Book of the Day Posted Dec 08, 2019

Whitney's Holiday Gift Picks!

Francois Halard: A Visual Diary. "Francois Halard's unique photographic sensibility--old-world elegant and bohemian, accessible and personal--is unmistakable. Each image is imbued with the intimate knowledge of design history, each story a lesson in a master's point of view. This book is a continuation of his last volume of gorgeous photography of grand interiors, artists' studios, and architectural pilgrimage sites. Each story's subject matter is not just a personal passion of the photographer, but also an indispensable chapter in design history: Philip Johnson and Charles James's de Menil House, Giorgio Morandi's studio, Rick Owens's radical Paris apartment, Eileen Gray's recently restored modernist home on the French coast, Dries Van Noten's verdant garden and home, the home and studio of Louise Bourgeois in New York, and many more. Like his first book, Francois Halard: A Photographic Life will be a coveted, indispensable must-have visual resource for all lovers of interiors, glamour, and style." Published by Rizzoli.$ 95.00

 

 

Nazraeli Cold Press 100% Spanish Arbequina Olive Oil - Ed Templeton Edition. "Estate grown, organic, and bottled on Nazraeli's hillside farm in Paso Robles, California, 'Maya’s Arbequina' is an early harvest, Spanish variety olive oil. It is relatively mild, with hints of freshly-cut grass. Its clean and mild flavor make it the perfect olive oil for everyday use." 375ml $25.00

 

 

Bibliostyle: How We Live at Home With Books. "A visual delight and an inspiration for every bibliophile with a growing home library, this dream-and-drool design book features some of the most jaw-dropping book collections of homeowners around the world. Interior designer Nina Freudenberger, New Yorker writer Sadie Stein, and Architectural Digest photographer Shade Degges give readers a peek at the private libraries and bookshelves of passionate readers all over the world, including Larry McMurtry, Silvia Whitman of Shakespeare and Co., Gay and Nan Talese, and Emma Straub. Throughout, gorgeous photographs of rooms with rare collections, floor-to-ceiling shelves, and stacks upon stacks of books inspire readers to live better with their own collections." Published by Clarkson Potter. $ 35.00

 

Steve McCurry: Animals. "In Animals, we discover a different side to the famed photographer who skillfully explores animals’ complex relationship with humans and the environment. Tenderness abounds, particularly in scenes of unkempt street dogs sleeping contentedly next to a human. But there’s also a kind of essential solitude, with animals belonging to no one and simply wandering through life with only their survival instincts to guide them. We witness camels caught in the crossfire during the first Gulf War; a shepherd from Northern Pakistan tenderly feeding his goats; Beverly Hills designer dogs; race horses on a Hong Kong rooftop; elephants in Thailand, and more images selected by McCurry from his vast archives. Through McCurry’s lens, we discover an appreciation for each creature’s beauty and silent dignity. This kaleidoscopic collection is at once a beautiful travelogue and a touching tribute to the creatures who share our planet." Published by Taschen. $ 60.00

 

Stephen Gill - The Pillar.  "A pillar knocked into the ground next to a stream in a flat, open landscape, trees and houses visible in the distance, beneath a vast sky. That is the backdrop to all of Stephen Gill´s photographs in this book. We see the same landscape in spring and summer, in autumn and winter, we see it in sunshine and rain, in snow and wind. Yet there is not the slightest monotony about these pictures, for in almost every one there is a bird, and each of these birds opens up a unique moment in time. We see something that has never happened before and will never happen again. That it takes place in the midst of a landscape characterised by repetition, in which time is cyclical, sets up a keen existential dynamic: on the one hand, everything has happened before, there’s nothing new under the sun; on the other, every moment is unique and carries the hallmark of the miracle: what happens happens only once and never again. But this wasn’t what I thought about the first time I looked at these photographs. In fact, I barely thought at all, for I was shaken, as a person so often is when confronted with an extraordinary work of art. I’d never seen birds in this way before, as if on their own terms, as independent creatures with independent lives. Ancient, forever improvising, endlessly embroiled with the forces of nature, and yet indulging too. And so infinitely alien to us."- Karl Ove Knausgård. Published by Nobody Books. $75.00

