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Arcana: Books on the Arts
8675 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232 USA

310-458-1499
books@arcanabooks.com



Open Wednesday - Sunday, 11 AM - 7 PM

Only a very small portion (about 2%) of our stock is listed here. If there are titles you are searching for beyond those you find on our website, please contact us. We will gladly search our extensive stock of as-yet-uncatalogued material to help locate the items you seek.

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  • Wet The Magazine of Gourmet Bathing and Beyond
  • Vh 101 / Revue Trimestrielle / Numero 1 / Printemps 1970

    $75.00
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    VH 101 / REVUE TRIMESTRIELLE / NUMERO 1 / PRINTEMPS 1970

    (VH 101). Essellier, Francoise, Editor. Paris: Editions Essellier, 1970. First Edition. 4to. Printed Wrappers. Arts Journal. Good -.. 128pp, profusely illustrated in b&w. Text in French. Cover design by Yvaral. This initial installment of the important early seventies French avant-garde theory/music/art journal "VH 101" includes articles by, or interviews with Otto Hahn, Peter Handke, Andy Warhol, Martial Raysse, Gyorgi Ligeti, David Lamelas, Daniel Buren, Carl Andre, Michael Heizer, Piero Manzoni, and Jean-Ludovic Kaufner. A serviceable example of this uncommon item showing a pronounced dent through the covers and textblock at the lower foredge corner as well as a single neat ink ownership stamp (but no additional stamps, pockets or accession markings of any kind.) of an institutional library that deaccessioned it directly to our store on the front free endpaper. It has been priced accordingly. Inventory Number: 015065

    $75.00
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    Filed Under: Art Theory, Cinema, Conceptual and Minimal Art, Music + Sound Art, Performance Art, Periodicals, Pop Art, Andy Warhol
  • Between Artists: Liam Gillick / Lawrence Weiner

    $75.00
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    BETWEEN ARTISTS: LIAM GILLICK / LAWRENCE WEINER

    (WEINER, LAWRENCE) (GILLICK, LIAM). Weiner, Lawrence & Liam Gillick. New York: A.R.T. Press, 2006. First Edition. 12mo. Printed Self-Wrappers. Artist Monograph. Fine.. 48pp, no illustrations. Published as part of A.R.T. Press' "Between Artists" series, "in this highly informative and thought provoking conversation Liam Gillick and Lawrence Weiner address some of the most contested topics in contemporary critical debate: the role of art in the community, art institutions and artists' egos, class antagonism as a visual style, audience participation and responsibilities, collaboration, documentary practices, and art education". A most handsome example of the 2006 first edition of this now-elusive little gem. 0-923183-38-8 Inventory Number: 026884

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    Filed Under: Art Theory, Artist Monographs, Conceptual and Minimal Art, Lawrence Weiner
  • Fred Wilson: Objects And Installations 1979-2000 (Issues In Cultural Theory 4) - Signed By The Artist

    $155.00
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    FRED WILSON: OBJECTS AND INSTALLATIONS 1979-2000 (ISSUES IN CULTURAL THEORY 4) - SIGNED BY THE ARTIST

    (WILSON, FRED). Berger, Maurice, Fred Wilson & Jennifer Gonzalez. Baltimore, MD: Center for Art and Visual Culture, University of Maryland Baltimore County Fine Arts Gallery, 2001. First Edition. 4to. Pictorial Self-Wrappers. Artist Monograph. Fine.. 176pp, profusely illustrated in color and b&w. With an exhibition checklist, biography, and bibliography. This is the beautifully designed and illustrated catalogue published in conjunction with the 2001 traveling Museum retrospective of works by the noted African-American contemporary artist Fred Wilson. For nearly two decades, the artist has worked with Cultural Institutions and their collections to create installations & exhibitions that critique and/or bring to light the relationship between race and American Museum practices. A pristine copy BOLDLY SIGNED AND DATED by Fred Wilson in black felt-tip pen on the title page. 1-890761-04-4 Inventory Number: 017894

