“Aydin Büyüktas’ photographs are a bit like the first plunge on a rollercoaster. The scene plummets away from you, leaving you disoriented yet giddy and just a bit unsettled as you try to make sense of just what you’re seeing” – WIRED “Büyüktas creates Inception-like scenes by warping Istanbul’s cityscapes” – Saatchi Gallery “Aydin Büyüktas bends brains with dizzyingly distorted views of American landscapes.” – Designboom An American football pitch as a skateboard ramp and the Aya Sofia as a rollercoaster: the images by Turkish photographer Aydin Büyüktas are literally mind-bending. After going viral, they are now finally also available in book format, including entirely new images and a making-of, which shows the photographer’s working methods with drone technology. His brainchild Flatland is named after Edwin Abbott Abbott’s satire book about a two-dimensional world populated by geometric figures, from which certain parts have been included in this book.

June Schwarcz (1918-2015) was among the most innovative artists working in the contemporary enamels field. Best known for her electroplated metal sculpture embellished with rich enamel color, she produced an extensive body of work that, while linked to long-standing vessel-making traditions, defied convention. In a field known for visual opulence, preciousness, and adherence to traditional craft practices, Schwarcz was a renegade. She learned enameling on her own and adopted a highly experimental approach to process, inventing new ways of creating sculptural objects in metal and unorthodox strategies for their embellishment. Believing in the power of opposing principles, she created forms that were at once raw and elemental, elegantly composed, and lushly beautiful. A seminal figure in the American craft field, Schwarcz led enameling workshops across the country and influenced several generations of young and emerging artists. She also played a central role in the craft community of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lived and worked for more than fifty years. June Schwarcz: Artist in Glass and Metal is the first publication to investigate Schwarcz’s work in depth. It explores the rich trajectory of her career along with the sources and influences that helped shape and define her singular vision. It also investigates the themes and subjects that intrigued her as it examines the role she played in advancing enameling in America in the late twentieth century. This lavishly illustrated publication celebrates the extraordinary body of work Schwarcz created over a period of sixty years.

The Medici are probably the best-known and most illustrious Italian family – one that produced two popes, two Queens of France and such a multi-faceted and extraordinary figure as Lorenzo the Magnificent. Their name is inextricably linked to the history of Florence. The city itself remains a living symbol of the peninsula’s most splendid epoch. When people around the world think of Italy, they usually think of Florence and Tuscany, and of the priceless art collections that hold, to this day, an irresistible fascination for millions of visitors. This concise and brilliant book reads like a piece of journalism in the best sense of the term. With an entirely original and non-provincial approach, the author traces the dazzling rise and fall of this dynasty, from the first gonfaloniere to the last Grand Duke, tirelessly bringing out its historical links with Florence, Italy and Europe. The many illustrations, clarified by ample captions, do not add up to a mere gallery of official portraits; rather, they interact with the historical narrative, clarifying scholarly points or unveiling new and sometimes surprising details and associations.

Lee Waisler addresses the multiplicity of forms, subjects and concepts that have become a part of our vernacular in the present day by making his viewer aware of pre-existing links among diverse entities. Deeply conscious of post-modern sensibilities while incorporating Eastern influences into his work, Waisler combines numerous visual and philosophical elements into his life and art and renders them distinctly relevant to questions of identity and humanity. On a continuous artistic trek toward resolving these questions, Lee Waisler invites his audience – whether in a museum or on the street – to enjoy the convergence of the spiritual, the cerebral and the aesthetic. Remaining faithful to his inner model, he gives us a work of rough elegance, heart-rending purity and balanced harmony. Waisler’s work is in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Jewish Museum, New York; the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum, London; Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC; and the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.

Choosing bronze as her favorite medium, Meera Mukherjee (1923-1998) formed her own simplistic, modernist, life-like world of sculptures. They possess a ‘lifeforce’ that speaks to the ordinary being instead of alienating them. Mukherjee’s commitment to her practice made her valiant enough to step out of her comfort zone and dedicate herself to visual arts. Her devotion to the craft traditions of India guided her to Madhya Pradesh, Bengal and South India. The artist’s language is similar to that of the quotidian life in her immediate surroundings, shedding light upon social issues.

This one of a kind volume offers an understanding of Mukherjee’s art through the most comprehensive collection of essays by writers who have known her personally and professionally, as well as from translated texts and excerpts from her diary and letters. Published in association with Akar Prakar Gallery, Kolkata, Emami Art, New Delhi, and supported by Raza Foundation.

