Book of the Day Posted Aug 06, 2026

Book of the Day: Cuisine on Screen - 60 Famous Japanese Recipes from 30 Cult Movies

From the publisher: "Tan-men soup from Midnight Diner; risotto from Princess Mononoké; ramen from Tampopo—these and other dishes are the stars of this unique cookbook that pairs the best of Japanese cinema with the cuisine featured in it. Organized by type of dish—dumplings; noodles, soups, and stews; seafood; eggs and meat; vegetables and rice; desserts and tea—it offers concise and beautifully illustrated recipes that will satisfy practiced and novice cooks alike. Scattered throughout are descriptions of the films that inspired each dish—a selection as varied as the recipes themselves that includes classics, cult, and anime: Toilet, Spirited Away, Little Forest, Makanai, My Neighbor Totoro, What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Our Little Sister, Samurai Gourmet, Voyage to Tokyo, The Asadas, Kamome Diner, The Way of the Hot and Spicy, The Garden of Words, Every Day a Good Day, Sweet Bean, Kantaro. Through this flavorful blend of cinema and gastronomy, Japanese film buffs will find a new way of appreciating their favorite masterpieces, and Japanese foodies will discover movies that whet their appetites." Book of the day. (Prestel, 2026)
Book of the Day Posted Aug 01, 2026

Book of the Day: "Bloodywood"

From the distributor: "[Bloodywood] features an astonishing selection of Ghanaian hand-painted film posters from the collection of Mandy Elsas, a Dutch merchant dedicated to seeking out and preserving this disappearing facet of Ghana’s art historical heritage. With reproductions of almost 200 posters, it also provides an in-depth look at everyday culture through short biographies of artists, writings by specialists in the field, and a foreword by Ablade Glover, perhaps today’s most preeminent Ghanaian artist. The images are often graphic, supernatural, and violent, the posters powerful, vibrant, humorous, and frightening. Especially of interest are the local takes on Nigerian and Ghanaian films, which are sometimes interpreted up to six different versions of one film." Book of the day. (Vintage Voodo)
Book of the Day Posted Jul 31, 2026

Book of the Day: Low Fi Cats by Mark Steinmetz

From the publisher: "Mark Steinmetz’s first book of cat photographs, Ancient Tigers of My Neighborhood, was published by Nazraeli Press in a small edition some fifteen years ago. That title was selected by Robert Adams as a 'Best Book of 2010' at the Kassel Photobook Festival in Germany. Steinmetz again chose cats as the subject for his aptly-named Cats One Picture Book years later. Now, on the occasion of the artist’s solo exhibition at Photo Gallery International, Tokyo in Spring 2026, we are pleased to announce the publication of Low Fi Cats. This selection of 17 cat photographs in Steinmetz’s neighborhood in Athens, Georgia includes best hits as well as previously unpublished work, all made with Steinmetz’s trademark humor and grace." Book of the day. (Nazraeli Press, 2026)
Book of the Day Posted Jul 29, 2026

Book of the Day: "In the Mood?"

From the publisher: "From flirtation and foreplay to all-out kink, In the Mood? offers a menu of over 100 erotic movie recommendations. Warm up with scenes of charged banter and prolonged eye contact, and let the heat build from there with voyeuristic French cinema and sadomasochistic thrills between Chinese courtesans. Whether you’re turned on by starched habits or gimp masks, sweaty sex or vampires, this book has an idea for anyone who’s ever posed the time-honored come-on: 'Want to watch a movie?'" Book of the day. (A24, 2026)
Book of the Day Posted Jul 25, 2026

Book of the Day: The Complete Tadanori Yokoo

The Complete Tadanori Yokoo collects a vast array of the brilliant (now in his nineties) Japanese graphic designer, painter, and printmaker. Exacting psychedelia in a lovely slipcased edition. Book of the day! (Kokushokankokai, 2025)
Book of the Day Posted Jul 24, 2026

Book of the Day: Lauren Halsey

From the publisher: "Lauren Halsey documents Halsey's debut exhibition with the gallery and features texts by Elleza Kelley and Lynell George, with a photo essay by Steven Traylor. Designed by 12:01—Office of Hassan Rahim, NY Softcover, 488 pages, English, 2025." From us at Arcana: An essential overview of the artist's varied and vibrant practice! (David Kordansky Gallery)
Events Posted Jul 23, 2026

AVE PILDAS BOOK SIGNING THIS SATURDAY, JULY 25TH 2026, FROM 4 UNTIL 6PM

Please join us at Arcana this Saturday, July 25th, from 4 until 6 PM for a signing with photographer Ave Pildas celebrating his new book. From the publisher: "Africatown offers an intimate and joyful portrait of one of Los Angeles’ most culturally rich weekly gatherings: the Sunday African Marketplace in Leimert Park. Built on friendship, trust, and community exchange, the project captures the people, stories, and spirit that make this space a living celebration of life. What began as a chance visit after a jazz benefit concert in the area quickly grew into a two-year journey of connection. Drawn by the radiant energy of the market, where vendors share traditional clothing art, food, and music from across the African diaspora, Ave became a familiar presence. Over time, he was affectionately nicknamed the 'picture man.'" (Pildas Green Foundation, 2026). Can't make it? Purchase a copy from us for shipping or pick-up here!
Book of the Day Posted Jul 22, 2026

Book of the Day: Marcel Duchamp

From the publisher: "A lavishly illustrated survey of the artist whose radical vision reshaped art—and the role of the artist—forever Marcel Duchamp, more than any other modern artist, challenged and transformed the very definition of art. Published to accompany the first North American retrospective of his work in over fifty years, this volume is beautifully illustrated with nearly one thousand images. Among the more than three hundred works featured—including paintings, sculptures, readymades, films, works on paper, and photographs—are icons such as Nude Descending a Staircase (No. 2) (1912), the painting that established his reputation as an iconoclast; the scandalous Fountain (1917), a mass-produced urinal turned on its back and signed with the pseudonym “R. Mutt”; L.H.O.O.Q. (1919), his irreverent revision of a reproduction of the Mona Lisa; and Box in a Valise (1935–41), the re-creation of his own most important works in miniature. This deeply researched book spans Duchamp’s life and work, which evolved against the back-drop of the technological revolutions, world wars, and cultural upheaval of the twentieth century. Marcel Duchamp offers a new generation the opportunity to experience the breadth of the work that upended the most dearly held traditions of Western culture." Book of the day. (Philadelphia Museum of Art, MoMA)
Book of the Day Posted Jul 18, 2026

Book of the Day: Undesigning the Bath

From the publisher: "Blunk Books has reissued Undesigning the Bath, in collaboration with the original author, Leonard Koren. In the quarter century since its publication, and long since out of print, Undesigning the Bath has accrued a devoted following amongst designers and artists. The book presented a novel idea, coming from an artist and designer: that design is, in some fundamental ways, antithetical to the essential bathing experience. It was the culmination of a many-decade interest of Koren’s, who created bath-related events, unusual bathing environments, and paper works about bathing, including the avant-garde WET: The Magazine of Gourmet Bathing, from 1976–81. Designed by Leonard Koren and reissued by Blunk Books." 

Book of the Day Posted Jul 16, 2026

Shirt of the Day: Ottessa Moshfegh's "Unlikable Female Character"

Friend of Arcana and celebrated writer Ottessa Moshfegh, after the umpteenth misguided review referring to her "unlikable female characters," went ahead and made a shirt that is both a celebration and a middle-finger. And she used a sorority t-shirt template because of course there is such a thing. We have limited amounts in-store and at this link now!
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