With an impressive career of over 40 years that has resulted in the installation of large-scale art projects in numerous public spaces, artist/sculptor Luk Van Soom needs no further introduction in Belgium and the Netherlands. This beautifully designed art book is a first retrospective on his life and career. In a series of discussions and interviews with the artist, author Johan Pas sheds some light on the influences, philosophy, thinking and themes that have been vital for Van Soom’s artistic development: the relation between life and passion, travel and art, etc. Together, these texts present a kaleidoscopic image of Luk Van Soom’s life and work that is just as multifaceted and compelling as his art. At the age of seventeen Van Soom took his first tentative steps as an artist. Now 40 years later, he has an impressive curriculum including many exhibitions, commissions and projects both in his home country and abroad. Moreover, he created more than 50 monumental works for the public space in Belgium and the Netherlands, among which some very well know sights, such as Walhalla (1993, Antwerp), The Man from Atlantis (2003, Brussels), The Wharfinger (2005, Zwolle) and Walking to Magdalena (2012, Ostend). Text in English and Dutch.

It is not an exaggeration to say that today we live in an age of unprecedented sexual freedom. Far from over, the sexual revolution seems on the contrary to have gained a new momentum. Globalized and digitalized, it is spreading its gospel like wildfire. The objects and their creators that feature in Made for Love, reflect this new evolution and its corresponding styles and attitudes. Some names of designers as well as brands will be surprisingly familiar. Sensual pleasure objects, furniture, varying home accessories – they all have a naughty spirit in common, combined with quality, design, a certain flair, and sometime ingenious engineering. Avoiding the trashy in favour of the classy, Made for Love is a treat for anyone wanting to indulge in a sensual experience. Includes texts by famous Belgian erotic writer Amélie O.

The baking industry has seen a developing momentum in recent years. The competition is stiff; it’s not just the quality of the food that attracts customers, so it’s often necessary to ensure the design of the bakery itself is both creative and eye catching, while still being functional. A well-designed store can not only increase sales, but also help develop a brand identity. This book includes fifty bakery designs from all over the world, including Spain, Greece, Canada, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Israel, the USA, Germany, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey, China, Japan, Brazil, Romania, Thailand, Austria, Lebanon, and France. The designers responsible exhaustively examine their projects in order to illustrate the design process.

Kengo Kuma is a globally acclaimed Japanese architect whose prodigious output possesses an inherent respect and value of materials and environment, often creating a harmonious balance between building and landscape. He masterfully engages both architectural experimentation and traditional Japanese design with twenty-first-century technology, resulting in highly advanced yet beautifully simple, gentle, human-scaled buildings. He’s renowned for the drive to search for new materials to replace concrete and steel, seeking a new approach for architecture in a post-industrial society, and fusing interior and exterior realms to make spaces that both create a calming and tranquil atmosphere and which “transform” topography. In the pages of this exquisitely illustrated volume, Kuma presents close to forty of his most recognized and award-winning works, including FRAC Marseille, V&A Dundee, Mont-Blanc Base Camp, and Japan National Stadium. Kuma continues to forge a new design language: in this book he offers the reader deep insight into how he has engaged with different aspects of the architectural discipline by transforming topography, construction, and representation in order to give further progress to his ideas.

Formed in 2008, Mercurio Design Lab (MDL) masterfully manages to express its design potential. Lead by Massimo, a rare architectural polymath who is motivated by a strong spirit of innovation, philosophy and experimentation, MDL seeks to elevate and balance the synergies of the Asian architectural context with indomitable Italian style and tradition. MDL considers its projects as artistic masterpieces and makes a special contribution to the architectural scene of the city through the creation of dramatic and futuristic buildings, always respecting three fundamental criteria: the functional, the aesthetic and the social. This richly illustrated monograph is a comprehensive review of MDL’s exceptional artistry and diversity and it’s another icon for IMAGES’ Master Architect series, an absolute must for all collectors of beautiful books on sophisticated global architectural culture.

Winemakers all over the world have set out in search of the Holy Grail: to repeat Burgundy’s success with Pinot Noir. In Search of Pinot Noir investigates the changing character of Burgundy, asks what happens to Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy, and examines how the wines of each region age. How far are styles of Pinot Noir inside and outside of Burgundy due to terroir and how far are they influenced by winemaking? Extensive tasting notes address these issues and complement discussion of the regions where Pinot Noir is grown. Is Pinot Noir uniquely successful in Burgundy or have other regions in Europe or the New World succeeded in their challenge? Can Pinot Noir really achieve its full complexity only on limestone soils, or does it produce equally interesting expressions in other terroirs? Is there only one true path for Pinot Noir or have plantings in new places revealed alternative truths for this fascinating grape? What is the ultimate Pinot Noir?

Pinot Noir is a uniquely challenging grape with an unrivalled ability to reflect the character of the site where it grows. In Search of Pinot Noir is a world wide survey of everywhere Pinot Noir is grown, extending from Burgundy to the New World .

