The pulsating monochrome of Drago’s 36 Chambers series is met with the iconic street photography and graffiti that defines Maï, JonOne and the alleys of New York. Their eclectic tour of the streets takes the reader through some of New York’s most distinctive neighborhoods as seen through the lens of celebrated photographer Maï Lucas. Meanwhile, JonOne’s unique graffiti writing permeates the pages with vibrant red accents. JonOne’s paintings defy the ‘rules’ of graffiti. With a tremendous sense of movement and color, his compositions combine freestyle, hand-painted aesthetics with a sense of repetition akin to textile patterns. His work has often been compared to that of abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock and French artist Jean Dubuffet. By layering precise strokes and vibrant color, he creates a uniquely balanced yet dynamic visual experience.

TVBoy leads Drago’s 36 Chambers series into an artistic representation of the digital age in this eclectic collection of fine art, drawings and graffiti. His unique iconography depicts heavily caricatured children whose block-like heads are interchangeable with television screens. These inimitable characters have a Kauai grace reminiscent of Katano, Kaikai and Murukami but are unmistakably influenced by the occidental imagery of comic strips defined by the likes of Schultz and Watterson.

Artists of The Spanish Golden Age such as Murillo, Zurbarán and Velázquez were the key to instigating a truly passionate appreciation of Spanish art among the great collectors at the end of the Modern Age, as well as the public institutions or other institutions that sprang from private initiative after the Industrial Revolution.

There are notable sets of works created by Spanish artists in the United Kingdom, from the Osonas to Joan Miró, such as the ones conserved in Apsley House, Pollok House and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The collections owned by public institutions also include a significant number of masterpieces of Spanish art, including the National Gallery of London and the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. Other public and private collections, such as the Wallace Collection, the Duke of Stafford Collection, the Fitzwilliam Museum and Bowes Museum, also contain masterpieces.

New York City’s borough of the Bronx draws millions of people annually to visit the largest zoological park in the United States, or to catch a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Beyond the animal cages (and batting cages) is a section of the city filled with art, food, music, and unusual sites that can only be found in one place: Da Bronx. The Bronx offers some of the most amazing experiences for visitors to New York City because it is so unexplored. You can take a canoe down a river, or take a course in pole dancing school. The Bronx has a rich history, which includes the American Revolution, that has given way to today’s rebels in street fashion. Sit down and feast on dishes from Ghana and Italy. Learn to roll cigars. Pay homage to the founders of rap music and hip hop culture. And explore quiet cemeteries’ stunning architecture. The borough is home the largest park in New York City, waterfront vistas that are unparalleled, and access to riverfronts and bays. Whether you are a first time visitor, longtime resident, or a native, you will find 111 hidden gems in the Bronx. The most unexplored borough of New York City is yours to discover with 111 Places in the Bronx That You Must Not Miss.

This popular work sheds lights on Taoism, China’s great indigenous religion during this vibrant and glorious period of Chinese history. Without these insights, we can have only limited understanding of an important aspect of China’s social, political, and of course, religious life.

The Scrovegni Chapel, a masterpiece in the history of painting in Italy and Europe in the 14th century, is considered to be the most complete series of frescoes executed by Giotto in his mature age. Mirabilia Italiæ is a unique series. It owes its existence to an innovative and ambitious project: an atlas of the great monuments of Italy that will display them in all their details, from the best known to the least. This series represents a completely new way of documenting art. Mirabilia Italiæ provides a guided tour of each monument, fully and accurately explained. Each atlas contains hundreds of color photographs, arranged in a precise topographical sequence and accompanied by diagrams showing the exact location of each detail. The atlas is complemented by a volume of texts edited by the premier scholars in the field, consisting of critical essays and descriptive notes. Essays examine the monument from the art-historical point of view, and record the alterations it has undergone over time. Descriptive notes analyze the content and significance of the images. Extensive cross-references link the essays and notes to the images, facilitating consultation of the work. The General Editor of Mirabilia Italiæ is Salvatore Settis, Director of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa.

Text in Italian.

