This beautifully illustrated book of avant-garde art furniture design highlights a generation of creators whose energy and vision made a break with the past. Profiled here are Mark Brazier-Jones, Franck Evennou, Elizabeth Garouste, Marco de Gueltzl, Hubert Le Gall, Thierry Peltrault, Laurence Picot, Andrea Salvetti, and Claude de Wulf. All have been represented since the 1980s by Elisabeth Delacarte, whose Galerie Avant-Scène in Paris continues its mission of promoting these and other extraordinary furniture and jewelry designers to this day.

Text in English and French.

Lucie Rie (1902–1995) is one of the finest modern potters of the 20th century. Born and trained in Vienna, her successful early career came to a halt in 1938 when forced to leave Austria to escape the persecution of Jewish people. In exile in London, Rie established a new workshop and over five decades created highly individual bowls, vases and tableware which continue to amaze and inspire today.

With over 150 photographs and five new essays, Lucie Rie: The Adventure of Pottery celebrates an exceptional life of creative invention and experiment.

With texts by Edmund de Waal, Tanya Harrod, Helen Ritchie, Eliza Spindel, Kimberley Chandler and Nigel Wood. 

Early photography flourished throughout India, with particular vigour in the city of Bombay. Long before the invention of moving pictures, and long before Bollywood, Bombay was the first Indian city where the photographic needs of the public including more affluent indigenous Indians as well as British were catered to. The aim of this publication in researching under-recognized photographers of the time like Narayen Daji, Hurrichund Chintamon, Shivashanker Narayen and Shapoor N. Bhedwar is to contribute new information for a local history that is still very much in formation. Following a roughly chronological trajectory, the volume looks at some of the earliest surviving Bombay photographs, and moves through differing eras to the end of the century, covering architectural studies and landscapes, portraits and ethnographic studies, and the documentation of trade and technological advancements that produced such spectacular pictures.

Contents:
Introduction; Photography Arrives; Narayan Daji; Early Publications, Ethnography, and Hurrichund Chintamon; Agendas, Patronage, and Clientele; Architecture, Archaeology, and Topographical Views; Industry, Trade, Transportation, and Commissions; In the Artistic Context: Shapoor N. Bhedwar and Pictorialism; Expanding Histories.

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.

In the author’s own words, this work attempts to recreate, for the 20th-century reader, the sky and the apparitions that ornament it as they were conceived, imagined, and reacted to by the men of T’ang-dynasty China-that is, to suggest what the medieval Chinese . . . thought they saw in the night sky, and how they treated those magic lights in their active lives, their private commitments, and their literary fabrications. Inevitably, this enterprise meant the exploration of the borderlands where science, faith, tradition, invention, and fantasy overlap. Armed with the new awareness that this fascinating work provides, we can better understand the great legacy of art and literature of this greatest period of cultural flowering in Chinese history.

Must form still follow function, as Martin Gropius, Le Corbusier, and their followers proclaimed? Dysfunctional invites a reconsideration of the conventional relationship between artistic expression and functionality. In an exhibition organized by the Carpenters Workshop Gallery in the stunning setting of the Ca’d’Oro in Venice, site-specific works by 17 established and emerging artists explore the boundaries of art, architecture, and design. These contemporary artists draw on the rich heritage of Venetian craftsmanship and the museum’s exceptional collection of Italian masterpieces to create a meaningful dialogue about the 20th century mantra of form following function. With work located in the realm between craft and art, each of the artists in the show challenges preconceptions about what is beautiful and what is useful, what is historical, and what is modern. Included here are site-specific installations and furniture-sculpture by Nacho Carbonell, Studio Drift, Vincent Dubourg and Virgil Abloh, organic benches by Wendell Castle and Mathieu Lehanneur, and inhabited clocks by Maarten Baas, among others.

In a world where the remix culture is at the base of every great invention, King Kong, with their DIY philosophy did not literally invent anything, but in fact conceived something fresh, new and original by opening a window onto a whole new world of images, sensations and reconstructions. King Kong is a talented team, that despite being scattered around the world, chose to take on this extraordinary editorial project. By displaying the work of some of the most creative minds from around the globe, the book stunningly shows how different life paths and approaches merge together into a singular perspective of the streets. The artists in this collection are Giorgio Di Salvo, Camilla Donzella, Panda, Lele Saveri and Sha Ribiero, and their project aims to exhibit personalities and to capture the emotion and clichés of a post-modern, post-political, and post-artistic generation. This beautiful intersection of illustrations and photography is paired with an insightful introductory text by Federico Sarica.

