Book of the Day Posted May 04, 2020

Book of the Day > Cecil Beaton’s Bright Young Things

● Purchase ● The stylish and extravagant world of the “Bright Young Things” of 1920s and ’30s London, seen through the eye of renowned British photographer Cecil Beaton

In 1920s and ‘30s Britain, Cecil Beaton used his camera and his larger-than-life personality to mingle with that flamboyant and rebellious group of artists, writers, socialites and partygoers who became known as the “Bright Young Things.” Famously fictionalized by the likes of Evelyn Waugh (in Vile Bodies), Anthony Powell and Henry Green, these men and women cut a dramatic swathe through the epoch and embodied its roaring spirit.

In a series of themed chapters, covering Beaton’s first self-portraits and earliest sitters to his time at Cambridge and as principle society photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair, over 50 leading figures who sat for Beaton are profiled and the dazzling parties, pageants and balls of the period are brought to life. Among this glittering cast are Beaton’s socialite sisters Baba and Nancy Beaton, Stephen Tennant, Siegfried Sassoon, Evelyn Waugh and Daphne du Maurier. Beaton’s photographs are complemented by a wide range of letters, drawings, book jackets and ephemera, and contextualised by artworks created by those in his circle, including Christopher Wood, Rex Whistler and Henry Lamb.

Book of the Day Posted May 01, 2020

Book of the Day > Tauba Auerbach: S v Z

● Purchase ● Part artist's book, part exhibition catalog, this book chronicles Tauba Auerbach’s multimedia syntheses of abstraction, science, graphic design and typography

Tauba Auerbach studies the boundaries of perception through an art and design practice grounded in math, science and craft. Published in conjunction with the first major survey of the artist’s work, this volume, designed by Auerbach in collaboration with David Reinfurt, spans 16 years of her career, highlighting her interest in concepts such as duality and its alternatives, interconnectedness, rhythm and four-dimensional geometry.

Encapsulating Auerbach’s longstanding consideration of symmetry, texture and logic, the title S v Z offers a framework for this volume’s typeface, design and structure. Images of more than 130 paintings, drawings, sculptures and artist’s books created between 2004 and 2020 are mirrored by a comprehensive selection of related reference images, illuminating her multifaceted practice as never before. Essays by Joseph Becker, Jenny Gheith and Linda Dalrymple Henderson provide further context for the work.

The book contains original marble patterns created specially for the book by the artist on both the endpapers and the edges of the book block. The cover is lettered in Auerbach’s calligraphy, applied in black foil on a silver paper. The typeface was designed by David Reinfurt with Auerbach expressly for this publication, and is based on her handwriting.

Book of the Day Posted Apr 30, 2020

Book of the Day > Maude Arsenault: Entangled

● Purchase ● Maude Arsenault’s Entangled encapsulates a pivotal moment for her work, representing a shift in perspective and personal responsibility. “After years dedicated to creating glorified images of women,” she says of her success in fashion photography, “I came to question my role and influence in the transmission of models of femininity.” Albeit informed by a progressive, non-binary upbringing, this introspection is ultimately necessary now – in the context of motherhood as she raises three children including a young woman.

When speaking about Entangled, Arsenault invokes the French word carcan – meaning “ploy,” or “ambush,” or “ideological trap” – to explain the underlying motivation for making the spare and evocative pictures in this debut monograph. By which she means that becoming an adult and a parent have given her distance and perspective on the cultural demands made on the bodies and societal roles of young women, and particularly on life choices which have been constricted or even foreordained. Arsenault calls the work “a poem, an ode, a shout out,” and one senses that the quiet power of the book lies in contradictions still unresolved even as the author gains in experience and independence. “I feel often trapped in the person I have been trying to be my entire life,” she says in a touching and revealing statement, one that perfectly echoes the finely calibrated tensions and the tentative triumphs evoked in these pages. “Now I stand, shaky but alive, looking away at my world as a female with the best possible hope.”