The partnership of Philip Rundell and John Bridge began in London toward the end of the eighteenth century and went on to become the greatest firm of goldsmiths, jewelers and medalists of the age. Its stable of distinguished artists, headed by the sculptor John Flaxman, was the driving force in the adoption of a new imperial style in English silver. Later, the firm created jewelry and silver in the historicist and naturalistic styles and was at the forefront of the Gothic revival. Among the firm’s customers were the Prince Regent, later King George IV, and such notable figures as William Beckford, Thomas Hope, Lord Castlereagh, Prince Lieven and the Duke of Wellington.

Known as ‘Oil’ and ‘Vinegar’, Rundell and Bridge were of wildly contrasting personalities. While Philip Rundell was an irascible taskmaster deemed to be the best judge of gemstones in London, the urbane John Bridge, described by a contemporary as the ‘complete courtier’, was the public face of the firm. He guided the Prince Regent in assembling a magnificent collection of gold and silver works, both antique and new, which today forms part of the Royal Collection.

According to a recent study, Tuscany is perceived by foreigners as a ‘landscape of great beauty and environmental quality where everything has retained a human dimension’, revolving around ‘the artistic, historic and cultural centre of Florence, transposed from the Renaissance to the contemporary age’. This book does not dwell on the region’s famous products, it does not narrate once again its eventful and colourful history, nor focus on the sumptuous art works that comprise what is the finest and most extensive collection in the world. It does not extol to excess the unequalled atmosphere of the landscape nor is it over-emphatic in its praise of the region’s intrinsic sense of harmonious physical and mental proportion. What it does seek to do is to tie together these and other characteristics in order to grasp what concretely derives from them today, namely a style of life. This is the region’s most precious quality, the specificity of a productive and innovative Tuscany fully integrated into the complexities of the contemporary age. Here art and crafts, tradition and innovation, nature and history, language and products, city and countryside blend together, giving living form to a quality of life which is now the rarest and most sought after of all commodities, one where it is possible to attain a greater sense of individual well-being and a more ordered and civil coexistence.

Thomas Daniell was thirty-six years old when he and his nephew William, barely sixteen, sailed out from Gravesend in April 1785, headed for the East. They arrived in Calcutta via China the next year.

The Daniells traveled across India, painting oriental scenery wherever they went. Their views were widely appreciated and are representative of that fascinating period. The Daniells returned to England in September 1794. This special book presents a selection of their work in India, bringing alive the scenery and architecture of that age.

Every religion is the product of the spiritual realizations of some of the greatest human minds, the likes of whom rarely walk on this earth. Religion becomes a unifying force when it focuses on the enlightening thoughts preached by these men; however, it tends to become disruptive when it depends on the limited knowledge of ordinary people to interpret them. The World of Religions presents eight major religions of the world and discusses their origin, growth, and their impact on society. The chapters reveal the greatness of every religion, all of whom aspire to integrate purity, compassion, and peace in everyday life. Contents: Foreword; Preface; The Art and Science of Religion; Hinduism: The Religion of Inclusiveness; Buddhism: Religion of Compassion; Jainism: Religion of Asceticism; Sikhism: Religion of the Gurus; Zoroastrianism: Religion of Goodness; Judaism: Religion of Obedience; Christianity: Religion of the Saviour; Islam: Religion of Surrender; Religion in the E-age; Acknowledgements; Select Bibliography.

“Seldom does a collection of art history essays leave readers yearning for a second volume…”—Barbara Wisch, Renaissance Quarterly

Roman church interiors throughout the Early Modern age were endowed with rich historical and visual significance. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, in anticipation of and following the Council of Trent, and in response to the expansion of the Roman Curia, the chapel became a singular arena in which wealthy and powerful Roman families, as well as middle-class citizens, had the opportunity to demonstrate their status and role in Roman society. In most cases the chapels were conceived not as isolated spaces, but as part of a more complex system, which involved the nave and the other chapels within the church, in a dialogue among the arts and the patrons of those other spaces. This volume explores this historical and artistic phenomenon through a number of examples involving the patronage of prominent Roman families such as the Chigis, Spadas, Caetanis, Cybos and important artists and architects such as Federico Zuccari, Giacomo della Porta, Carlo Maderno, Alessandro Algardi, Pietro da Cortona, Carlo Maratta.

