social and ecological consequences, but is also peppered with subtle humour and surprising coincidences. Meandering between pride and sadness, New Capital shows how utopia and dystopia are sometimes surprisingly close.

Bruges has many faces. Its proud towers, elegant stepped gables and charming squares were once the scene of bloodshed and intrigue, but also of budding romances and excessive wealth. Seduced by its illustrious past, Bruges attracts countless visitors who come to soak up the romance and atmosphere of yesteryear. Apart from the must-see sights like the Rozenhoedkaai, the Beguinage, the Minnewater and the Grote Markt, the city also boasts countless intimate corners, authentic squares and tranquil green oases that provide a retreat for those seeking some peace and quiet. Through the lens of photographer Selina De Maeyer, the essence of Bruges comes to life. Her evocative photographs capture the city in all its bustling vibrancy, its occasional weariness, and even moments of wistfulness. They offer a poetic glimpse into the soul of the city and take us on a journey from the iconic hotspots to the hidden gems. 

Text in English, French and Dutch.

Leave the Light on is Annelore Desmet’s tribute to women. Her captivating images are like poetry without words, but their beauty goes beyond the pretty picture. Suggestive and mysterious, these photographs tell a compelling story of authenticity, seduction and feminine power. Annelore Desmet knows better than anyone that beauty is more than skin deep. With her trusted camera and light as her sole ally, she manages to meticulously capture every model’s essence, uniqueness and energy. For Annelore, photography is more than a craft. It is an intuitive journey wherein she completely surrenders to her instincts and embraces the moment. Or, as Henri Cartier-Bresson once said: “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.” 

Text in English and Dutch.

Guerel Sahin, one of the pioneers of the young outdoor photography movement, presents an exclusive selection with teNeues: Discover his handpicked natural and photographic treasures amidst the breathtaking mountain landscape of the Dolomites, in South Tyrol and the Dolomites.

Among the featured highlights are natural wonders such as Val Gardena, Passo Gardena, Seiser Alm, Passo Sella, Cir Spitze, Langental, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Cadini Di Misurina, Lago di Braies, Puez Odle Nature Park, Seceda, Platt and Langkofel, Plätzwiese, Antorno Lake, Stevia, Passo Giao, or Lago Di Sorapis. Sahin personally introduces each of these locations, shares valuable tips for the perfect photo, and succinctly provides alpine basic information on accessing each spot. An overview map provides a quick reference.

The breath of nature in breathtaking landscapes: Sahin’s lens brings the landscape to life with the whisper of mountain air, creating an enchanting symphony of untouched wilderness. Immerse yourself in incredibly atmospheric, sometimes dark photography that brings dreams of real adventure, untamed terrain, and boundless freedom to life.

Text in English and German.

The myth of a wild, untouched landscape is persistent in American history. Imaginary wilds helped define an American identity in the early nineteenth century when Thomas Cole produced a series of masterwork paintings of American landscapes. And today the myth of imaginary wilds continues to have a major influence on attitudes toward landscape, nature, and the use of resources extracted from the earth. This book presents a series of student-designed architectural projects for a new gallery building sited within the landscape of Cedar Grove, Thomas Cole’s historic home and studio in Catskill, New York. Cole’s artistic legacy can be interpreted in different ways because he was concerned with landscapes and nature as both material and ideal conditions. Complexities arising from considering landscapes and nature as both real and ideal create a productive frame for exploring how architects might design buildings in relation to landscapes and nature. Throughout the book, these relationships are seen to play out in five different directions under the guidance of five different design studio instructors. The architectural projects presented here are contextualised in relation to landscape, nature, and Thomas Cole’s artistic legacy in a series of essays by a distinguished group of designers and thinkers. 

“I have an old camera with which I have taken countless photographs of myself. It often produces astonishing effects”, Edvard Munch states in a 1930 interview. “Someday when I am old and have nothing better to do than work on an autobiography, all my photographic self-portraits will see the light of day again.” The autobiography was never realised, but the self-portraits have found their way to the pages of The Experimental Self. The Photography of Edvard Munch, which demonstrates the fundamentally experimental nature of the artist’s photographic practice. As a photographer, Munch embraced the freedom provided by the amateur position, and the unpredictable aspects of analogue photographic technology. By playfully approaching his own image in picture after picture, Munch extends his explorations of self-hood in other media through photography. The resulting photographs provide unique access to Munch’s radical artistic vision, which this book studies through eminent essays by Patricia G. Berman, Tom Gunning and MaryClaire Pappas. 