Every year the association 100 Beste Plakate e. V. presents awards to honor the most innovative and groundbreaking poster designs from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The yearbook has long been the go-to source in poster design for graphic artists, designers, and advertisers. While the traditional printed poster is still regarded as the most challenging genre in the graphic arts, it is increasingly coming under the influence of digital technology.

For this reason, the 2018 yearbook explores the status of posters amid the wide variety of media and forms of expression available to clients and designers. What relevance do posters still have in our day and age? Are they no more than decorative items for cultural institutions, festivals, and academic events? Or do they still serve their traditional purpose of influencing societal discourse and flagging up trends in lifestyle, fashion, politics, aesthetics, and the corporate world?

This year’s edition was designed by the Zurich design studio Hi. It was printed on affiche paper, and the folds of the printed signatures were cut only on two sides similar to classical Japanese binding, inviting readers to make an effort to ‘open up’ the book.

Text in English and German.

The Rococo style dominated the 18th century from the Régence (1715-1723) until the end of the reign of King Louis XV (1774). Despite its many achievements, people frequently describe it with adjectives meant to be disparaging: cloying, lovely, kitschy etc. However, its triumphant progress, which took off in France and spread all over Europe, as well as the coincidence in time and the relationship between the Rococo and the enlightenment can still be traced in contemporary art.

For the first time ever, this book extensively examines the enduring impact of this major European style on contemporary art. But the Rococo was far more than just a form of art, its ideas permeated all areas of society. Therefore, the selection of contemporary approaches presented here does not only show a formal connection with the Rococo period, it also reveals thematic similarities. In addition, it explores the current relevance of the style as a symbol of our own hyped up and disoriented age.

With works by Leonor Antunes, Cornelia Badelita, Karla Black, Thierry Boutemy, Glenn Brown, Alice Channer, Edith Dekyndt, Anke Eilergerhard, Katharina Grosse, Jeppe Hein, Rachel Kneebone, Alexej Koschkarow, Anri Sala, Markus Schinwald, Anj Smith and Pia Stadtbäumer.

Text in English and German.

In 2008, a discovery was made that brought the works of Marie Goslich to light. Part of her estate, long thought to have been lost, was rediscovered in a guesthouse in Geltow at the Schwielowsee lake. Some 400 glass plate negatives exist today, survivors of the chaos of both world wars. This book makes Goslich’s photos available to the public 100 years after their capture, celebrating her as a bold pioneer and a grande dame of German photojournalism and social critique. Born in Frankfurt (Oder) in 1859, Marie Goslich tried her hand at various things before beginning to work as a journalist and editor. Cited in Berlin’s residents register, these professional titles alone were remarkable for a woman of her time. To cap it all, she began training as a photographer at the age of 44 in order to be able to provide her articles with pictures. As a result, she is one of the first professional female photographers in the world. With social injustice being her main concern, Goslich wrote and illustrated many articles, some of which were quite radical, to address the causes of suffering and misery. Again and again, her works denounce the gap between rich and poor. They portray traveling people, street vendors, beggars, ragmen and tinkers. All of her pictures betray her empathy towards her subjects, giving her photos a very intimate and rousing effect. Text in English and German.

Upon the discovery of Tanzanite in Tanzania a specimen was entrusted to the stonecutter Manuel de Souza, who shared some samples with distinguished gemologists. While the prospector thought that he had found some sapphires, he was astonished to learn that he had unearthed something altogether extraordinary. The new gem immediately caught the eye of Tiffany & Co. Since 1968, the New York-based jeweler has pushed the stone into the spotlight. It launched a campaign that was successful enough to earn tanzanite the noble title of ‘gem of the 20th century’. Tanzanite gained further renown when in 2002 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) named tanzanite, together with turquoise, the birthstones for December. Tanzanite’s transformations have ultimately placed it alongside the most precious of precious gems. In short, tanzanite’s age of glory has finally dawned. Needless to say, tanzanite’s allure has attracted the attention of a list of famous designers: Lorenz Bäumer (France), Ruth Grieco (Brazil), Catherine Sauvage (Germany), MVee (Hong Kong) and TTF (China). In Asia and elsewhere, tanzanite is seen as the source of happiness for the happy few. Tanzanite: Born from Lightning showcases hundreds of beautiful pieces of tanzanite jewelry, including superb creations made by Boucheron, Bulgari, Cartier, Chanel, Chaumet, Chopard, Dior, Boucheron, Louis Vuitton, Piaget, Van Cleef & Arpels, Wallace Chan and more.

Loving: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850-1950 portrays the history of romantic love between men in hundreds of moving and tender vernacular photographs taken between the years 1850 and 1950. This visual narrative of astonishing sensitivity brings to light an until-now-unpublished collection of hundreds of snapshots, portraits, and group photos taken in the most varied of contexts, both private and public.

