Thames & Hudson strana 97 z 102

The ninja, Japan's famous black-clad spies and assassins renowned for their superb martial arts skills, are the stuff of legend, their shadowy dealings inspiring countless tales in Japanese folklore. No other military figure in the world has captured the popular imagination as have the ninja, with a swathe of movies, comic books, theme parks and computer games being dedicated to them. Ninja takes the reader into the world of Japan in 1789, conveying the excitement, danger and subterfuge of the period. Based on an original ninjutsu training manual, it teaches readers precisely what is required to become a ninja, and of course the craft itself, so that they can master the ninja arts. Illustrated throughout with contemporary artifacts, documents and prints taken from the original manuals, as well as modern reconstructions, this light-hearted but informative guide will captivate readers young and old, and covers every aspect of what it was really like to be a ninja in Japan.

A beautifully designed gift book devoted to the work of the renowned ceramics firm Wedgwood, which has thrived from 1759 to the present day. Looking back at key moments in Wedgwood’s design history, this book celebrates the manufacturer’s visual power and great design from its founding in 1759 to the present day. The name Wedgwood has come to stand for something far beyond its illustrious and energetic founder: it has united art and industry; introduced design and artistic collaborations; and pioneered the development ofthe firm’s iconic blue-and-white jasperware. This book tells that story through design, reflecting the continuing role that Wedgwood and its designers, artists, and employees have played in setting trends?including collaborations with many British artists and designers such as Christopher Dresser, Eric Ravilious, and Keith Murray. Wedgwood continuously responds to the market and produces high-quality, desirable ceramicsfor a broad range of consumers, yet remains faithful to the traditions established by Josiah Wedgwood in the eighteenth century. The book presents highlights from the internationally renowned V&A Wedgwood Collection, praised by the Art Fund?one of the UK’s leading art organizations?as “one of the most important industrial archives,” containing around 80,000 objects. This archive reflects the unique proposition of Wedgwood’s business: by operating in both the “ornamental” and “useful” markets, Wedgwood has been able to bring innovative ceramic design to a broad and increasingly international clientele. These ceramics and their stories demonstrate the artistic heritage, craft, and innovation that have become synonymous with the Wedgwood name for more than 250 years. 135 color and 6 black-and-white illustrations

A revealing volume on Southeast Asia’s complex histories, expertly told through art objects and cultural artifacts dating from 6,000 years ago to the present. Created in collaboration with the British Museum, this richly illustrated volume displays the arts, histories, and cultures of Southeast Asia from about 6,000 years ago to the twenty-first century, covering modern-day Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor, Brunei, the Philippines, and Singapore. The incredible diversity of the region appears through the ancient sculptures of Java, Bagan, Angkor, and Sukhothai, paintings, ceramics, silver, ritual objects, basketry, textiles, and contemporary art. Featuring the British Museum collection like the other volumes in this series, Southeast Asia: A History in Objects presents engaging texts and expertly curated artifacts. From the early emergence of agricultural communities to the rise of powerful empires and the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, and from the age of colonial rule to 20th-century nation-building, every object tells a story in this wide-ranging and accessible selection. Exploring topics like the monuments of Angkor Wat and Borobudur, the spirits of the Philippines, funerary figures of the Toraja people, the narrative paintings of Bali, and the musical instruments and shadow puppets of Java and Thailand, this volume is an informative visual treat for curious minds, historians, and cultural adventurers everywhere. 400 color illustrations

A richly illustrated, up-to-the-minute overview of new approaches in drawing, set in the context of recent developments of other forms of contemporary art. This book explores the variety of ways in which contemporary artists from around the world have come to approach drawing as the primary, sometimes the sole, element of their practice, and one which is autonomous: an end in itself rather than a means to an end in another, more substantial medium. In an era of advanced technologies where image production has accelerated - potentially beyond the capacity of human attention - what values can be attributed to the slow, deliberate process of drawing by hand? The artworks featured in this volume are not confined to traditional tools - one can also draw on a computer, tablet or smartphone, and examples of digital drawing are incorporated into the narrative not as a separate category but as one medium among many. Grouped thematically by specific approaches, including abstraction and figuration, nature and artifice, social observation and critique, with essays and feature spreads for each section, this selection of international artists of diverse backgrounds and experience includes not only recognizable names such as Michael Armitage, Camille Henrot, Robert Longo, Amy Sillman and Kara Walker, but also a host of emerging talents. Beautifully presented in a visually appealing and tactile format with the feel of an artist's portfolio, this is an inspiring overview of the best drawing practice today.