Book of the Day > Wild Beads of Africa: Old Powderglass Beads From the Collection of Billy Steinberg

"This is the first book dedicated to African powderglass beads, with over 180 photographs of gorgeous pieces from a collection assembled by songwriter Billy Steinberg (co-writer of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”). Most of the pieces showcased in this handsomely designed volume are West African beads often referred to as Bodom or Akoso, and were made by Ashanti and Ewe people in Ghana and Togo during the 19th century using finely ground glass sourced from broken bottles, windows or other beads, creating brightly colorful pieces in shiny colors with a handmade textural quality. Highly detailed photography by Fredrik Nilsen provides a comprehensive look at the collection, along with texts by scholar Jamey D. Allen about the history, classification and glassmaking technologies employed in the varieties of beads covered in the book. A glossary provided by Allen also makes this a useful reference title."

Book of the Day > Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist. Published by Phoenix Art Museum & Hirmer.

"Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist will be the first survey of this under recognized American painter in over 22 years. Her distinctive paintings could be described as metaphysical landscapes rooted in the California desert near Cathedral City. Pelton chiefly drew on her own inspirations, superstitions, and beliefs to exemplify emotional states. The publication seeks to clarify the artist’s significance and role within the cannon of American Modernism but also against the legacy of European abstraction. It contextualizes her work against her contemporaries, Marsden Hartley and Georgia O’Keeffe, and their distinct versions of American spiritual modernism. Pelton’s highly symbolic paintings were inspired by religious sources ranging from Theosophy and Agni Yoga to the spiritual teachings of Dane Rudhyar and Will Levington Comfort. Over three decades she devoted herself to painting spiritual abstractions, which conveyed her “light message to the world.” 

JOIN US SATURDAY, JUNE 15th, 4:00 to 6:00 PM WITH

SHARON JOHNSTON AND MARK LEE

TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF

EL CROQUIS 198: JOHNSTON MARKLEE 2005 2019 FOLDING TIME

Please welcome Arcana's very own architects for this special event held in the fabulous space they created for us in 2012! If you cannot attend but wish to purchase a copy of "EL CROQUIS 198: JOHNSTON MARKLEE 2005 2019" signed by Mark and Sharon, place your online order here, or call us at 310-458-1499. 

Founded by partners Sharon Johnston, F.A.I.A. and Mark Lee in 1998, Johnston Marklee is recognized for its diverse portfolio of architecture, engaging the physical and cultural circumstances of each project through a precise synthesis of structural form, materiality, and atmospheric light. The work of the firm pays tribute to a specific Southern Californian interpretation of modernism, and at the same time operates at the intersection of a global and local dialogue. 

Johnston and Lee have forged a leading role in the cultural discourse around contemporary art and architecture, eliciting design collaborations with distinguished museums, foundations, and artists around the world. Complementing this far-reaching network, the firm’s work is recognized for being deeply rooted in the history and foundations of the discipline. Their work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Art Institute of Chicago, Menil Collection, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Architecture Museum of TU Munich. Mark Lee and Sharon Johnston served as Artistic Directors for the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial. In 2018 they were named Professors in Practice at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Mark Lee was appointed Chair of the Architecture Department. They have also taught at major universities including Princeton University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the Technical University of Berlin, ETH Zurich, and have held the Cullinan Chair at Rice University and the Frank Gehry Chair at the University of Toronto.

Book of the Day > Roger Herman: Ceramics 1997-2018. Signed edition of 250. A gorgeous collection of artist Roger Herman's ceramics!