On July 21, 1969, the first man set foot on The Moon. When Neil Armstrong was asked if this made him feel big, he answered: “No, it made me feel really, really small.” 50 years later, this publication celebrates that special moment that put life on earth into a totally different perspective. It collects pictures of the world’s best photographers from the 1840s until today. Next to historical photographs and imagery printed in media, the publication features many artists that each in their own way reflect on this mystical celestial body, we call ‘moon’. The book shows the diversity of meanings of The Moon, it’s relation to mankind and to nature. The Moon has always both attracted and scared people around the world. It is our everyday connection to the unfathomable universe. Since time immemorial it is revered for its beauty, its stillness and mysterious appearance and yet also feared for its supernatural-seeming qualities. In mythology The Moon has always been given a central place. With its magnetic forces it changes the tides and has a direct and uncontrollable impact on mankind from above. In 1840, barely three years after the invention of photography, J.W. Draper makes the first picture ever made of The Moon and since that day photographers have never stopped following his example. The paradoxical aspects of the moon continue to fascinate and inspire. Like a photograph The Moon depends on sunlight to be visible. It has no light of its own and no apparent strength to resist our nightly city lights either. Photographers feel this close connection to The Moon’s characteristics and find the perfect object in its aesthetics. The landing on The Moon was a culmination point of the1960’s Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union, which quickly became a symbol of the Cold War. The images of the landing became the bearer of values and symbols of the United States and were widely spread through various media. In 1973 NASA abolished its moon program. The Moon had been conquered and the public seemed to have had lost interest. However, today people still find The Moon fascinating, and humanity continues to dream about setting foot on the sun’s shadow.

“John Bates came onto the London Fashion scene like a bolt of blue light, trailing sparks of excitement, designing the shortest skirts, the swiftest shapes, the surest colors. He had an unswerving instinct for what was new, modern, cutting edge.” Marit Allen Throughout the 1960s and 70s John Bates dominated the British fashion scene with a unique brand of style and innovation. No other designer had such a comprehensive influence on what the UK wore. Diana Rigg wore his designs in The Avengers, and the press went wild. Cilla Black and Dusty Springfield sang in them; Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy and Penelope Tree modelled; David Bailey, Terence Donovan and Helmut Newton photographed. At every level, from shop girl to pop star, debutante and banker’s wife, his label Jean Varon offered a must-have dress for a party, short or long, empire line or mini. He gave fashion-conscious women the chance to wear dresses featured extensively in the pages of Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Queen Magazine and bridged the gap between High Street retailing and couture like no other. Richard Lester’s text is based on detailed interviews with John Bates, covering his entire career in fashion. In addition the book features contributions from Felicity Green, Deidre McSharry, Brigid Keenan, Barbara Griggs, Sian Phillips and other key figures from the fashion industry, cultural scene and media of the time.

Portrait Miniatures from the Merchistion Collection is the fifth in a series of titles which examines the portrait miniature. This collection, which has never been on public display, was assembled on the London art market during the 1970s and 1980s. Scottish miniaturists from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries are particularly well represented with fine works by Scouler, Bogle, and Skirving and Sir William Charles Ross. Of outstanding interest is Nicholas Hilliard’s matching pair of tiny lockets of Queen Elizabeth and her admirer Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Stephen Lloyd’s essay discusses the formation of the collection and the impact of the invention of photography on the art of miniature painting. It also explores the social history of the miniature. Twenty of the key works are illustrated in color, with extended captions, and a complete list of the collection is also included.

Despite its trademark transparency, the Corum Golden Bridge is a wristwatch full of mystery. This new book describes the iconic linear timepiece’s fascinating history including the innovative mechanical invention conceived by a nonconformist autodidact and the difficult technical breakthroughs by two like-minded personalities needed to achieve the dream wristwatch. This story, chock-full of narrative substance, begins in Switzerland of the late 1970s, at a time when electronic timekeeping was threatening to overtake the magical mastery of mechanical ticks and tocks. The Golden Bridge, spanning the gap between mechanics and art, is an integral part of this era as luxury watchmaking teetered on the brink of extinction. The Golden Bridge additionally helped usher in the era of the independent watchmaker, as its very creation was rooted in shedding light on the work of the watchmaker in a way that no other timepiece before or after it ever would.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and the global necessity of facing the challenges of climate change has unleashed the inventive powers of architects around the world, many of whom are tackling the problem in original and highly creative ways. And yet, as the projects contained in this volume attest, sustainable design doesn’t necessarily preclude style and comfort, or even a little bit of luxury. Locations include Australia, New Zealand, US, UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Malaysia, Russia, France and India. With lush full-color photography, detailed floor and site plans, and informative descriptions of each house’s sustainable design elements, Sustainable Homes takes the reader on a round-the-world journey, traversing a range of climates, to see how today’s architects are making the most of traditional and modern design principles and technologies to create more energy efficient houses. Previously announced.