Star and Moon presents the daily life of the Hui people and expresses a kind of “emptiness” that transcends time and meaning. Lonely, mysterious, quiet and elegant, the simple images are like a faded postcard, bringing a deep Zen feeling to the heart. At first glance, the images of Star and Moon are plain and seemingly picturesque. However, if you sit quietly for a moment and feel the breath conveyed by the black and white shadows, you will experience a heavy breath running through it, adsorbing the viewer’s eyes tightly, following the photographer’s lens in the cycle of the stars and the moon, experiencing the destiny of the Islamic nation together.

Yang Yankang expands the scope of experimental exploration of the language of modern Chinese photography, and creates a revelatory way of perceiving the art of practical photography. His works on the three major religions have historically placed them in a prominent position in the history of modern Chinese art, and he has become one of the leading photographic artists in China and even in the world.

Step into a captivating world where the lens becomes a storyteller, and architectural marvels and interior masterpieces unfold with mesmerising clarity.

For the first time ever, this book brings together 50 of the world’s best photographers specialising in architecture and interior design and showcases each one through portraits, interviews and a handpicked selection of their best images to date.

In Focus is not just a book; it’s a visual odyssey paying homage to the world’s most exceptional architecture and interiors photographers. 

As the curated collection unveils the unique perspectives of each photographer, from the play of light on architectural structures to the intimate details of curated living spaces, readers are invited to witness the convergence of art and functionality. This tribute encapsulates the essence of architectural and interior photography, showcasing the visionaries who have dedicated their craft to immortalising the soul of spaces.

No country, apart from India, is as closely allied with the Buddha’s travels as Sri Lanka, which was visited thrice by the Buddha and received corporal relics and a branch of the bodhi tree after his death. Today the Buddha’s eye-tooth is venerated daily by thousands in Kandy and regarded as a priceless relic.

Buddhism is not the only religion to have influence the island, as another major pilgrimage spot is Kataragama, a site devoted to a Hindu God, while Christianity and Islam are also part of the mix. From Europe, the Portuguese, Dutch, and English added new spiritual layers in a colonial period that stretched nearly three centuries. As a result, understanding the country, through the lens of sacred sites provides a special glimpse into this unique civilisation.

Calder. Sculpting Time explores the profound and transformative impact of one of the 20th century’s most revolutionary artists through a focused lens. Alexander Calder (1898–1976) changed the way we perceive and interact with sculpture by introducing the fourth dimension of time into art with his legendary mobiles — a term coined by Marcel Duchamp that refers to both “motion” and “motive” in French — and by exploring volumes and voids in his stabiles, christened by Jean Arp for his stationary objects.

This catalogue includes over 30 masterworks made between 1930 and 1960 — Calder’s most innovative, prolific years — from his early abstractions or sphériques to a magnificent selection of mobiles, stabiles, and standing mobiles of various scales. It also features a large body of Calder’s Constellations, a term proposed by Duchamp and James Johnson Sweeney for the artist’s beloved objects made from wood and wire in 1943, a time when sheet metal was in short supply due to World War II.

… “What sets Stills apart from your standard rock photo book is the captions, written by Robert Smith himself.” — WhyNow
The Cure “Stills” follows the changing faces of one of the leading British rock bands during the post-punk and new-wave movements of the late ’70s and ’80s. As the band has continued over a period of nearly 50 years, front man and only constant member Robert Smith has maintained the band’s popularity throughout the changing musical eras, while staying true to their individualistic style and quirkiness.
Instrumental in the creation of the varying incarnations of The Cure is photographer Paul Cox, who first encountered the group on Top of the Pops in 1980. Having established a creative, productive and trusting relationship with the band, Cox’s resulting work is The Cure in all their glory. Including over 200 colour and 75 black-and-white images, with accompanying captions selected and written by Cox and Smith, this book is a celebration of a seminal band through the lens of a skilled photographer. 