 

Prince: The Beautiful Ones. "Prince was a musical genius, one of the most beloved, accomplished, and acclaimed musicians of our time. He was a startlingly original visionary with an imagination deep enough to whip up whole worlds, from the sexy, gritty funk paradise of “Uptown” to the mythical landscape of Purple Rain to the psychedelia of “Paisley Park.” But his most ambitious creative act was turning Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minnesota, into Prince, one of the greatest pop stars of any era. The Beautiful Ones is the story of how Prince became Prince—a first-person account of a kid absorbing the world around him and then creating a persona, an artistic vision, and a life, before the hits and fame that would come to define him. The book is told in four parts. The first is the memoir Prince was writing before his tragic death, pages that bring us into his childhood world through his own lyrical prose. The second part takes us through Prince’s early years as a musician, before his first album was released, via an evocative scrapbook of writing and photos. The third section shows us Prince’s evolution through candid images that go up to the cusp of his greatest achievement, which we see in the book’s fourth section: his original handwritten treatment for Purple Rain—the final stage in Prince’s self-creation, where he retells the autobiography of the first three parts as a heroic journey. The book is framed by editor Dan Piepenbring’s riveting and moving introduction about his profound collaboration with Prince in his final months—a time when Prince was thinking deeply about how to reveal more of himself and his ideas to the world, while retaining the mystery and mystique he’d so carefully cultivated—and annotations that provide context to the book’s images. This work is not just a tribute to an icon, but an original and energizing literary work in its own right, full of Prince’s ideas and vision, his voice and image—his undying gift to the world." Published by Spiegel & Grau. $ 30.00

 

 

 

Encyclopedia Of Flowers 4 - Makoto Azuma & Shunsuke Shiinoki. ""The fourth book featuring works by master Japanese flower artist and botanical sculptor Makoto Azuma, this edition adds five new series to the ones established in previous editions: Earth, Horizon, Ambiguity, Torus, and Matrix. Filled with Shunsuke Shiinoki’s breathtaking photographs of flowers and botanical displays, the book celebrates nature’s diversity and beauty, as well as the poignant, temporal notion of a plant in bloom. It gives an overview of Azuma’s numerous experiments in presentation and new compositions, with hopes that flowers might be seen as a kind of prayer that goes beyond national and religious boundaries, transcending sex, race, and ethnicity." Published by Seigensha. $ 52.00

 

Issues: A History of Photography in Fashion Magazines. "A showcase of ground-breaking photography of fashion magazines over the last century. Acclaimed photography critic Vince Aletti has selected 100 significant magazine issues from his expansive personal archive, revealing images by photographers rarely seen outside their original context. With his characteristic élan and featuring stunning images, Aletti has created a fresh, idiosyncratic, and previously unexplored angle on the history of photography. Issues, a luxury, oversized object, richly illustrated with brilliant reproductions, and enclosed in an elegant archival-style magazine-file box, is an essential addition to every book collection on photography, fashion, and graphic design. It's the first survey to explore the history of photography through the lens of fashion magazines, spanning the years 1925 to 2018. Magazines featured include American, British, and French Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W, Details, Purple Fashion, The Face, Dutch, and many more." Published by Phaidon. $ 95.00

 

Book of the Day Posted Dec 08, 2019

Book of the Day > French New Wave: A Revolution In Design

Book of the Day > French New Wave: A Revolution In Design. Published by Reel Art Press. “The French New Wave is one of the most important movements in the history of film. Its fresh energy and vision changed the cinematic landscape and it has had a seminal impact on pop culture. The poster artists tasked with selling these Nouvelle Vague films to the masses were at the forefront of a revolution in art, graphic design and photography. This volume is a visual celebration of their explosive and groundbreaking poster art. Featuring posters from several countries, the diverse imagery for films like Breathless, Fahrenheit 451 and Le Mepris is accompanied by biographies on over 100 artists, photographers and designers – the first time many of those responsible for promoting and portraying this movement have been properly recognized.”

