Thames&Hudson
Длина 235

Описание:
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was famously driven by his passion for God, for art - and for books. Vincent's life with books is examined here chapter by chapter, from his early adulthood, when he considered becoming a pastor, to his decision to be a painter, to the end of his life. He moved from Holland to Paris to Provence; at each moment, ideas he encountered in books defined and guided his thoughts and his life. Vincent's letters to his brother refer to at least 200 authors. Books and readers - whether dreaming or deeply absorbed - are frequent subjects of his paintings. Vincent not only read fiction, he also knew many works of art from detailed descriptions and illustrations in monographs, biographies and museum guides. Always keeping up to date, he never missed the latest literary and artistic magazines. This thought-provoking and original study takes the reader on an artistic-literary journey through Vincent's discoveries, his favourite authors and best-loved books, revealing a continuous dialogue between his own work, the artists and the authors who inspired him, and giving life to his comment: "Books and reality and art are the same kind of thing for me".

Описание:
Explores different formal ways of representing the passage of time and at the same time the unavoidable but marvellous stillness of portraits. David Hockney's continuing belief in the importance of the portrait and his virtuoso skill in creating a sense of close communication between artist, sitter and viewer has resulted in some of the best-loved works of the postwar era. From the 1950s on, Hockney's most persistent subject matter, in paintings, drawings, collages and photoworks, has been of people usually very close to him, as well as of himself. These works are narratives of autobiographical relationships: they reflect the intimate and often intense stories of this artist's life. They also explore different formal ways of representing the passage of time and at the same time the unavoidable but marvellous stillness of portraits. The works include fascinating sequences as he paints his mother or Henry Geldzahler or Celia Birtwell on and off for decades; the special qualities attached to depictions of lovers; and the range of celebrities, writers and artists - Billy Wilder, Armistead Maupin, W.H. Auden, Henry Moore, Christopher Isherwood - who have been part of a very full life. The text by a distinguished European critic and curator reinforces the point that this hugely popular English-born artist, who made America his second home, has become a figure of worldwide appeal.

Описание:
Throughout history, patterns have come in countless permutations of motif, colour way and scale. Yet what all have in common is the regularity of repetition, that insistent rhythm that animates a flat surface with a sense of movement and vitality and gives it depth. Evident in the arrangement of petals on a flower head, the branching growth of stems and vines, the spirals of a seashell - pattern is inherent in the natural world that surrounds us. Powerful and transformative, pattern has an irrepressible joie de vivre. With more than 1,500 illustrations of patterns from all ages and cultures, Pattern Design is a visual feast. This comprehensive compendium is arranged thematically according to type, with chapters on Flora, Fauna, Pictorial, Geometric and Abstract designs. These broad categories are supplemented by in-depth features highlighting the work of key designers from the rich history of pattern making - such as William Morris, Sonia Delaunay, Charles and Ray Eames, Lucienne Day and Orla Kiely - along with sections detailing the characteristic motifs of key period styles from Baroque to Art Deco.

Описание:
There is no one way to design a modern urban house. Demand for space in cities the world over is higher than ever and new buildings must meet stringent energy saving requirements and negotiate a myriad planning regulations. But the best new urban architecture suggests invention and innovation are as critical as ever. The Contemporary House brings together seventy solutions, drawn from cities around the globe to explore the many ways in which architecture can enhance the experience of living in the city. Organized geographically, The Contemporary House offers a fascinating insight into the sheer variety of contemporary approaches to urban design, from reinventions of longstanding vernacular forms like terraces and townhouses, through to the fastchanging suburbs and inner cities of modern Japan, where the short lifespan of family houses provides architects with a template for aesthetic and technical experimentation. The book also provides an insight into the conditions that shape the architecture of some of the world's major cities, through recent history, signature styles, and current conditions on the ground. The Contemporary House is an essential guide to design in the modern city.

Описание:
Prototyping is an essential part of the designer's repertoire. Designers prototype their projects to test them, structurally, aesthetically, technically. Whether the prototype works or not is not the point: prototyping is the revelatory process through which the designer gains insight. There are three reasons why contemporary prototyping techniques are transforming the way architects design and build: 1) at a miniature scale, prototyping aids the architect in the presentation to clients of complex spatial ideas; 2) prototyping empowers the architect-designer to test and prove a building's feasibility, leading to more open-minded construction solutions; 3) whether additive (3D printing) or subtractive (robotic milling), prototyping can lead to unexpected and exciting new possibilities within design as a whole, across design disciplines, thus blurring the boundaries between them in highly creative ways. The book has four sections: an introduction that charts the rise of prototyping in design history, more specifically in architecture; an overview of techniques; a survey section featuring 30 projects, each presented through texts drawn from first-hand interviews, on-site photographs and drawings; and a reference section, which includes a glossary of technical terms.