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    Filed Under: African-American Art, Art Theory, Artist Monographs, Exhibition Catalogues, Signed Books
  • Ex Libris Catalog: The Bauhaus And Its Legacy

    $50.00
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    EX LIBRIS CATALOG: THE BAUHAUS AND ITS LEGACY

    Cohen, Arthur A.. New York: Ex Libris, 1982. First Edition. 4to. Stapled Pictorial Wrappers. Bookseller's Catalogue. Fine.. np (30pp), 62 b&w illustrations. New York's Arthur Cohen was the premier purveyor of books and ephemera on twentieth century Modern Art movements for nearly twenty years. Ex Libris' copiously researched, scholarly, illustrated catalogues stood as unparalleled bibliographic tools at a time when there was a paucity of available reference to the documentary literature of the modernist avant-gardes. This slender hord serie catalogue was devoted entirely to The Bauhaus and its impact - featuring one hundred and ninety fully described original photographs, weavings and textiles, drawings, books, periodicals, pamphlets, and printed ephemera related to the likes of Josef Albers, Herbert Bayer, Aenne Biermann, Walter Dexel, T. Lux Feininger, Walter Gropius, Joannes Itten, Paul Klee, El Lissitzky, Hannes Meyer, Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, Lucia Moholy, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Xanti Schawinsky, Oskar Schlemmer, Joost Schmidt, Thonet, Jan Tschichold, "Umbo" (Otto Umbehrer), Theo Van Doesburg, and many, many others. And while at the time of its publication the prices here seemed astronomical, some thirty-five odd years later they are finally downright bargains! A most handsome example this uncommon reference. Inventory Number: 025895

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    Filed Under: Architecture, Art, Art Theory, Artists' Books, Ceramics and Glass, Decorative Art, Ephemera and Announcements, Illustrated Books, Performance Art, Periodicals, Photography, Posters, Textiles, Graphic Art
  • Ex Libris Catalog: Victory Over The Sun (Russian Rarities)

    $42.50
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    EX LIBRIS CATALOG: VICTORY OVER THE SUN (RUSSIAN RARITIES)

    Cohen, Arthur A.. New York: Ex Libris, 1981. First Edition. Tall Narrow 8vo. Stapled Printed Wrappers. Bookseller's Catalogue. Near Fine.. np (18pp), 17 b&w illustrations. With a bibliography. New York's Arthur Cohen was the premier purveyor of books and ephemera on twentieth century Modern Art movements for nearly twenty years. Ex Libris' copiously researched, scholarly, illustrated catalogues stood as unparalleled bibliographic tools at a time when there was a paucity of available reference to the documentary literature of the modernist avant-gardes. This slender eighteen page hors sequence catalogue describes sixty-one books, catalogues and printed works of the Russian Avant-Garde by the likes of Natan Altman, Yurii Annenkov, David Burliuk, Natalia Goncharova, Iliazd, Velimir Khlebnikov, Mikhail Larionov, El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, Alexandr Rodchenko, Olga Rozanova, Vladimir Tatlin, and many others. And while at the time of its 1981 publication the prices here seemed astronomical, some thirty-five years later they are finally downright bargains! A handsome example of this uncommon reference. Inventory Number: 025894

    $42.50
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    Filed Under: Architecture, Art, Art Theory, Artists' Books, Ephemera and Announcements, Illustrated Books, Photography, Posters, Graphic Art
  • Ex Libris 10: Dada Once And For All

    $60.00
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    EX LIBRIS 10: DADA ONCE AND FOR ALL