Book of the Day Posted Apr 30, 2020

Book of the Day > Cheryl Dunn: Let Them Eat Cake

● Purchase ● Cheryl Dunn’s Let Them Eat Cake has been made in conjunction with Subliminal Projects for the exhibit “Let Them Eat Cake” (postponed because Corona) — As we face the 2020 election year, Let Them Eat Cake, provides an arching photo survey of the current American political climate and the Americana landscape as it withstands the story of a divided country, not from the perspective of politicians and their agenda, but from the people in the streets.

Book of the Day Posted Apr 29, 2020

Book of the Day > 13th Floor Elevators: A Visual History

● Purchase ● Born out of a union of club bands on the burgeoning Austin bohemian scene and a pronounced taste for hallucinogens, the 13th Floor Elevators were formed in late 1965 when lyricist Tommy Hall asked a local singer named Roky Erickson to join up with his new rock outfit. Four years, three official albums, and countless acid trips later, it was over: the Elevators’ pioneering first run ended in a dizzying jumble of professional mismanagement, internal arguments, drug busts, and forced psychiatric imprisonments. In their short existence, however, the group succeeded in blowing the lid off the budding musical underground, logging early salvos in the countercultural struggle against state authorities, and turning their deeply hallucinatory take on jug-band garage rock into a new American institution called psychedelic music. Writer Paul Drummond has gathered an unprecedented catalog of primary materials—including scores of previously-unseen band photographs, rare and iconic artwork of the era, items from family scrapbooks and personal diaries, new and archival interviews, dozens of contemporaneous press accounts, and no shortage of Austin Police Department records—to tell the complete and unvarnished story of a band which, until now, has been tragically underdocumented. Before the hippies, before the punks, there were the 13th Floor Elevators: an unlikely crew of outcast weirdo geniuses who changed culture.

Miscellany Posted Apr 27, 2020

Salaams and Farewell to Peter Beard

Twenty-six years ago we were fortunate enough to be approached by our friend and colleague David Fahey to see if we would have an interest in having a book signing with one of his photographers while they were in Los Angeles. David's estimable gallery, F ahey-Klein, represented Peter Beard, and had assisted in organizing an ambitious installation and sale of his work in a vacant storefront in the rather incongruous locale of Two Rodeo Drive to benefit an African wildlife preservation fund. Having been a fan since the moment I first laid eyes on a copy of "The End of the Game: The Last Word From Paradise", there was nothing to say on our part but "yes, please!" And so the adventure began.

Peter's reputation as both an endlessly inventive artist and a ladies' man preceded him. The initial plan was to have an Arcana table in the space during the gala opening evening selling books and facilitating their signing, for which a portion of the proceeds would go to the charity. I came to learn as the date approached that this would not simply be the photographer taking a pen and placing a signature on the title page. Instead Peter "signing" entailed an elaborate ritual of adornment usually combining a finger, hand, or footprint with watercolor washes, perhaps a small drawing or two, and concluding with a charming personalized greeting or "Salaams" accompanied by the number of his P.O. Box in either Montauk or Nairobi. Rather than taking the typical one minute-or-less per encounter, it became clear that each book receiving the artist's unique ink and watercolor-laden treatment could take ten to fifteen minutes to inscribe, and that much time again to dry properly before they could be safely closed! As the opening only lasted a few hours, the organizers justifiably realized that selling the prints on the walls to support the cause that was so central to Mr. Beard required his attention in charming potential benefactors throughout the evening, and that would be entirely derailed if he gave all his time and energy to personalizing books with his hands covered in ink. So, after we had ordered and pre-sold scores of "The End of the Game", "Eyelids of Morning", "Longing for Darkness", and the exquisite "Diary: Pictures From a Dead Man's Wallet" from Japan, there was suddenly no book signing. On top of this, as soon Peter hit town, the exhibition became more and more elaborate in scope, and the time allotted for his installation supervision became focused on how shall I say, renewing old, and making new acquaintances.