“This book builds and expands the scholarship covering this central motif in African art and culture and serves as an authoritative contribution to the field.” – Nicole Beatty, ARLIS
“This volume is outsized and lavishly illustrated, befitting the art objects…represented.” – CHOICE
Horses are very rare in Africa. The few to be found west of Sudan, from the lands of the Sahara and Sahel down to the fringes of the tropical forests, belong to the king, the chief warrior and to notable persons. Due to the dense humidity of the tropical rainforest and the deadly tsetse fly, only restricted numbers of horses survive. And yet rider and mount sculptures are common among the Dogon, Djenne, Bamana, Senufo and the Yoruba people. The Akan-Asante people of Ghana and the Kotoko of Chad produced a good deal of small casting brass and bronze sculptures. Some of the artists could barely even have caught a glimpse of a horse. This visually stunning book presents a wealth of African art depicting the horse and its rider in a variety of guises, from Epa masks and Yoruba divination cups to Dogon sculptures and Senufo carvings. In Mali, the Bamana, Boso and Somono ethnic groups still celebrate the festivals of the puppet masquerade. The final chapter of this book is dedicated to the art and cult of these festivals, which are still alive and well. It is not the habit of the African artist to provide intellectual statements for his work, yet his unique creative dynamic and far-searching vision does not conflict with that of his Western counterpart. It is fair to state that the African, who though not educated in Western art history, contributed his fair share to the shaping of modern art. Features works from museums in both Africa and Europe, including the Musée Royal de L’Afrique Central, Tervuren in Belgium; Afrika Museum, Berg en Dal, Netherlands; Musée du quai Branly, Paris; Museum Rietberg, Zurich; The British Museum, London; Museu National de Antologia, Lisbon and National Museum, Lagos, Nigeria.

Kifwebe masks are ceremonial objects used by the Songye and Luba societies (Democratic Republic of Congo), where they are worn with costumes consisting of a long robe and a long beard made of plant fibres. As in other central African cultures, the same mask can be used in either magical and religious or festive ceremonies. In order to understand Kifwebe masks, it is essential to consider them within the cosmogony of the python rainbow, metalworking in the forge, and other plant and animal signs. Among the Songye, benevolent female masks reveal what is hidden and balance white and red energy associated with two subsequent initiations, the bukishi. Aggressive male masks were originally involved in social control and had a kind of policing role, carried out in accordance with the instructions of village elders. These two male and female forces acted in a balanced way to reinforce harmony within the village. Among the Luba, the masked figures are also benevolent and appear at the new moon, their role being to enhance fertility. Although the male and female masks fulfil functions that do not wholly overlap, they do have features in common: a frontal crest, round and excessively protruding eyes, flaring nostrils, a cube-shaped mouth and lips, stripes, and colours. Art historians and anthropologists have taken increasing interest in Kifwebe masks in recent years.

Gandhi’s Vision: Freedom and Beyond chronicles the principal events leading to India’s independence under Gandhi’s leadership and his vision of a free India. The book commemorates 71 years of Indian independence and is replete with portraits of the Mahatma in action – invoking the spirit of patriotism, uniting people from all religions, regions and social groups across the country: Hindus, Muslims and Parsis, peasants and landlords, workers and capitalists, the intelligentsia and the illiterates, men and women, the young and the old. Among those stalwarts who led the freedom movement, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi shines not only for the novel means of non-violence, but also for simultaneously wanting to root out social evils like communal hatred, untouchability and gender disparity. With several such issues espoused by him continuing to dominate the social space, his teachings remain relevant even today. Contents: Introduction; Towards Freedom; The Awakening; Pre-Gandhian Movements in India and Gandhi in South Africa; Gandhi’s Return to India; Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience in India; The Final Call – Quit India Movement; Walking Alone and Freedom; Gandhi’s Dream of Free India; Vision of India as a Stable, Flourishing and Sustainable Nation; Progress with Knowledge and Education; Acknowledgements; References.
• Presents some glimpses from Gandhi’s life: how he adopted non-violence as a potent tool in his quest for the ‘truth force’ and led the path to India’s independence

• Showcases some hand-picked photographs from the National Gandhi Museum, which portray various scenes from Gandhi’s life with his South African friends, co-workers and Kasturba, his wife. These show his transformation over the years, and a few personal moments as well, which highlight his bonding with family and children

• Exhibits the picture that Gandhi himself envisioned of what the future of India as a free nation would behold

