Books
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The Art of Looking S...
As Alan Fletcher says, "It's full of little entertainments." A primer in visual intelligence that explores the workings of the eye, the hand, the brain and the imagination An inexhaustible mine of anecdotes, quotations, curious facts, useless information, oddities, serious science, jokes and memories Distils a lifetime of reflection and observation by one of the world's foremost designers [posted by katie]
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Edible Estates: Atta...
I'm not going to hold my breath that this book signifies a major trend, but I will hope that it might start one. "The Edible Estates project proposes the replacement of the domestic front lawn with a highly productive edible landscape. It was initiated by architect and artist Fritz Haeg on Independence Day, 2005, with the planting of the first regional prototype garden in the geographic center of the United States, Salina, Kansas. Since then three more prototype gardens have been created, in Lakewood, California; Maplewood, New Jersey and London, England. Edible Estates regional prototype gardens will ultimately be established…
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Tatsuki Masaru: Deco...
When I was in art school a fellow classmate once talked about how he thought trucks (in the US) were all about glamour, with their lights and fancy mudflaps and extra reflectors. The whole idea struck me as entirely true, yet also completely funny considering the stereotypical idea of someone that might drive an eighteen wheeler, and how unlikely they might be to admit to decorating their vehicle in order to be seen as "glamorous", an adjective often used to describe young lip-glossed celebrities. Well, these decorated trucks (i.e. Decotora) from Japan are sure celebrations of glamour and their owners…
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Celebrity Vinyl by T...
This has to be worth a flip through. "Celebrity Vinyl is a laugh-riot reminder of what happens when famous people decide to (unsuccessfully) give singing a try. The number of celebrities, and pseudo-celebrities, that have indulged such hubris boggles the mind: Burt Reynolds, Shaquille O’Neal, John Travolta, Eddie Murphy, Leonard Nimoy, Alyssa Milano – the list goes on and on, as do the laughs. Over 100 photographs of the album art that houses these celebrity recordings are paired with gut-punch funny captions."
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London Interiors/Int...
Though this was published way back in 2000, it's still pretty interesting to browse through these different homes in London. I check out a lot of interior design books from the library (I know, I'm a nerd) and I find it so enthralling to see what ideas and interiors still seem current despite the publication date. "London, staid London, becomes probably the most provocative, diametrically opposed city in the world when its living interiors are exposed. Edwards shows off her skills in this portfolio of 42 mainly urban spaces. Most owners are in the arts (or a related industry), in…
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New Wallpaper City G...
New Wallpaper City Guides (listed below) with 10 additional cities due for Fall 2008. AUCKLAND * BUDAPEST * CAIRO * CHICAGO * HANOI *LAS VEGAS * MELBOURNE * MUNICH * VALENCIA * WARSAW "Pocket-sized insider guides compiled by the travel experts at Wallpaper* magazine. Tabbed listings offer landmarks, hotels, what to do in 24 hours, urban life, architectural highlights, shopping, sports and escapes."
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Ice Cream
Much like the other 'Cream' books, this looks to have loads of interesting artists. I've not looked through this one yet, but it looks promising. "Continuing the phenomenon established by cream (1988) Fresh Cream (2000) and Cream 3 (2003), Ice Cream identifies the most significant emerging figures in an often confusing world and acts as an expert guide to future trends - Each artist is featured over four pages with a selection of their most interesting work together with a commentary by the curator who selected them, an exhibition history, and a bibliography" To read more about the book, visit…
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Buenos Aires Guide
MadeInEarnest has their new Buenos Aires City guide out. As expected, there's lots of links and recommendations for places to stay and eat, which are super helpful to have if you're planning a visit. Thanks MadeInEarnest!
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A Road Trip Journal,...
If you're serious about collecting (photography specifically), you'll have no doubt already put in your order for this one, but just in case you missed the boat or curiosity has taken hold, here's your chance. "A highly collectible, limited facsimile edition of the journal made by pioneering Stephen Shore during his influential road trip across America in 1973. Limited to 3,300 copies, plus 100 artists proofs, each copy is signed and numbered by the photographer. Shore meticulously itemizes where he stayed, what he ate, what he watched on TV, alongside pasted-in ephemera such as receipts, postcards and parking tickets. Also…
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Surface/Subsurface
There are only a handful of public spaces that I can think of that inspire awe, probably because most seem to default to a utilitarian outcome rather than lifting the bar to any higher aesthetic. Yet the large scale projects by Weiss/Manfredi show a different side to this particular architecture. Their interdisciplinary approach can be seen most recently in the completed Olympic Sculpture Park (above right), whose Z-shaped path moves visitors through three different land parcels over a busy street. The way the landscape is involved as the structure, and how that structure surrounds and promotes the activity shows a…
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Salt Dreams by Jimmy...
In a seemingly surreal environment, Jimmy and Dena Katz have captured bizarre yet ordinary scenes from in and around the Salt Flats of northern Utah. The backdrop of such a unique landscape sets off characters and objects, saturating colors with sharp sunlight and providing the rare opportunity for an uncomplicated study of silhouettes. "Again and again they discovered human possessions and personal obsessions flung onto the salt surface against undulating mountains and boundless sky. They became intrigued by the inventors who, with their hand-built hotrods, racecars, and rockets, participate in the annual rituals and races on the Salt Flats—making their…
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Iraq: The Space Betw...
Photographs of the wounded in hospitals, empty playgrounds, and men crying over their dead children do little to assuage the overall feel of emptiness that is brought home with this book of photographs in Iraq. There's beauty to be found in the images of dusty landscapes, but the lonely streets, some scattered with trash, push the previous sense of beauty clear out of the way. The American soldiers outfitted in their layers of gear contrast roughly with the people living in such a war zone, especially since most Iraqis shown are captured, wounded, grieving or dead. There's an honesty that's…
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David Report bulleti...
I've just finished looking through the new David Report bulletin called "I shop therefore I am" and I highly recommend taking a few moments to read through it. It might just make you a little more aware of your responsibilities as a consumer. "Shopping has turned into a lifestyle. We consume as leisure and a way to pass time. But at the same time many are realizing that the power of consumption is stopping us from finding true and sincere happiness; and that shopping often works as a substitute for something that we´re missing in life. At what point does…
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At a Crossroads: Bet...
With thoughtful watercolor drawings, Kate T. Williamson captures the many moments of her daily life after moving back in with her parents for what was thought to be a three-month stopover but soon became a twenty-three-month stay. Small details and ordinary scenes amount to a personal memoir that catches all the joys and embarrassing episodes of living once again with one's own parents. From spending her twenty-fourth birthday at a Hall&Oates concert with her mother to hiding in the fridge at a floral shop to avoid the 'what are you doing with your life' question, there's a sense of self…
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Contemporary Design ...
Full of details that would make the most of a smaller space, this book has many photos that will help jog your creative juices. My favorites: Small House by Kazuyo Sejima & Associates, Healy/Kaplow Loft by Matthew Baird Design, and Anderson House by Jamie Fobert Architects. "Small Environments focuses on the type of architectural details that make up distinctive residential spaces under 1,200 square feet [120 square meters]. It presents recent work by architects from around the globe in color photographs and architectural drawings. Rather than simply another compendium of small projects, the book is structured according to categories of…