In an attempt to salvage our reputation and finances, David and Peter came to the rescue by prevailing upon the organizers to allow us to make sales at the event, which would be signed by Mr. Beard after the fact over the next week when he set up shop to embellish dozens of prints waiting for him in the back room at the gallery on La Brea. This was the best possible solution under the circumstances, and as I hazily recall the exhibition was ultimately installed by the time the doors opened, packed wall-to-wall with beautiful people, and financially successful.

And for the next several days I was the grateful recipient of the unforgettable experience of hanging out with and assisting the tireless Mr. Beard. Peter was well educated, well read, opinionated, funny, and thoughtful. He told me with a smile that he would have been far happier just personalizing books instead of having to schmooze at the opening, and we had many lively discussions as he alternated between finishing up the stacks of photographs strewn wherever there was a flat surface, and the contents of the many boxes we had brought along. Whether it was a photograph or book, each and every inscription was given his lengthy and undivided attention. On the first day of my apprenticeship, which consisted mostly of opening a book up to the proper page and then getting out of the way until it was time to take it away to let it dry for at least a half-hour, I made the mistake of trying to dress to impress. I wore my most expensive pair of pants - brand new light grey wool crepe Armani trousers - which promptly received a spatter of indelible cobalt blue watercolor all the way up the left leg from fifteen feet across the room as the collateral damage from one of Peter's enthusiastic flourishes on one of the really large photographs. While both my pants and shirt along with the gallery carpet were doomed, it was well worth it for the story all these years later.

Over the next several days, his schedule for showing up at the gallery became more and more diffuse as the late nights impacted the mornings, and more and more lady-friends seemed to require more of his "attention" during the afternoons. On his last day in town, after having finally graciously - and beautifully - personalized what must have been a hundred books for us, I brought out the box of my own copies of first editions of everything he had published and asked sheepishly if he wouldn't mind signing those as well. He apologized saying he was late for a date, and since he wanted to "take his time" with them, if I wouldn't mind dropping them off with the concierge at the Chateau Marmont, he would take care of it later that evening and leave the box at the desk when he checked out the next morning. When I returned to the Chateau several days later, I was touched to see Peter had not only kept his word, but had gone to great lengths to personalize each and every copy differently with collaged photographs of his fabled Rhinoceros goring, snake skin appliques, elaborate drawings and inscriptions, etc. He was an artist, a gentleman, and a man of honor.

Two years after that Peter had his infamous run-in with an elephant that nearly cost him his life. Again. And in 2006, Taschen released their spectacular magnum opus on his work - edited by David Fahey - which magnificently put in perspective the true breadth, artistry, and humanity of his career. While we only had sporadic contact in the intervening years, being the character that he was, one couldn't help reading or hearing about his rakish exploits, even into his old age. The uncertainty of the events of Peter's passing were certainly sad, and he leaves behind a grieving family, studio, and so many friends. But he also has left a legacy of remarkable work, and a commitment to the preservation of the East African land and wildlife that he felt so privileged to discover and tirelessly advocate for.

We don't usually try to feature things for sale in the wake of an artist or photographer's passing but there has been such a demonstrable outpouring of interest in Peter Beard's life and work in the past week, we felt we would take this moment to catalogue all of our remaining titles and make them available on our website. If you are so inclined, these include a number of beautiful hand-inscribed and decorated items - some that we squirreled away in 1994, others we've bought back since then, and even a couple of my own copies that I've decided to part with for the greater good. There is even an amazing one-of-a-kind framed 1977 "The End of The Game" poster inscribed by Peter to his pal Elaine Kaufman that hung on the walls of "Elaine's" in Manhattan for decades until its closing!

And please continue to enjoy our featured Book of the Day and let us know what you are looking for, as our website represents a tiny fraction of our inventory. New releases are arriving daily and we can get them in your hands via shipping, delivery, or no-contact pick-up. Gift certificates and perennially practical zippered tote bags are also available on the site, by email, and by phone.

Wishing you all safety, sanity, wellness and future adventure.

With Immense Gratitude,
Lee (+ Whitney)

Book of the Day Posted Apr 24, 2020

Book of the Day > Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation

● Purchase ● How hip-hop culture and graffiti electrified the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat and his contemporaries in 1980s New York.