• Rich in archival content, the book should help scholars and students alike, researching on the subject

Gandhi’s Vision: Freedom and Beyond chronicles the principal events leading to India’s independence under Gandhi’s leadership and his vision of a free India. The book commemorates 71 years of Indian independence and is replete with portraits of the Mahatma in action – invoking the spirit of patriotism, uniting people from all religions, regions and social groups across the country: Hindus, Muslims and Parsis, peasants and landlords, workers and capitalists, the intelligentsia and the illiterates, men and women, the young and the old. Among those stalwarts who led the freedom movement, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi shines not only for the novel means of non-violence, but also for simultaneously wanting to root out social evils like communal hatred, untouchability and gender disparity. With several such issues espoused by him continuing to dominate the social space, his teachings remain relevant even today.

Contents:
Introduction; Towards Freedom; The Awakening; Pre-Gandhian Movements in India and Gandhi in South Africa; Gandhi’s Return to India; Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience in India; The Final Call – Quit India Movement; Walking Alone and Freedom; Gandhi’s Dream of Free India; Vision of India as a Stable, Flourishing and Sustainable Nation; Progress with Knowledge and Education; Acknowledgements; References.

One sole truth about Edvard Munch’s art does not exist. The answers depend on the questions we pose. Twenty-two Munch experts have written 150 texts about well-known and lesser-known works from Munchmuseet’s collection. Through these multiple ways of seeing, Munch’s lifework emerges as infinite. And this book, as an exercise in the art of seeing. The book invites the reader to explore the world of Edvard Munch — his ideas, processes, and the profoundly human topics that occupied him and that still affect us today. Through a wide selection from the museum’s collection, you can experience the richness of Munch’s artistic career and his unrelenting drive to experiment and innovate.

The buildings erected in the Deccan region of India belonged to a number of pre-Mughal kingdoms that reigned in the Deccan from the middle of the 14th century onwards. The monuments testify to a culture where local and imported ideas, vernacular and pan-Islamic traditions fused and re-interpreted, to create a majestic architectural heritage with exceptional buildings on the edge of the Islamic world. Many are still standing – yet outside this region of peninsular India, they remain largely unknown. General publications on Indian Islamic architecture usually devote a single chapter to the Deccan. Even specialist monographs can only cover a portion of the region, due to the sheer number of sites. While it is impossible to encompass the full breadth of the subject in a single volume, this book aims to embrace the visual diversity of the Deccan without sacrificing the rigor of academic study. Structures of historical or architectural significance are placed in their context, as the authors discuss building typologies, civic facilities and ornamental techniques, from plaster and carved stone to glazed tiles and mural painting. A chapter is dedicated to each principal Deccan site, interweaving the rise and fall of these cities with a pictorial journey through their ruins, and each building is accompanied by an overhead plan view.

This book, a new translation (with introduction and notes) of Il Libro dell’Arte, marks a great step forward in our understanding of Cennino Cennini – his life and times – and the materials and techniques employed by artists in fourteenth century Italy. Over eighty years ago, D. V. Thompson presented his translation entitled The Craftsman’s Handbook as a workshop manual aimed at readers who wished to produce a work of art by following Cennino’s instructions. The present volume not only establishes more precisely what Cennino actually wrote, by correcting more than 400 errors in Thompson’s text, but also includes the transcribed Italian text and very extensive notes on both the language and the technical descriptions. In addition, the author’s most informative introduction places Cennino in context and accounts for the genesis of the libro dell’arte by reference to the society in which it was produced. This volume is a landmark text for students and professionals in the field of art history.

Walk on the Wild Side is the mesmerizing second book of the Dorothy Circus Trilogy, presenting an immersive and detailed look at every exhibition of Pop Surrealism that took place at the world-renowned gallery in 2012. This volume catalogs these landmark exhibitions in a beautifully bound, hard cover anthology. They include Secrets from the Hourglass by Leila Ataya; Cinephonicaby Aaron Jasinski; Last Drop of Innocence by Valentina Brostean; Fame: I m going to Live Forever by Scott Musgrove and Wild at Heart by Miss Van.

Also included are many group shows such as Stay Foolish! with Esao Andrews, Ray Caesar, Ron English, Tara Mcpherson, Jeff Soto, Marion Peck and Mark Ryden; Inside Her Eyes featuring Leila Ataya, Afarin Sajedi, Natalie Shau, Kwon Kyungyup and Green Blood with Tara McPherson, Jeff Soto, Martin Wittfooth, Travis Louie, Lola, Brandi Milne, Leila Ataya, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Roland Tamayo, Ana Bagayan, Scott Musgrove and many more.