“As these two female artists come together in the creation of this photographic collection, an important historical testimonial has been actualized, showing women striving in a male-oriented world and succeeding in reaching the top of their game.” — The Eye of Photography
“…an unprecedented reissue, enriched by Michael Arnold, the photographer’s grandson.” — Harper’s Bazaar France
“”Marilyn Monroe by Eve Arnold”, one of the best (if not the best) photographic documents ever released about the ultimate sex symbol of the 20th century.” — Greek Newspaper TO BHMA

When they met at a party in the early 1950s, Marilyn Monroe remarked to Eve Arnold that she’d seen the photographer’s images of Marlene Dietrich. ‘If you could do that well with Marlene,’ Monroe said, ‘can you imagine what you could do with me?’ A star in her day and one that continues to captivate the world, Monroe’s multifaceted persona is brilliantly captured through Arnold’s lens in this revised and redesigned edition of the 1987 publication, Marilyn Monroe: An Appreciation.
Including newly discovered and restored photographs in colour and in black and white, alongside insightful commentary, Eve Arnold takes us on a photographic journey of Monroe’s life. A detailed biography in Arnold’s own words allows a rare glimpse into the stories behind the photographs and her unique relationship with Monroe. As these two female artists come together in the creation of this stunning photographic collection, an important historical testimonial has been actualised, showing women striving in a male-oriented world and succeeding in reaching the top of their game.

Award-winning firm MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture (MDSA) reflects on past work to explore its use of materiality and the inherent qualities of texture, colour, and light.

Architects design, build, and move on to the next project. How often do they reflect on their decisions and the evolution of their work over time, looking back at the choices they made?

MDSA carefully considers texture, colour, and light, and explores these inherent qualities of materials in its architectural designs. At first sight, they may seem disparate with adjacent elements, but ultimately exhibit a refined and sophisticated appearance.

In Light, Color, Texture: The Work of MDSA MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture, principal Michael D. Szerbaty examines recent works by the firm to provide a reflective reassessment of the impact of light, colour, and texture. Each project contains a discussion revealing how the materials were selected, the decision behind the use of colour, and the deliberate window placement to allow natural lighting. Szerbaty’s review across the selected body of work provides evidence of the firm’s evolutionary approach, and an awareness of how buildings alter in place over time.

With full-colour photography and insightful commentary, this monograph offers an unparalleled opportunity to gain clear and informative insights into the decision-making process of an award-winning architecture firm.

Life Around the Sea is an odyssey through which we can explore the existence of those whose hearts beat in unison with the rhythmic swells of the ocean.
This book features stories of individuals who have discovered their true selves among the salt, sand, and surf. We encounter people from all walks of life, such as the surfer who first felt the tender caress of a wave in their childhood, the fearless and infamous big-wave riders, the artists drawn to the coastline to bring its ancient beauty to life, and the shapers who expertly craft boards for wave seekers around the globe.
The power of these narratives is truly magnified by the striking images alongside them, assembled by accomplished photographer Russell Ord. His lens captures the essence of each unique individual, revealing the depth of their profound connection to the sea. His images provide another dimension to their stories, allowing us to gaze into the eyes of the ocean’s kin, feel the salt on their skin, and experience the majesty of the sea through their perspectives.

Welcome to 111 Places in Richmond That You Must Not Miss, a collection of the sites and experiences that make the River City such a special place. To those who don’t know Richmond, Virginia, USA, you’ll find the city itself to be a hidden gem, the cradle of 400 years of American history, steward of the magnificent James River, and the unlikely home to heralded culinary masters.

To those who do know Richmond, the self-deprecating but proud populace inured to its remarkable features, by flipping through these pages you will uncover secrets about your city, new and old. You know Hollywood Cemetery, but do you know the final resting place of our famous psychic horse? Have you kept an open mind about our smaller neighbours to the North and South and gazed at the Heavens from “the Center of the Universe” or seen the Petersburg residence constructed entirely from tombstones?

There’s something for everyone within these pages, whether a nature lover, history buff, aesthete, epicurean, tippler, or just an adventurous soul seeking curiosities – the River City welcomes you to partake in its treasures. Join us in discovering the secret spots that Richmond hides so well.