Taken when male partnerships were often illegal, the photos here were found at flea markets, in shoe boxes, family archives, old suitcases, and later online and at auctions. The collection now includes photos from all over the world: Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Japan, Greece, Latvia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Serbia. The subjects were identified as couples by that unmistakable look in the eyes of two people in love – impossible to manufacture or hide. They were also recognized by body language – evidence as subtle as one hand barely grazing another – and by inscriptions, often coded.

Included here are ambrotypes, daguerreotypes, glass negatives, tin types, cabinet cards, photo postcards, photo strips, photomatics, and snapshots – over 100 years of social history and the development of photography.

Loving will be produced to the highest standards in illustrated book publishing, The photographs – many fragile from age or handling – have been digitized using a technology derived from that used on surveillance satellites and available in only five places around the world. Paper and other materials are among the best available. And Loving will be manufactured at one of the world’s elite printers. Loving, the book, will be up to the measure of its message in every way.

In these delight-filled pages, couples in love tell their own story for the first time at a time when joy and hope – indeed human connectivity – are crucial lifelines to our better selves. Universal in reach and overwhelming in impact, Loving speaks to our spirit and resilience, our capacity for bliss, and our longing for the shared truths of love.

From acclaimed Hollywood photographer Firooz Zahedi comes Look at Me, a collection of his most distinguished and intimate celebrity portraits. From editorial commissions from magazines – including Vanity Fair, Glamour, InStyle, GQ, and Entertainment Weekly, to iconic movie posters such as Pulp Fiction, Edward Scissorhands, and The Addams Family – Zahedi has been photographing Hollywood’s biggest stars for over 35 years.

Each photograph is accompanied by a short text offering personal insight into how each shot came together. Also included are never-before-seen photographs as well as special behind-the-scenes snapshots and notes from Zahedi’s appreciative subjects. Look at Me is a celebration of this golden age of celebrity as seen through the lens of one of Hollywood’s most accomplished photographers.

Master of Kashmiri cuisine, Khan Mohammed Sharief Waza
belongs to the Waza family, who introduced wazwaan to Kashmir. Always interested in his family tradition, he joined his father, the legendary Abdul Ahad Waza, at a very young age. He says, My father used to say that wazwaan is a feast for kings. All I know about the intricacies of the art of wazwaan, I learnt from him’. Khan Mohammed Sharief Waza and his brothers, Shafi and Rafiq, have popularised wazwaan in India and abroad. Wherever there is a Kashmiri food festival anywhere, the catering is invariably done by their Delhi-based company, Ahad Sons. The brothers’ passionate devotion to the cause of promoting wazwaan far and near has resulted in their carving a prominent niche for gourmet Kashmiri food.

Richard Manion Architecture creates distinctive residences and estates with a respect for traditional forms and historic imagery adapted to modern living. The curated selection of rarely published projects in this second volume of RMA’s work, Streamlined, demonstrates the firm’s signature classicist style, which draws upon traditional and streamlined classical, regional, and contemporary influences to reflect authentic details, proportions, and a sophisticated sense of place for the 21st century.

In this book, the firm’s focus is on the integration of modernism within an overall framework of simplicity and restraint, discretion and harmony. Academic studies of European modernism, with its visionary approach and embodiment of the machine age, have come back to inspire, but with the understanding that many of its roots can be traced back to the heritage of classical design principles. This exquisite, fully illustrated volume showcases RMA’s goal to unite ideas about tradition, history, and modernity in a synergy and explores the meaning of shared architectural imagery and heritage for our time.

“Moonwatch Only is certainly one of the best books ever written about a single watch model.” – William Massena – Timezone.com “It is an indescribable reference work and a true must-have for every Speedmaster collector.” – Forbes “This book sets a new standard. Not only for books on the Omega Speedmaster, but for watch books in general. I’ve never seen anything like it, and believe me when I tell you that I could fill an impressive sized wall with books on watches. Authors of other books or publishers should take a look at Moonwatch Only as well to see how it should be done.” – Robert Jan Broer – FratelloWatches “The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional – the Moonwatch – has done things that no other timepiece has done and it’s been worn in places that only a few human beings have been.” – Captain Eugene Cernan, ‘Last man on the moon’ There are very few timepieces in the world that deserve a definitive and comprehensive book such as this one. The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is one of them. Initially designed for automobile racing teams and engineers, the Omega Speedmaster embarked on a very different trajectory when NASA chose it to accompany astronauts heading for the Moon in 1965. Its involvement in the space adventure has propelled the Moonwatch to the top of the list of celebrated timepieces. After years of research and observation, the authors present a complete panorama of the Moonwatch in a systematic work that is both technical and attractive, making it the inescapable reference book for this legendary watch. This third edition has been enriched with numerous new features including a 16-page gallery of astronauts and their Speedmaster, QR codes to extend your exploration and a detailed story of a vintage Speedmaster.