    Cohen, Arthur A. & Trevor Winkfield. New York: Ex Libris, 1983. First Edition. 4to. Wrappers in Illustrated Jacket. Bookseller's Catalogue. Near Fine./Fine.. np (76pp), profusely illustrated in b&w. Designed by Tamar Cohen and Elaine Lustig Cohen. With a bibliography. New York's Arthur Cohen was the premier purveyor of books and ephemera on twentieth century Modern Art movements for nearly twenty years. Ex Libris' copiously researched, scholarly, illustrated catalogues stood as unparalleled bibliographic tools at a time when there was a paucity of available reference to the documentary literature of the modernist avant-gardes. Catalogue number ten was devoted entirely to Dada material - featuring three hundred and thirty-six fully described and indexed original works, photographs, posters, books, periodicals, pamphlets, and printed ephemera on or by the likes of Hans Arp, Hugo Ball, Andre Breton, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, George Grosz, Raoul Hausmann, John Heartfield, Richard Huelsenbeck, Marcel Janco, Alfred Jarry, Man Ray, Francis Picabia, Hans Richter, Kurt Schwitters, Tristan Tzara, Theo Van Doesburg, and many, many others. And while at the time of its 1983 publication the prices here seemed astronomical, some thirty-five years later they are finally downright bargains! A most handsome example of this uncommon reference in a like dust jacket. Inventory Number: 025890

    $60.00
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    Filed Under: Art, Art Theory, Artists' Books, Dada and Surrealism, Marcel Duchamp, Ephemera and Announcements, Illustrated Books, Literature and Fiction, Performance Art, Periodicals, Photography, Posters, Graphic Art
  • Ex Libris 3: Apollinaire To Surrealism

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    EX LIBRIS 3: APOLLINAIRE TO SURREALISM

    Cohen, Arthur A. & Trevor Winkfield. New York. ND (circa 1976).: Ex Libris. First Edition. 4to. Printed Wrappers. Bookseller's Catalogue. Very Good.. np (152pp), profusely illustrated in b&w. New York's Arthur Cohen was the premier purveyor of books and ephemera on twentieth century Modern Art movements for nearly twenty years. Ex Libris' copiously researched, scholarly, illustrated catalogues stood as unparalleled bibliographic tools at a time when there was a paucity of available reference to the documentary literature of the modernist avant-gardes. Catalogue number three features nine hundred and eighty-five fully described and indexed original works, photographs, posters, books, periodicals, pamphlets, and printed ephemera on the subjects of Guillaume Apollinaire, Architecture, Expressionism, Illustrated Books and Livres de Peintre, Alfred Jarry, Periodicals and Annuals, Photographs and Photogravures (including a large collection of plates from "Camera Work"), Photography and Film, and Surrealism. And while at the time of its 1976 publication the prices here seemed astronomical, some forty years later they are finally downright bargains! A handsome example of this uncommon reference showing a bit of light sunning to the covers along with its title added discreetly in ink to the spine. Inventory Number: 015159

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    Filed Under: Architecture, Art, Art Theory, Artists' Books, Cinema, Dada and Surrealism, Decorative Art, Marcel Duchamp, Ephemera and Announcements, Graphic Design, Literature and Fiction, Performance Art, Periodicals, Photography
  • Ex Libris 6 - Constructivism & Futurism: Russian & Other

    $85.00
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    EX LIBRIS 6 - CONSTRUCTIVISM & FUTURISM: RUSSIAN & OTHER

    Cohen, Arthur A. & W. Michael Sheehe. New York: Ex Libris, 1977. First Edition. 4to. Illustrated Wrappers. Bookseller's Catalogue. Very Good.. np, profusely illustrated in b&w. Designed by Elaine Lustig Cohen. With an index and bibliography. In a protective clear acetate dustwrapper. New York's Arthur Cohen was the premier purveyor of books and ephemera on twentieth century Modern Art movements for nearly twenty years. Ex Libris' copiously researched, scholarly, illustrated catalogues stood as unparalleled bibliographic tools at a time when there was a paucity of available reference to the documentary literature of the modernist avant-gardes. Catalogue number six was their piece de resistance - with four hundred and thirty-four fully described and indexed books, periodicals, pamphlets, and posters of the Russian Avant-Garde by the likes of Natan Altman, Yurii Annenkov, David Burliuk, Vladimir Burliuk, Marc Chagall, Vasilii Ermilov, Alexandra Exter, Pavel Filonov, Naum Gabo, Natalia Goncharova, Vasilii Kamensky, Vasilii Kandinsky, Ivan Kliun, Gustav Klucis, Petr Konchalovsky, Mikhail Larionov, V. Lebedev, El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, Mikail Matiushin, Petr Miturich, Liubov Popova, Ivan Puni, Alexander Rodchenko, Olga Rozanova, Georgii Stenberg, Vladimir Stenberg, Vavara Stepanova, Vladimir Tatlin, Alexandr Vesnin, and many, many others. It contains over five hundred additional items related to F.T. Marinetti and Italian Futurism, De Stijl, The Bauhaus and its Legacy, and Eastern European & German books, periodicals, graphics and photographs. And while at the time of its 1977 publication the prices here seemed astronomical, some forty years later they are finally downright bargains! An internally most handsome example of this uncommon reference showing wear, rubbing, and some sunning along the spine of its graphically striking covers. LC 77-71400 Inventory Number: 025835