Events Posted Dec 07, 2019

Book Signing with Todd Hido for "House Hunting (Remastered)" from Nazraeli Press Saturday, December 7th From 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Arcana!

PLEASE JOIN US SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7th, 4:00 - 6:00 PM FOR A BOOK SIGNING TODD HIDO | HOUSE HUNTING
 
"Todd Hido’s large color photographs of suburbia are lonely, forlorn, mysterious… and strangely comforting. Hido photographs the interior rooms of repossessed tract homes, and the outsides of similar houses at night whose habitation is suggested by the glow of a television set or unseen overhead bulb. Seldom does the similar evoke such melancholy. Yet rather than passing judgment on his anonymous subjects, Hido manages to turn the banal into something beautiful, imbuing his prints of interiors with soft pastels, and allowing the exteriors to glow in the cool evening air."

We are thrilled to invite you to celebrate master publisher Nazraeli Press' remastered edition of Todd Hido’s iconic and highly sought-after first monograph, House Hunting. To celebrate the upcoming twentieth anniversary of this important book – certainly one of the most influential and oft-cited photography monographs of our time – Nazraeli has collaborated closely with the artist to achieve a new impression of the highest possible fidelity. Printed on heavy weight matte art paper, using cutting-edge technologies in both the pre-press and production phases, this new edition stays true to the original design and format while delivering even more accurate color rendition and nuances in tone and saturation. It will be a welcome addition to collections lacking access to the very scarce original printings; and to those fortunate enough to own a copy of the original edition, it further illuminates the images themselves that first catapulted the artist and his first monograph to fame.

If you cannot attend but wish to purchase a signed copy of House Huntingor some of Mr. Hido's other earlier and rarer titlesplease place your order here, or call us at 310-458-1499. 
Book of the Day Posted Dec 06, 2019

Book of the Day > Todd Hido: House Hunting

Book of the day & book signing tomorrow (Saturday! 4-6) – PLEASE JOIN US > Todd Hido: House Hunting. Published by Nazraeli Press. “’Todd Hido’s large color photographs of suburbia are lonely, forlorn, mysterious… and strangely comforting. Hido photographs the interior rooms of repossessed tract homes, and the outsides of similar houses at night whose habitation is suggested by the glow of a television set or unseen overhead bulb. Seldom does the similar evoke such melancholy. Yet rather than passing judgment on his anonymous subjects, Hido manages to turn the banal into something beautiful, imbuing his prints of interiors with soft pastels, and allowing the exteriors to glow in the cool evening air.’ — From Nazraeli’s description of the first printing of House Hunting, announced in 2000. We are excited to announce a newly remastered edition of Todd Hido’s iconic and highly sought-after first monograph, House Hunting. To celebrate the upcoming 20th anniversary of this important book – certainly one of the most influential and oft-cited photography monographs of our time – Nazraeli has collaborated closely with the artist to achieve a new impression of the highest possible fidelity. Printed on heavy weight matte art paper, using cutting-edge technologies in both the pre-press and production phases, this new edition of House Hunting stays true to the original design and format while delivering even more accurate color rendition and nuances in tone and saturation. It will be a welcome addition to collections lacking access to the very scarce original printings; and to those fortunate enough to own a copy of the original edition, it further illuminates the images themselves that first catapulted the artist and his first monograph to fame. Todd Hido’s photographs have been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, and most recently at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Le Locle, Switzerland. Other major institutions that have exhibited Hido’s work include the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.; Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; Miami Art Museum, Florida; Netherland Architecture Institute, Rotterdam; Palazzo Ducale, Genova, Italy; Samsung Museum of Modern Art in Korea; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. His work was recently on view in the 49th edition of Les Recontres d’Arles, France. Work by Hido is held in public and private collections including the Guggenheim Museum, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Smithsonian; and Fotomuseum Winterthur.”
Book of the Day Posted Dec 05, 2019