Описание:
This visually rich survey - the first of its kind - showcases the work of over 200 artists and celebrates the explosion of street art in Africa over the last decade. Including twelve in-depth interviews with street artists active in Africa today as well as coverage of the continent's major street art projects, collectives and festivals, it takes the reader on an introductory tour of the many African street art scenes, with a deeper focus on the most prominent players in Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. Topics and projects covered include the monumental project Murais da Leba in Angola, which saw 6,000 square metres of wall covered by local graffiti and visual artists in the Serra da Leba mountain range; the cultural influences and idiosyncrasies of individual street art scenes, and how they mesh with local communities; and eL Seed's project "Perception", a huge multi-part mural stretching across more than fifty buildings in Cairo's Zaraeeb neighbourhood, revealing a message of hope to it's marginalized community in the artist's distinctive "calligraffiti" style. Text commentaries elaborating on styles and processes, and social and cultural context, are peppered throughout the book, giving the reader further insight into a wealth of striking contemporary visual cultures and helping make this a must-have for street art fans and practitioners.

Описание:
Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner, the two greatest operatic composers of their time, had everything and nothing in common. Their achievements were comparable, but their personalities, their approaches to music and drama, and their complex legacies made them incompatible. Verdi thought of art as a comfort to mankind; it pleased Wagner to believe that the nervous intensity of his operas might drive listeners mad. Is it impossible - as Peter Conrad asks in this book, the first to investigate their affinities and explain their mutual mistrust - to love them both? These equally matched Titans offer us a choice between two kinds of art, two ways of life, two opposed philosophies of existence. During their lifetimes Verdi and Wagner helped to define the identity of their emerging nations; their music still dramatizes the light and dark sides of every human being's character and consciousness.

Описание:
Written by a practising Freemason, this profusely illustrated survey explores the origins, history, beliefs and symbolism of the famously secretive and often misunderstood Order. Completely international in it's outlook, the book has also had the special assistance of the United Grand Lodge of England - the oldest and foremost Masonic body in the world.

Описание:
New in the bestselling "Way We Live" series is this visually thrilling exploration of the way people around the world live with the things they love. Divided into seven main sections, the book showcases Gilles de Chabaneix's eagle-eye for a good idea or intriguing detail, offering an international tour of how people frame, hang and place objects, as well showing the best ways of combining and balancing them, and displaying them with wit or irony. Every opportunity to make cross cultural comparisons and connections is taken within this book to provide a truly international vision of the ways in which our lives are reflected by the things we love.

Описание:
In the City is the third title in the phenomenally successful "The Way We Live" series, providing a visual, in-depth view of lifestyles in cities around the world, from New York to Cairo, from London to Saigon, in five major sections. The book takes every opportunity to make cross-cultural comparisons and connections, providing a truly international view of city living, and offering a dynamic compilation of inspirational ideas.

Описание:
This book is a mouthwatering tour of 20 of Italys most beautiful and finely appointed country villas and palazzos, captured by the lens of renowned architecture photographer Massimo Listri. Italy attracts visitors from all over the world thanks to its sun-drenched landscape, rich history, enticing traditions and welcoming lifestyles. Listris stunning photographs vary between sweeping panoramas of the houses in their glorious settings to close-ups of specific rooms, furniture and design details. These houses provide glorious fodder for dreaming as well as a concrete source of inspiration for creating ones own personal style.

Описание:
A rhinoceros remembers his life before grey captivity, one full of colour, with familiar smells and sights. He thinks of his mother being slain by poachers. He has searched the zoo but cannot find another like him. He fears he is the last. He describes a joyless life for all the animals with him, before being rescued and brought back home. The colour is brought back into his life when he realises he is not the last. Last evokes a longing for home from the reader and a sense of hope for the future upon its ending. In her debut as an illustrator, Nicole Davies effectively and beautifully portrays the differences in mood and surroundings between the rhinoceros life before and during captivity through her effective use of colour.

Описание:
Hans Nickl's and Christine Nickl-Weller's designs are tailored to human needs. As a result, the architects work follows a simple principle: promoting the users well-being, optimizing the functional interaction of flexible spatial structures, and creatively using a variety of materials. An internationally active firm, Nickl & Partner Architekten is among the leaders in designing clinics, medical facilities and research institutes. Moreover, the architects have been directing social housing and urban development projects for almost thirty years, for both private and public investors. This monograph is aimed at providing a complete overview of the company's work. "To us, architecture means understanding and organizing, with Man always positioned at the center". "Our intention is to develop modern buildings with a positive influence on the people who work and live there".