In twelfth century Cambodia, a young woman called Jorani earns her living guiding pilgrims up a two thousand-step stairway to the magnificent cliff-top temple, Preah Vihear. One day, she accidentally witnesses the furtive burning of sacred palm-leaf documents, and is drawn into a succession struggle at the temple. She is forced to choose between loyalty to family and to the son of the abbot, with whom she forms an unlikely bond. Set in the golden age of Cambodia’s Angkor civilization, The Stairway Guide’s Daughter brings to life a temple that is one of humankind’s most remarkable creations of faith and architecture and is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Also available by John Burgess: A Woman of Angkor ISBN 9786167339252

Surrounded by flowers from a very young age, the decision to become a floral designer was an obvious one for Japanese Hideyuki Niwa. At the age of 20 he graduated from Tokyo’s flower college and in the same year he was employed by Kamon Flower Gate Co Ltd; a great and fruitful environment for an artist eager to learn and develop. Botanical Metamorphosis is Hideyuki Niwa’s second book and focuses on the design process that brings out and attracts attention to special features of plants and flowers that would otherwise go unnoticed. This process of ‘botanical metamorphosis’ developed over time, as the artist grew more aware of the presence of flowers and plants. Hideyuki Niwa tries to capture the expression in flower heads, the movement – the ‘breathing’ – of leaves, the heart beating in the stems and the will of branches… but in order to bring out these characteristics and to enhance the charm of nature, it is necessary to ‘dismantle’ the original shapes, reconstruct them and awaken their new beauty. As always Niwa’s execution of the design and the placement of materials is flawless, bordering on perfection. The aim of his powerful designs and his mission as an artist is to create floral designs that tug at the heartstrings, inspire and enchant the viewer and create a lasting impression.

Also available: Hideyuki Niwa: Japanese Contemporary Floral Art ISBN 9789058564375

Text in English and Japanese.

Jan Steen, one of the most popular painters of the Dutch Golden Age, is known for his humorous depictions of dissolute households, tavern interiors, quacksalvers and love-sick young women. He was unrivalled in poking fun at every conceivable human weakness and vice. A lesser known fact is that he also painted historical scenes: pieces based on episodes from the Bible, apocryphal writings and mythology – stories full of excitement, drama and passion. As with his genre pieces, Steen devoted a great deal of attention in his history paintings to the interaction between the figures, and was keenly aware of the satirical possibilities in every story. In contrast with his later image, Jan Steen was a versatile and ambitious artist with a profound knowledge of art history and literature: knowledge that comes to the fore in his history pieces. This richly illustrated publication, written by experts on Jan Steen, focuses on a little-known part of the artist’s oeuvre.

Contents: Introduction, followed by three essays on Jan Steen’s history pieces, and a selected catalog of the most important paintings featuring biblical and mythological subjects.

The book will be published to accompany the eponymous exhibition at the Mauritshuis, The Hague, the Netherlands.

Since the dawn of time, people have been fascinated by the idea of traveling to the stars, which is vividly illustrated by utopian and dystopian works of architecture, the visual arts, and cinematography. In many ways, the designs and symbols associated with space travel also found their way into popular culture in the former Soviet Union and its satellite states. Often spurned as propaganda by the West, they informed the design of mass-produced consumer goods and public art works in the USSR. While in our part of the world space travel largely turned into a political race as a result of the Cold War, its appeal found an aesthetic expression in everyday life in the East.

This book presents the results of in-depth research and extensive travels through a total of seven countries. Its prime focus is the impact of space exploration on everyday life in its pioneering age between the late 1950s and the 1980s and the persistence of related concepts and utopian ideas in today’s society. Told as a visual story, it combines artistic and documentary photography, portraits of contemporary witnesses, landscape snapshots, and historical documents. It is in part an historical investigation since many of the pioneers of the space age are no longer alive and many of the formerly ubiquitous items have disappeared.

Text in English and German.

AannenMayKantereit is one of the most popular bands in Germany. From the very beginning, Martin Lamberty has been their photographer. He has been traveling with his old friends from school around Europe ever since. His pictures tell the story of how the young musicians started their careers by performing on the streets of Cologne right up to the development of their current album “Schlagschatten”.

Lamberty has provided a chronicle of the concerts, of the band’s life on tour, and their studio recording sessions. But his shots are far more than just classic band photos. As their friend, he is always a part of what is happening and gets to capture private moments behind the scenes, ranging from the miserably long journeys on the tour bus and the lonely hours in anonymous hotels, to the band’s vacations together.