Mohan Samant (1924-2004), among the earliest of the post-Independence modern Indian artists to train in India and settle as a successful mature artist in the West, has been called ‘one of the few artists who has successfully made the bridge between Eastern and Western traditions.’
Born in Mumbai, Samant received his diploma from the Sir JJ School of Art in 1952, where he had studied under S.B. Palsikar. That year he joined the Progressive Artists Group. Extended periods abroad – 1957-58 in Rome and travel in Europe and Egypt, 1959-64 in New York City – preceded his leaving Mumbai permanently for New York in 1968, where he lived until his death in 2004.
Published in association with Abraham Joel, New York, and Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai. With an introduction by Ranjit Hoskote and additional contributions from Abhijeet Gondkar, Virginia Kaycoff, Sharad Ghamande, Barbara Bertieri, Abraham Joel, and Judith Wink.

Previously published as part of a set, this volume, which concentrates on Samant’s paintings, is now available separately.

Mohan Samant (1924-2004), among the earliest of the post-Independence modern Indian artists to train in India and settle as a successful mature artist in the West, has been called ‘one of the few artists who has successfully made the bridge between Eastern and Western traditions.’
Born in Mumbai, Samant received his diploma from the Sir JJ School of Art in 1952, where he had studied under S.B. Palsikar. That year he joined the Progressive Artists Group. Extended periods abroad – 1957-58 in Rome and travel in Europe and Egypt, 1959-64 in New York City – preceded his leaving Mumbai permanently for New York in 1968, where he lived until his death in 2004.
Published in association with Abraham Joel, New York, and Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai. With an introduction by Ranjit Hoskote and additional contributions from Abhijeet Gondkar, Virginia Kaycoff, Sharad Ghamande, Barbara Bertieri, Abraham Joel, and Judith Wink.

Previously published as part of a set, this volume, which concentrates on Samant’s paintings, is now available separately.

Mohan Samant (1924-2004), among the earliest of the post-Independence modern Indian artists to train in India and settle as a successful mature artist in the West, has been called ‘one of the few artists who has successfully made the bridge between Eastern and Western traditions.’ Born in Mumbai, Samant received his diploma from the Sir JJ School of Art in 1952, where he had studied under S.B. Palsikar. That year he joined the Progressive Artists Group. Extended periods abroad – 1957-58 in Rome and travel in Europe and Egypt, 1959-64 in New York City – preceded his leaving Mumbai permanently for New York in 1968, where he lived until his death in 2004. This volume, the definitive work on the artist, presents a comprehensive overview of Samant’s life and work. Also included are essays on Samant’s place in the development of modernism in post-Independence India, a chronological survey of the styles, techniques and themes employed by the artist, and analyses of the media and techniques he utilized.

Published in association with Abraham Joel, New York, and Pundole Art Gallery, Mumbai. With an introduction by Ranjit Hoskote and additional contributions from Abhijeet Gondkar, Virginia Kaycoff, Sharad Ghamande, Barbara Bertieri, Abraham Joel, and Judith Wink.

Art collector Anil Relia had always admired the miniature paintings of the Nathdwara school, which grew out of the religious devotion of the Pushti Marg (‘Path of Grace’). On one of his trips to this pilgrimage town, he encountered manorath paintings, whose unusual visual elements attracted his attention immediately. Originally part of the Pushti Marg popular culture, manorath paintings were often commissioned by devout followers as an indelible record of a pilgrimage trip to Nathdwara.

Manorath (‘mind’s vehicle’) paintings are a visual representation of the pilgrim’s wish to enter into mutual communication with a divine Pushti Marg icon. The popular manoraths in this collection, which employ mixed media and photo-realism techniques, illustrate worshippers in the presence of Shrinathji. These images had a deep emotional resonance for worshippers because they embodied both the corporeal pilgrimage to Nathdwara as well as the inner devotional experience.

As author Isabella Nardi demonstrates, the paintings in this collection are not merely souvenirs of a pilgrimage trip; they represent the worshipper’s journey to Nathdwara for a darshan with their beloved and revered deity. With pilgrims as patrons, these manoraths are truly portraits of devotion.

Published in association with Archer Art Gallery, Ahmedabad.

Contents: Collector’s note; Introduction and Acknowledgements; Nathdwara Painting and the Anil Relia Collection; Defining the Manorath Genre; Painting the Experience; The Catalogue; Glossary; List of Artists and Studios; Cited Works.

