Thames & Hudson strana 25 z 104

The work of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) played a crucial role in shaping the avant-garde art of the 20th century. Each section of this visual journey through Mondrian's life and career takes its inspiration from the location of one of the artist's studios, tracing his path from Amsterdam to Paris, and via the Dutch village of Laren to London and New York. Each of these locations represents a distinct stage in the development of Mondrian's art: from the naturalistic paintings of the 1890s and the experimental neo-Impressionist works of the early twentieth century to his involvement with the De Stijl movement and his famous grid paintings, and finally the bold dynamism of his late work in the United States, inspired by the rhythms of jazz and the buzzing metropolis. As Mondrian's art took the simplification of form to an extreme, the walls of his studios became an ever-changing surface made up of cardboard rectangles painted in primary colours, white and grey.

Figurative art is currently riding high. Contemporary works depicting the human form grace the walls of public institutions and commercial galleries alike. Champions of paint, such as Katherine Bernhardt and Adrian Ghenie; photographic artists, such as Gillian Wearing and Cindy Sherman; Charles Avery's drawings, Grayson Perry's tapestries and Kara Walker's silhouettes - these and many other artists from diverse backgrounds are working in a range of media to explore new ways to depict the human form. Charlotte Mullins explores the reasons behind this resurgence and considers what the figure means to the artists who depict it in their practice. Her accessible yet highly perceptive introduction includes works by 70 artists, all created in the past five years. These artists successfully employ the figure to help make sense of the mercurial, fast-paced and challenging world we live in.

Evolution: The Whole Story contains everything you need to know about the development and survival of life on Earth. Each chapter of this accessible and lavishly illustrated book takes a major living group and presents thematic essays discussing the evolution of particular subgroups as they appeared on Earth with reference to detailed comparative anatomy, evolutionary legacies, and the breakthrough theories of eminent scientists. Accompanying the essays are amazing photographic features that investigate the characteristics of individual organisms in detail: in some, remarkable fossils, assembled skeletons, and lifelike reconstructions are presented and analyzed; while in others, living species are depicted and compared in detail to their direct ancestors, creatures that may have lived millions of years ago.

In Why You Can Build It Like That, John Zukowsky examines buildings from the past half century or so that pushed the boundaries of what was architecturally acceptable when they were built. 100 striking international examples of modern architecture are categorized into thematic chapters that reflect form as well as society. Zukowsky explores the history of these buildings and their makers, presenting relevant biographical factors and socio-cultural influences that impacted on the distinctive designs. The book includes the works of heroic early modernist architects such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright, alongside long-established architectural firms such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It also features mavericks of the past and present Bruce Goff, Shin Takamatsu and Shigeru Ban and singular architectural wonders that reflect their own times. Readers will find out why all the featured buildings look the way they do, and why they were created when and where they were. Zukowskys original text unravels the rich and complex stories that exist behind the design of some of the worlds more unconventional monuments, revealing exactly why each building is one of a kind.

In this broad cultural survey, James Hall brilliantly maps the history of self-portraiture, from the earliest myths of Narcissus and the Christian tradition of bearing witness to the prolific self-image-making of todays contemporary artists. Along the way he reveals the importance of the medieval mirror craze; the confessional self-portraits of Titian and Michelangelo; the role of biography for serial self-portraitists such as Courbet and van Gogh; themes of sex and genius in works by Munch and Bonnard; and the latest developments in our globalized age. Hall covers the full range of self-portraits, from comic and caricature self-portraits to invented or imaginary ones, and looks deeply into the worlds and mindsets of the artists who have created them. Offering a rich and lively history, this is an essential read for all those interested in this most enduringly popular and humane of art forms.

One day, in Mali, Yann Arthus-Bertrand was the victim of a helicopter breakdown. While waiting for the pilot, he spent the entire day with a farmer who spoke to him, with great dignity and without complaint, of his daily life, his hopes, his fears and of his sole ambition: to feed his children. Yann was deeply marked by this encounter, by this man to whom he felt so close. This was the first of many such encounters, the outcome of which is Human. Human is a sensitive and loving portrait of mankind as a community, as a family but most importantly as individuals. It tries to answer the universal and ancient question of who we are and what we aspire to. It may reveal the dark side of the human condition, but it also sheds light on the best of it, for we all carry inside of us this will to live together in harmony.