Book of the Day > New York Club Kids

Book of the Day > New York Club Kids. Published by Damiani. "New York: Club Kids is a high-impact visual diary of New York City in the 1990s, seen through the eyes of Walt Cassidy, known as Waltpaper, a central figure within the Club Kids. The Club Kids—named thus by New York Magazine in 1988—were an artistic, fashion-conscious youth movement that crossed over into the public consciousness through appearances on daytime talk shows, magazine editorials, fashion campaigns and music videos, planting the seeds for popular cultural trends such as reality television, self-branding, “influencers” and the gender revolution. Known for their outrageous looks, legendary parties and sometimes illicit antics, the Club Kids were the embodiment of Generation X and would prove to be the last definitive subculture group of the analog world. The ’90s have come to be known as the last discernible and cohesive decade, cherished by those who experienced it and romanticized by those who missed it. The first comprehensive visual document of ’90s nightlife and street culture, New York: Club Kids grants special access to an underground world, providing exclusive insight into the lifestyle of this celebrated and notorious clique. Featuring rare and previously unseen photographs along with magazine editorials and ephemera, the book culls from the personal archives of various photographers and artists—some celebrated, and many others whose recognition is long overdue."
Book of the Day Posted Dec 04, 2019

Book of the day > Do You Compute? Selling Tech from the Atomic Age to the Y2K Bug, 1950-1999

Book of the day > Do You Compute? Selling Tech from the Atomic Age to the Y2K Bug, 1950-1999 by Ryan Mungia & Steven Heller. Edited by Ryan Mungia & J.C. Gabel , Designed by Ryan Mungia, Cover design by John Zabawa. Published by Hat & Beard Press with Boyo Press. “Before Alexa and the iPhone, there was the large and unwieldy mainframe computer. In the postwar 1950s, computers were mostly used for aerospace and accounting purposes. To the public at large, they were on a rung that existed somewhere between engineering and science fiction. Magazine ads and marketing brochures were designed to create a fantasy surrounding these machines for prospective clients: Higher profit margins! Creativity unleashed! Total automation! With the invention of the microchip in the 1970s came the PC and video games, which shifted the target of computer advertising from corporations to the individual. By the end of the millennium, the notion of selling tech burst wide open to include robots, cell phones, blogs, online dating services, and much, much more. Do You Compute? is a broad survey featuring the very best of computer advertising in the 20th century. From the Atomic Age to the Y2K bug, this volume presents a connoisseur’s selection of graphic gems culled from museums, university archives, and private collections to illustrate the evolution of the computer from its early days as a hulking piece of machinery to its current state as a handheld device. Accompanied by two essays—one by cultural anthropologist Ryan Mungia and the other by graphic design historian Steven Heller—and including five different decade-long timelines that highlight some of the most influential moments in computer history, this fun yet meaningful volume is a unique look at the computer and how it has shaped our world.
Save the date for LA Book Launch at Arcana: 2/15/2020!
Book of the Day Posted Dec 03, 2019

Book of the Day > Ben Hassett: Color

Book of the Day > Ben Hassett: Color. Published by Damiani. "Printed with ultraviolet ink in a hand-numbered, slipcased edition of 1,000 copies, Color is the first monograph by British photographer Ben Hassett. In keeping with his acute sense of the powerful language of color photography, Hassett invites us into his world of photographic experimentation to experience the possibilities of this chromatic medium. Color draws together Hassett’s iconic fashion and beauty images, studio still lifes, abstract in-camera works and landscape photographs to present his unique lexicon of color photography. Putting aside the conventions of chronological and project-by-project sequencing, the book instead pursues a dynamic reading that surveys the past ten years of Hassett’s standing as an influential image-maker. Color is designed by veteran art and creative director Fabien Baron (known for his innovative art direction of Harper's Bazaar, Interview and Madonna’s infamous 1992 book Sex) and includes an essay about Ben Hassett’s photographic approach and effect by renowned curator and writer Charlotte Cotton."
 
