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There have been many books devoted to Leonardo da Vinci's visionary inventions, but this book is in a league of its own. Using the most up-to-date computer-generated images and three-dimensional diagrams, it makes absolutely clear how Leonardo's creations might have operated, their feasibility, and what we might still learn from them. The text complements the visual images in both its clarity and intelligence. This book is an absolute knockout... More.
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This book is like a gigantic breath of fresh air blowing through generations of hermetic and moralizing art-historical readings of the great Dutch painter and printmaker Pieter Bruegel. Gibson offers convincing evidence that Bruegel intended to provoke something more like Rabelaisian hilarity in his contemporaries than purveying grim parables of heaven and hell. Along the way, Gibson presents an illuminating guide to what exactly was funny in the 16th century -- understanding that is the key to Breugel's art... More.
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In 50-odd brief chapters, many of which have the electricity of prose poems, André Wogenscky, for many years the assistant and friend of the great French architect, artist, and renaissance man Le Corbusier, uses the image of the hands of this supremely gifted man to form a tremendously evocative portrait of visionary creativity operating in the world of facts and things. A perfect gift for a budding architect, artist, or anyone interested in the mysteries of human ingenuity... More.
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What is unique about Andy Warhol "Giant Size" is that it provides fascinating insight into the public and private life of Warhol and in many cases also reveals the stories behind his art works. The book provides amazing comparisons between his work and his life that have never been demonstrated visually in such a way before. For example, it not only features Warhol’s famous "Mao" series, but also includes ephemera from a 1982 trip to China (his passport, boarding pass, a souvenir from his hotel, etc.) alongside a photo of Warhol standing in front of the Forbidden City in Beijing with an official Mao portrait in the background... More.
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An insightful collection of design marvels from everyday life, celebrated by a curator of MoMA's Department of Architecture and Design. Every day we use dozens of small objects, from Q-tips to paper clips. If they work well, chances are we don't pay them much attention. Although modest in size and price, some of these objects are true masterpieces of the art of design. In this colorful visual feast, Paola Antonelli portrays one hundred fabulous objects, from compact discs to LEGOs to chopsticks to Post-it notes. Short, informative text descriptions accompany stunning photographs of each object, detailing the little-known history of some of our favorite things... More.
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Most of us are unaware of the infrastructure that makes our lives possible. We flick on a switch; a light goes on. We put out the garbage; it disappears. Without a second thought, we buy bananas from Ecuador. None of these things happens magically. To urban planning expert Dr. Kate Ascher, all these things represent real-world challenges and achievements. In The Works, she takes you into the hidden infrastructure of New York City, explaining how it manages to provide more than a billion gallons of water every day to happily oblivious city dwellers. A thoroughly fascinating read... More.
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The phenomenon of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s achieved unprecedented heights of creativity, producing some of America's finest and most daring writers, actors, musicians, and artists. The energy and talent that spun out of the Harlem Renaissance was palpable, as this diverse burst of self-expression introduced Black themes into American culture. This book focuses on the fine artists who achieved international fame during the Harlem Renaissance: sculptor Meta Warwick Fuller; painter and illustrator Aaron Douglas; and painters Palmer Hayden and William H. Johnson. Complementing their art are the photographs of James Van Der Zee, the great documentary photographer who captured images of Harlem and its citizens, from celebrities and major social occasions to ordinary families, store fronts, and street scenes... More.