Volker Hermes: Hidden Portraits gathers the essential works by one of the most beguiling artists of the present era, in a very modern reinterpretation of historical privilege.

Using only elements of the original paintings, Volker Hermes masterfully alters photos of historical portraits to mask the faces of their subjects. With each figure concealed under their own ceremonial attire, these one-time elites quickly lose their individuality in a plume of decorations and accessories.

In this official collection, Hermes delivers his wry commentary on wealth, fame and social status with taut imagery, intense focus and a suitably shrewd sense of humour. His immaculately reproduced artworks are accompanied by the thoughts of German art historian Till-Holger Borchert and Professor Francesca Raimondi of Berlin’s Institute for Philosophy, as well as the artist himself.

A must-have revision of classical portraiture from a celebrated digital creator.

“Hermes’s meticulously described collages pay homage to their sources while gently ribbing the social pretensions and ambitions of the courtly classes.” – Christopher Alessandrini, metmuseum.org

The classic photo book portraying the denizens of the Chelsea Hotel in all their eccentric, bohemian glory — back in print in a revised and expanded edition.

When the young Brazilian photographer Claudio Edinger moved into the Chelsea Hotel in the late 1970s, on the recommendation of a friend, he was just looking for a place to live. He had little idea that this twelve-story Victorian Gothic pile at 222 West 23rd Street had been, for almost a century, one of Manhattan’s chief bohemian enclaves, where authors, writers, and musicians lived, played, and sometimes even worked. But Edinger was quickly fascinated by his new surroundings, and turned his lens on hotel residents both celebrated — like Warhol superstar Viva, stylist and nightlife impresario Susanne Bartsch, and composer Virgil Thomson — and obscure, from Dan the mime to Corey the porn starlet. Together, these portraits — taken in their subjects’ memorably decorated living quarters — form an invaluable record of the Chelsea Hotel community at one of the peaks of its flourishing, under legendary owner-manager Stanley Bard.

Chelsea Hotel met with immediate acclaim on its original publication in 1983; Edinger’s absorbing black-and-white photographs were wonderfully complemented by an introduction from Pete Hamill, dean of New York newsmen, and contributions from such legendary hotel residents as William Burroughs and Arthur C. Clarke. Now this highly collectible and sought-after book is back in print for the first time in decades, with additional, previously unseen photos from Edinger’s archives and intriguing where-are-they-now updates. The revised and expanded Chelsea Hotel will be a must-have for anyone who loves the creative side of New York.

Marianna Simnett’s WINNER is a multichannel film installation, conceived as a three-act dance for film told through the lens of football. It is commissioned on the occasion of the 2024 European Football Championship, hosted by Germany. WINNER echoes the dramaturgy of the game and dissects its socially constructed power hierarchies, crowd psychology, and constant pressure to perform. Through the element of dance, the work restages and radically transforms football’s most impassioned moments: elation and triumph, brutality and ferocity, suffering and defeat. Simnett’s vivid hallucinatory world extends beyond the screen into the exhibition space, subverting the architecture of football and transporting it into the museum.

This is the sixth in a series of publications accompanying solo exhibitions of contemporary artists at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart. It comprises a curatorial essay by Charlotte Knaup, an extensive interview with the artist by Sam Bardaouil, and Graham Greene’s short story “The Destructors”, elements of which Marianna Simnett used for WINNER.

Text in English and German.

GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture is a compelling exploration of the contributions of diverse architects to the field of architecture. This book delves into the essence of various architectural typologies, including residential, institutional, and master planning, through the lens of designers from varied backgrounds. It highlights the historical evolution of these typologies and their impact on urban planning and architecture, reflecting a wide range of lifestyles, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds.

The book addresses the darker aspects of architectural history, such as housing injustice and redlining, while also celebrating the healing power of design in fostering community well-being and environmental sustainability. It emphasises the importance of community-centric approaches in residential design and the role of architecture in shaping equitable and sustainable environments.

Featuring global projects, the book showcases how architects and designers worldwide address unique challenges and opportunities, enriching our understanding of architecture’s role in shaping human lives. GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture is a call to action for architects and designers to create inclusive, sustainable, and responsive environments that foster community, dignity, and a sense of belonging for all.