Lively and informative, The World Atlas of Tattoo is a superbly illustrated and compelling reference book that, through examining the meeting point between tattoo artists and their personal understanding of their environment, presents a well-informed and nuanced account of what has become a widespread art practice. Organized geographically, each section is introduced by a short historical overview of the types of tattooing traditionally practised in that area of the world, enabling the reader to trace historical threads in the careers of some of the profiled tattooers, as well as marvel at how other artists have managed to create novel forms of tattooing that transcend any previous context. The book also tracks the movement of styles from their indigenous settings to diasporic communities, where they have often been transformed into creative, multicultural, hybrid designs. Written by an international team of scholars, historians and journalists, this comprehensive atlas will enlighten and excite anyone who is passionate about tattoo art in its many forms worldwide.

This stylish publication celebrates the impact of contemporary Nordic style on interiors, furnishings and product design. Its attractiveness lies in the simplicity, attention to detail and high quality of materials that have long been associated with Scandinavian design. This book features fifty notable interior and product designers from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland. Whether they are well established or up and coming, the designers all share a passionate commitment to an elegant design style with widespread international appeal. New Nordic Design builds on the success of the author's earlier Fashion Scandinavia, in the same format, while also being completely new with great potential to reach a wide, global audience for whom Scandinavian living is a dream and an aspiration.

Digital design plays a crucial role in how customers experience a brand. However, corporate websites and online shops are only one part of interactive brand identity. The importance of mobile apps for smartphones and tablets has grown exponentially in recent years, while interactive touch points and billboards are increasingly found in the real world. The interface is now the brand. This book is designed to guide the reader through the process of digital brand design in five key phases: discovering a demographic, defining an action plan, designing an interface, delivering a quality product, and distributing the design to the marketplace. All the sections are packed with real-world examples, case studies and interviews with experts from leading brands and interactive agencies. A wealth of design documentation and diagrams helps to build a solid framework for any project, incorporating brand strategy at every stage while remaining flexible enough to incorporate change and creativity.

What's hidden in the woods? At first glance, all is still and quiet in the woods. But look closely through three coloured transparent sheets to discover hidden secrets. As if by magic, each sheet shows animals and plants coming to life. Watch nature's surprises emerge in front of your eyes.

A silk evening gown with a grungy cardigan and cool retro hi-tops? Surfer shorts with jeweled slippers and a rock 'n' roll leather jacket? This book shows children how to create their own look by mixing up all kinds of styles, from preppy slacks and sporty tops to rockabilly skirts and Parisian-chic berets, encouraging them to push fashion boundaries and create a fashion designer's sketchbook bursting with ideas and attitude. In a recent survey, 'I want to be a fashion designer' was the top response of children asked what they wanted to do when they grew up. This book will help them achieve that ambition.

A little boy invents many stories with the help of 10 geometrical patterns. One day, he creates a hat, but the hat flies away and is stolen by a little monkey. He chases the hat around a pop-up city, trying desperately to get it back. During his hunt he goes to many different stores and places (the zoo, the bakery, the hairdresser, the library...). All images are built with these 10 geometrical patterns.

The Eiffel Tower is bored...so it decides to cut loose and fly over Paris! Sailing through the night air, it glides over the Seine; a short hop away, it's Opera. It weaves through the crowd and department stores, falls asleep in the sun, and wakes up to the jangling bells of Notre Dame. This beautifully crafted book, full of meticulous lasercuts, is a wonderfully imaginative introduction to Paris for young children.

This book teaches children of 7+ how to make fashionably cool mix-and-match clothes for a standard 30 cm (12 in) plastic doll. Its approach is simple, quick and fun, and the results are extremely stylish. At the beginning of the book, children are encouraged to be creative and adapt the patterns to make their own designs. The main section of the book includes patterns for nine garments, each with an actual-size pattern on the page to use as a template, along with super-clear instructions and illustrations of each step. Helpful tips and inspirational photographs of the dolls modelling the finished clothes run throughout the book, and a section at the back sets out the basics of sewing, including how to thread a needle, do a running stitch and sew on poppers and buttons.

Multicultural, adjacent to London's wealthy financial district, home to artists and designers of all stripes, funky boutiques and a vibrant night-life, the East End is alive with creative possibility, and its inhabitants are stylishly individual and self-fashioned to the extreme. Photographer Anthony Webb, who travelled the world to photograph the most interesting destinations in Thames & Hudson's StyleCity series, has trawled the streets of East London, using his metropolitan savvy to present the colourful characters and inspirational personalities in a heady mix of fashionable portraits animated by aphorisms culled from the wisdom of urban life.

With impeccable taste and an unerring eye for detail, connoisseur Simon Crompton guides the reader through the intricacies of contemporary artisanal menswear, from the Panama hat to the Milanese buttonhole. Each chapter focuses on a different item of clothing and the craftspeople who have mastered it. Aided by extensive illustrations, Crompton offers detailed insight into the way in which these luxury items are designed and constructed, explaining the subtle but crucial difference a hand-stitched seam, perfectly cut sleeve or screen-printed silk can make.