In the early 1980s, art and writing labeled as graffiti began to transition from New York City walls and subway trains onto canvas and into art galleries. Young artists who freely sampled from their urban experiences and their largely Black, Latinx and immigrant histories infused the downtown art scene with expressionist, pop and graffiti-inspired compositions.

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–88) became the galvanizing, iconic frontrunner of this transformational and insurgent movement in contemporary American art, which resulted in an unprecedented fusion of creative energies that defied longstanding racial divisions. Writing the Future features Basquiat’s works in painting, sculpture, drawing, video, music and fashion, alongside works by his contemporaries—and sometimes collaborators—A-One, ERO, Fab 5 Freddy, Futura, Keith Haring, Kool Koor, LA2, Lady Pink, Lee Quiñones, Rammellzee and Toxic. Throughout the 1980s, these artists fueled new directions in fine art, design and music, reshaping the predominantly white art world and driving the now-global popularity of hip-hop culture.

Writing the Future, published to accompany a major exhibition, contextualizes Basquiat’s work in relation to his peers associated with hip-hop culture. It also marks the first time Basquiat’s extensive, robust and reflective portraiture of his Black and Latinx friends and fellow artists has been given prominence in scholarship on his oeuvre. With contributions from Carlo McCormick, Liz Munsell, Hua Hsu, J. Faith Almiron and Greg Tate, Writing the Future captures the energy, inventiveness and resistance unleashed when hip-hop hit the city.

Book of the Day Posted Apr 23, 2020

Book of the Day > Anywhere, California

● Purchase ● Anywhere, California is another close look by Rudy VanderLans into the cultural landscape of his favorite subject, the Golden State. Whether it’s the garage where Apple started in Los Altos, or the former location where the Manson Family lived in Chatsworth, or an anonymous abandoned storefront in Calexico, VanderLans finds beauty in the unlikeliest of locations. Yet he rarely divulges the why or what of his photographs. Instead he stresses that things aren’t always what they appear to be, leaving much to the imagination of the reader.

Stylistically diverse, and meticulously composed, his pictures are as sundry in nature as California itself. Presented in unencumbered page layouts, with well-considered sequencing, this publication is another testament to VanderLans’ dual mastery of design and photography. It continues his preference for the book format as his primary vehicle to show his photography, making this limited first edition another instant collectible.

Book of the Day Posted Apr 22, 2020

Book of the Day > The Human Planet: Earth At The Dawn Of The Anthropocene

● Purchase ● A dynamic aerial exploration of our changing planet, published on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day

The Human Planet is a sweeping visual chronicle of the Earth today from a photographer who has circled the globe to report on such urgent issues as climate change, sustainable agriculture, and the ever-expanding human footprint. George Steinmetz is at home on every continent, documenting both untrammeled nature and the human project that relentlessly redesigns the planet in its quest to build shelter, grow food, generate energy, and create beauty through art and architecture. In his images, accompanied by authoritative text by renowned science writer Andrew Revkin, we are encountering the dramatic and perplexing new face of our ancient home.

Book of the Day Posted Apr 21, 2020

Book of the Day > Eva Hesse and Hannah Wilke: Erotic Abstraction

● PURCHASE ● This exhibition and accompanying book offers the first opportunity to appreciate the resonances between the studio practices of Eva Hesse and Hannah Wilke. Both artists found themselves drawn to unconventional materials, such as latex, plastics, erasers, and laundry lint, which they used to make work that was viscerally related to the body. They shared an interest in repetition to amplify the absurdity of their work. These repeated forms--whether Hesse's spiraling breast or Wilke's labial fold--sought to confront the phallo-centricism of twentieth-century sculpture with a texture that might capture a more intimate, psychologically charged experience. Eleanor Nairne, the curator of the exhibition, writes the lead essay, followed by texts by Jo Applin and Anne Wagner. An extensive chronology by Amy Tobin includes primary-source materials, which bring a new history of how both artists' work sits in relation to the wider New York scene. Also included are excerpts of both artists' writing.