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    Filed Under: Architecture, Art, Art Theory, Artists' Books, Ephemera and Announcements, Illustrated Books, Periodicals, Photography, Posters, Graphic Art
  • Irudi Lausotua: Trabestismoa Eta Identitatea Artean / El Rostro Velado: Travestismo E Identidad En El Arte (The Veiled Face: Transvest[It]Ism And Identity In Art)

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    IRUDI LAUSOTUA: TRABESTISMOA ETA IDENTITATEA ARTEAN / EL ROSTRO VELADO: TRAVESTISMO E IDENTIDAD EN EL ARTE (THE VEILED FACE: TRANSVEST[IT]ISM AND IDENTITY IN ART)

    Cortes, Jose Miguel G.. San Sebastian, BASQUE: Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea, 1997. First Edition. 4to. 1/4 Cloth Over Silk Boards. Exhibition Catalog. Fine./No Jacket - As Issued. 344pp, profusely illustrated in b&w. Text in Basque and Spanish, with an English summary. With a bibliography and filmography. This is the amazing catalogue produced in conjunction with a 1997 Spanish Museum exhibition whose English title translates as "The Veiled Face: Transvest[it]ism and Identity in Art". The premise of the show was to provide a comprehensive survey of Drag, Cross Dressing, Transvestitism, and the Transgendered as subject matter in contemporary art and film. The artists whose work is presented here are Claude Cahun, Robert Gober, Nan Goldin, Juan Hidalgo, Michel Journiac, Jurgen Klauke, Zoe Leonard, Urs Luthi, Lisette Model, Pierre Molinier, Catherine Opie, Pierre et Gilles, Man Ray, Humberto Rivas, August Sander, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, and Joel-Peter Witkin. A brand new, most handsome example. 84-7907-214-8 Inventory Number: 011658

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    Filed Under: Art, Art Theory, Cinema, Erotica, Exhibition Catalogues, Exotica and Grotesqueries, Photography, Andy Warhol
  • Witte De With: The Lectures 1992

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    WITTE DE WITH: THE LECTURES 1992

    van Kooij, Barbera, Oswaldo Costa & Robin Resch, Editors. Rotterdam, THE NETHERLANDS: Witte De With Center for Contemporary Art, 1993. First Edition 1/650. 8vo. Pictorial Wrappers. Near Fine.. 128pp, 30 b&w illustrations. Text in English. Cover image by Jean-Luc Moulene. The final of three annual volumes, this is a collection of the transcribed contemporary art history lectures presented during 1992 at Rotterdam's Witte De With Center for Contemporary Art. The contents and participants are: Guy Brett, Catherine David, Rodrigo Naves, and Sonia Salzstein-Goldberg - "I Aspire to the Great Labyrinth", Walter Nikkels - "The Catalogue: An Ordered List of Works", Craigie Horsfield - "30.8.92 on Walker Evans", Stephen Prina - "We Represent Ourselves to the World: Institutional Narrativity", Stephan Balkenhol, Jean-Francois Chevrier, Chris Dercon, Ludger Gerdes, Martin Kreyssig, and Jeff Wall - "The Body is the Present", and Bruce Mau - "Beyond Typography". A most handsome example. 90-73362-26-1 Inventory Number: 016953

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    Filed Under: Art, Art Theory, Cinema, Graphic Design, Photography

Books on the Arts