Under the professional name ‘Ashley’, Ashley Havinden (1903-1973) was one of the most successful advertising artists and designers working in Britain in the twentieth century. He made his reputation as a graphic designer and the Creative Director of W.S. Crawford, the most progressive advertising agency in the UK since the 1920s. Amongst his highly influential designs were campaigns for clients as diverse as the Milk Marketing Board, Chrysler Cars, Eno’s Fruit Salts, Gillette and Simpsons of Piccadilly. This book marks the centenary of Havinden’s birth, and it draws extensively upon material which has been donated or lent from Ashley Havinden’s estate to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh. Contributors to the book include Michael Havinden, Ashley’s son, who has written a personal account of his father’s life; Alice Strang explores Ashley’s collection of artworks by eminent artist friends; Ann Simpson examines his interior design work; and Richard Hollis discusses his influence on twentieth-century design.

This book highlights 55 outstanding masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland, which were founded in 1850. The works range in date from the Renaissance to the twentieth century and include many of the most famous names in the history of Western art. Artists represented include Botticelli, El Greco, Velàzquez, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Watteau, Monet, Degas, Sargent, Picasso and Braque. In addition, the major figures of the national school, Ramsay, Raeburn and Wilkie, lend a distinctly Scottish flavor to this exceptional selection. All of the paintings are fully illustrated and described in this catalogue authored by the curatorial staff of the Galleries. Michael Clarke, director of the Scottish National Gallery, gives a unique insight into the history of the National Galleries of Scotland as he discusses the development of the Scottish national collection over the last 150 years.

Known today for his atmospheric views of the river Oise, Charles François Daubigny was a pioneer of modern landscape painting and an important precursor of French Impressionism. Although commercially highly successful he was often criticized for his broad, sketch-like handling and unembellished view of nature, and was dubbed the leader of ‘the school of the impression’. As a result he drew the attention of the next generation of artists, among them Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, who were inspired by Daubigny’s frank naturalism, bold compositions and technical innovations. Theirs was an artistic dialogue which spanned thirty years, from the early 1860s to the end of Van Gogh’s short life.

This book will accompany the first major solo exhibition of Douglas Gordon’s work in Scotland since he presented his now celebrated work, 24 Hour Psycho at Tramway in Glasgow in 1993. Gordon is one of a number of Glasgow-trained artists who came to prominence in the 1990s. He has gone on to achieve huge international recognition, marked by major awards, including the Turner Prize in 1996, and by exhibitions in museums in Europe and America. Gordon works with film, video, photographs, objects and texts, examining issues such as memory and identity, good and evil, life and death. He makes great play with the doubling of images often in positive and negative or in mirrored form. This book will show all the important aspects of Gordon’s work, both past and present. In addition, it will be specially tailored to bring out the particularly Scottish nature of Gordon’s ideas and practice. The exhibition book will contain essays by the exhibition curator, Keith Hartley, senior curator at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; Dr Holger Broeker, Kunstmuseum; Dr Jaroslav Andel of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Prague and an essay by the renowned Scottish author, Ian Rankin.

It is Cadell’s zest for life and the diversity of his subjects that makes him unique in the group of artists popularly known as the Scottish Colourists. Influenced by direct contact with the European avant-garde movements taking place at the turn of the century and with early knowledge of the work of Matisse and the Fauves, Cadell’s paintings are confident and rich with colour. Celebrated for his stylish portraits of Edinburgh New Town interiors and his vibrantly colored, daringly simple still lifes of the 1920s, exceptional in Bristish art of this period, he also captured the beauty of nature, especially in the evocative works portraying his beloved Iona. Contents: Birth of an Artist A Colourist Emerges Private Cadell Ainslie Place The Later Years and Cadell’s Legacy Cadell and Iona

John Bellany, born 1942, helped change the course of painting in Scotland. His intensely felt paintings of fisherfolk and their precarious life at sea were a direct challenge to the much diluted Scottish colorist tradition and its landscapes and still lifes. The sheer size and raw emotion of Bellany’s canvases, their depictions of a way of life that the artist knew from growing up in a Port Seton fishing family – and their elevation of that life onto a symbolic level – were at odds with the decorative, drawing-room pictures of much contemporary Scottish painting in the 1960s.

This book will mark John Bellany’s seventieth birthday and will accompany the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of John Bellany’s work since the National Galleries of Scotland organized the retrospective in 1986. The fully illustrated catalogue will illustrate paintings, watercolors, drawings and prints from all the key periods of the artist’s career.

This revelatory book concentrates on Scottish women painters and sculptors from 1885, when Fra Newbery became Director of the Glasgow School of Art, until 1965, the year of Anne Redpath’s death. It explores the experience and context of the artists and their place in Scottish art history, in terms of training, professional opportunities and personal links within the Scottish art world. Celebrated painters including Joan Eardley, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh and Phoebe Anna Traquair are examined alongside lesser-known figures such as Phyllis Bone, Dorothy Johnstone and Norah Neilson Gray, in order to look afresh at the achievements of Scottish women artists of the modern period.