Events Posted Dec 03, 2019

Book Signing 12/15/19 > Mission San Miguel Arcangel

PLEASE JOIN US SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14th FROM 4:00 - 6:00 PM

FOR A BOOK SIGNING WITH PHOTOGRAPHER MELBA LEVICK + AUTHOR RUBEN G. MENDOZA

MISSION SAN MIGUEL ARCÁNGEL

PUBLISHED BY NAZRAELI PRESS

 

"Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded on July 25, 1797 in what is now California’s Central Coast. The site was chosen in part because of the large number of Salinan Indians that inhabited the area, whom the Spanish priests wanted to evangelize. Unlike most of the other missions in California, Mission San Miguel's appearance is much the same as it was when founded. The inside has never been repainted; the pictures and the colors decorating the six-food thick adobe walls are the originals that were created and painted by Indian artisans under the direction of Esteban Munras of Catalonia, Spain. The physical beauty of the structures and gardens is unparalleled, but among California’s twenty-one Spanish missions, San Miguel is in many ways considered to be the “poor stepson” of the chain, and has until now been lacking a dedicated book. As it is only a short distance from Nazraeli Press’ editorial office and olive farm, we are therefore especially pleased to announce this book, dedicated to the history and present state of Mission San Miguel. With over fifty photographic books to her credit, Melba Levick is well known for her work as an architectural and travel photographer. Her photographs have been published and exhibited across North America and Europe for over thirty years, ranging in subject matter from California ranches and Spanish-style homes, to Antonio Gaudi in Barcelona, Mexican gardens, and the colors of India. Ruben G. Mendoza is an archaeologist, author, photographer, and founding faculty member of California State University, Monterey Bay."

If you cannot attend but wish to purchase a signed copy of Mission San Miguel Arcángel, please place your order here or call us at 310-458-1499.

 
Book of the Day Posted Dec 01, 2019

Book of the Day > Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains

Book of the Day > Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains. Published by Tra Publishing. “Why do bad guys live in good houses? From Atlantis in The Spy Who Loved Me to Nathan Bateman's ultra-modern abode in Ex Machina, big-screen villains often live in architectural splendor. From a design standpoint, the villain’s lair, as popularized in many of our favorite movies, is a stunning, sophisticated, envy-inducing expression of the warped drives and desires of its occupant. Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains, celebrates and considers several iconic villains’ lairs from recent film history. From futuristic fantasies to deathtrap-laden hives, from dwellings in space to those under the sea, pop culture and architecture join forces in these outlandish, primarily modern homes and in Lair, which features buildings from fifteen films.”

Book of the Day Posted Nov 30, 2019

Book of the Day > Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design 1924-Today

Book of the Day > Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design 1924-Today. Published by Vitra Design Museum. "One of the most influential art movements of the 20th century, surrealism expanded our artistic and quotidian reality by drawing upon myths, dreams and the subconscious as sources of artistic inspiration. The movement began in literature and art, but by the 1930s it was beginning to have an impact on design—an influence that continues to this day. The fascination was often mutual: surrealism opened design up to the realm of dreams, and design could introduce surrealism to the wider world. “I try to create fantastic things, magical things, things like in a dream,” Salvador Dalí said of his work. “The world needs more fantasy.” Designers in fashion, furniture design, advertising, theater, film and architecture took up the call. Objects of Desire: Surrealism and Design is the first book to document this fascinating conversation. The publication includes numerous essays and a comprehensive selection of images which trace the reciprocal exchanges between surrealism and design by juxtaposing exemplary artworks and design objects. Among the artists and designers featured in this volume are Gae Aulenti, Louise Bourgeois, Umberto and Fernando Campana, Achille Castiglioni, Giorgio de Chirico, Le Corbusier, Salvador Dalí, Marcel Duchamp, Frederick Kiesler, René Magritte, Carlo Mollino, Meret Oppenheim, Jerszy Seymour, and many others. Historical texts and short commentaries by contemporary designers round out the publication, putting the extravagant objects in context. In-depth yet appropriately fantastical, Objects of Desire makes one thing abundantly clear: form does not always follow function in design—it can also follow our obsessions, fantasies and hidden desires."
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