In a unique way, Lamberty combines these silent moments with intriguing, sometimes melancholy images of rooms or landscapes and weaves them into a rich account. The result is a coming-of-age book about winning and losing, about life and friendship.

How much longer do you want to put it off? How long can you manage your organization, your team or your life without making some fundamental change? Above all, how long can you avoid being overtaken by others because you stick to your method and your comfort zone? Our society is changing and crying out for a new model. We are living in a digital age where everyone and everything is connected, where competition no longer comes from the sector, and customers, users and citizens are in the driver’s seat. Data are gold and sharing is the new having. The digital age requires a new approach and a new model. This book beckons you to dare – dare to help build a different business world, with a balance between short and long term results, but just as much to help build a different society through personal choices, a society that is ready for the next generation.

The largest maps in the world are to be found in the floor of the Citizens’ Hall, in the heart of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. The three circular mosaics, each measuring over six metres in diameter, together depict the known world and the night sky. They remain to this day an iconic and beloved part of the majestic palace, which was originally built in the mid-17th century to serve as Amsterdam’s town hall. At that time, the city was the world’s leading cartography centre. The prominent place of the floor maps relates directly to that primacy. This book tells the story of these unique maps and of the flourishing of cartography in Amsterdam in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Silicon Valley has become the Mesopotamia of the Digital Age, built on cycles of innovation and disruption, monstrous ambition, and a steady supply of labour and capital. Yet for all that’s known about companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook – and the personas behind those companies – the culture of Silicon Valley remains elusive and contradictory, even to many locals. This unique guidebook, written by longtime local Floriana Petersen, takes you on an insider’s tour of 111 cool, offbeat, and very compelling places that offer insight into the evolving character of Silicon Valley.

Visit the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford to see drawings done by Leland Jr. Stanford, after whom the university was named after his death at age 15 in 1884. Sit at the Rosewood Hotel bar to witness the mating habits of venture capitalists. Go to the Music@Menlo Festival to listen some of the best chamber music to be found anywhere in the country. Enjoy the Stanford Powwow, a festival to celebrate some of the great American Indian tribes of Northern California. Visit Steve Jobs’ final resting place, or spend an afternoon at the Hakone Japanese gardens. Explore the Filoli Estate, a living testimony to the wealthy families who used the Gold Rush to build the infrastructure that has become Silicon Valley.

Writing in the immediate aftermath of World War II, wine merchant, gentleman soldier and cricketer Ian Maxwell Campbell casts an affectionate and occasionally wistful look back at the Golden Age of wine, when Bordeaux was affordable, Burgundy’s finest vintages tended towards cannibalism and other wines could be… well, surprisingly attractive. Among the tales of convivial drinking and anecdotes involving Winston Churchill and WG Grace, the author paints a vivid picture of a pre-war (and pre-phylloxera) wine world whose horizons were about to expand beyond all imagining.

Wayward Tendrils of the Vine, though, is much more than a collection of reminiscences. As Neal Martin points out in his Introduction: “The title alone is a perfect allegory for how we learn about wine, how knowledge grows organically over time, never knowing what the next bottle will teach us, how it might alter preconceptions or where it might lead.” 

The Classic Editions breathe new life into some of the finest wine-related titles written in the English language over the last 150 years. Although these books are very much products of their time – a time when the world of fine wine was confined mostly to the frontiers of France and the Iberian Peninsula and a First Growth Bordeaux or Grand Cru Burgundy wouldn’t be beyond the average purse – together they recapture a world of convivial, enthusiastic amateurs and larger-than-life characters whose love of fine vintages mirrored that of life itself.  

Architecture Asia, as the official journal of the Architects Regional Council Asia, aims to provide a forum not only for presenting Asian phenomena and their characteristics to the world but also for understanding diversity and multiculturalism within Asia from a global perspective. In the 21st century, Asia has been developed fast in the wave of globalization, and the living and urban environment are changing rapidly along with the economic development. In this process, many Asian cities are carrying out large-scale urban infrastructure construction in the process of rapid urbanization, and building a large number of iconic buildings that represent the characteristics of the country or city. This issue focuses on Living in the 21st Century, through three perspectives: the transformation of spatial functions, the contradiction between urban development and individual dwelling, and architecture in the age of self-media.