Well, you can read the introductions, I guess. But no reading is necessary to enjoy these two books.

The Art of American Book Covers: 1875-1930 by Richard Minksy (George Braziller, 2010)

Richard Minsky has collected the best of the American book covers and compiled them here in a book that, fittingly, has a lovely cover of its own. In the past few years, we’ve seen more and more new books published with “retro” covers, but when you look at the variety and creativity of these early 20th century book covers, most of the new covers are just a pale imitation. As the author explains, the stamped cloth book cover was nearly extinct by the beginning of WWI, had a brief resurgence after the war, and was all but finished by the Great Depression as publishers shifted to the cheaper printed paper covers. Fortunately, some of the best examples have been preserved here.

One Hundred Portraits by Barry Moser (David R. Godine, 2010)

Susie has mentioned Barry Moser’s artwork before, but I thought it was worth revisiting the subject to mention this new collection of portraits. There are so many great books that feature Barry’s illustrations on the cover or interspersed throughout, but not many that allow you to enjoy his artwork uninterrupted, page after page. I took this book home on Thursday evening to have nearby while I wrote this post. I walked into the kitchen where my wife was preparing our dinner, with the intention of showing her one portrait I found particularly compelling. We stood there and flipped slowly backward through the entire book, pausing to comment on the expression on the face of Flannery O’Connor or note the dramatic stare from Edgar Allen Poe.

Dear readers, there is something big out there, about to happen. This something is as old as the hills but the awareness of it is about to burst open–if we just pay attention. Rumors, scores of books, television–they’ve all been hinting at it. Even Depak Chopra, the guru of all things healthy, wise and mostly obvious, has written a new book about “it”–veering from his well trodden, written path.

. . . . . . . . . . . . No one has been able to capture both the minutiae and the big picture of it, but Tim Flach has come close in his new big, beautiful coffee table book Dogs, artfully published by Abrams, one of our most esteemed publishing houses of very fine books.

You can immediately tell there’s a big punch to this book with the choice of a small but spirited white corded puli dog somersaulting toward us and jumping out at us, like the most animated of 3D. At the top of this cover is Dog written in subtle gold, implying that something treasure-worthy beckons inside.

The $50 gem is #1 on my list of Christmas gifts from someone close (you realize most of us Lemurians are never given books by our friends and relatives, for obvious reasons. But we are no different than our customers, grateful for that special book we dare not buy ourselves). There is such a wide array of interesting tidbits that make this book such a written and visceral work of art–for ANYONE. But I will tell you that Flach masterfully gets across the truthfully, unembellished idea mentioned at the beginning of this blog.

He lets us know indeed, that there seems to be a reason dogs have shorter life spans and are evolving more quickly than we are and that this evolution is reciprocal and vital and exciting for both humans and dogs and the well-being of both species. Or as Flach states it, we are recognizing that dogs are a “hairy canvas for our imagination.”

One little teaser tidbit for you: Did you know that during WWII there was an English pointer named Judy who could spot, scent and point toward the sky (while indiscernible to the human eye or ear) enemy Japanese aircraft, thus saving the lives of her shipmates over and over again? She was generously and humbly honored by historians.

There have been many such hero dogs in similar near fatal events and many of them are also recognized in this book. Did you know that the now gentle giant, the distinguished Irish Wolfhound who quietly watches over children and babies was once used to drag knights from horses? What Flach does in this book is more than narrate. Remember, he is a renowned photographer and with keen intuition and superb visual talent, capturing the essence of all things Dog.

Tim Flach, born in 1958 in London, is widely collected around the world. News of his extraordinary talent came to us in his first book Equus, a photographic masterpiece about horses–also available at your favorite, fine, independent bookstore Lemuria.

-Pat

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I am not the type of person that one immediately looks at and assumes that I have a “good sense of fashion.” And I don’t have a deep background in knowing who’s who or histories and breakthroughs, but I do have quite appreciation for the design and materials with which the fashion giants use their craft. Who wouldn’t, good fashion design leaves no one saying anything but “Beautiful.”

This book right here is probably one of my favorites in the entire art section. The drawings are absolute money. The sense of the figure along with the fluidity of line and gesture in these illustrations can hang with anybody. Not only are they wonderfully designed but they are nailed, you couldn’t get it any better.

Dior. This is my favorite book of individual designers that we have, a quite large collection following the spectacular history of this fashion house. Many of the photographs have only the dresses on display and still they compel you to stare at them with awe. I find that awesome, unlike some of the others that seem to just “cheat.” Yes I have known that naked women are lovely, but that’s not why I picked up this book. Must be some sort of minimalism I am unaware of.

This last book, although clashing pretty hard with the one above, might win the “most beautiful” award in my opinion. I mean its Richard Avedon photographing beautiful women in beautiful clothes. I cant think of a better way to describe it. It just leaves you saying “beautiful.”

-John P.

While reorganizing my Film/MTV section this week, I came across a book on the Dance and Musicals shelf. Hidden out of sight and wrapped in shrink wrap, I found two copies of Lea Vergine’s Body Art and Performance.

Flipping through this documented history, I recognized several faces—mostly on account of super saturating my undergraduate schedule with art history. Vergine has compiled key works from sixty artists who have given the Performance Art movement its momentum. She also provides a statement of response from each artist on each profile. Some artists’ texts are humorous, some are incoherent, much reflecting the wide range of what is expected from live performance art. Exemplifying the ideals of the performance art mode, these profiled projects are process obsessed! The artist tries to present the common or the unusual, the sacred or the base, all from a perspective that yields a new look on the subject matter.

The viewer is also encouraged to take part in the study of less widely accepted art forms, such as body language and gestures. One profile that intrigued me is Terry Fox’s 1973 performance piece “yield.” A busy installation set over two rooms, the observer is taken through a reconstructed labyrinth from Chartres, leading to a living floor-bound skeleton made of flour. Parts of the skeleton have started to mold and the viewer is asked the considered the process of death and living of the constructed reality.

His explanation coupled with pictures, I feel that I have gathered a sense of the scene’s original impact, and an idea of his thoughts on arrangement of space. There’s one left on the shelf! Grab it before it goes and suspends itself from hooks from the ceiling or rips it pages in half, or something else graphic and (hopefully) poignant that defined the performance art movement in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

As I have been accommodating myself to the art books and getting familiar with the particular collections we have, the photography section has been a learning experience. My knowledge being somewhat limited in the area, I have gone through most of them trying to gain a personal grasp on the subject.  I have found it to be such a great medium for a book, as paper is a photograph’s original medium…usually.  Because of this you can observe the pieces at a closer proximity in a book than with a collections of photographs of sculptures or paintings. The only modifications being in scale and presentation. This is a great draw for me in the bookstore, while the other books get me excited and make me want to go to the Louvre and see all of the wonderful works in person (which is pretty cool), the photograph collections allow me to be more content in observing the pieces on the couch. My investigations have produced several favorites. In no particular order:

Put out by a father son collaboration from two giants in photography. This is a magnificent collection of probably the sexiest pictures of a desert that you could ever witness. It is incredible how they read the landscape for those natural curves. Capturing the essence of a sensual line in a pile of sand is no small feat. It takes an understanding of form and structure of the human body as well as landscapes and how we as humans perceive these forms. Through their eyes we see an arid desert as living flesh. Incredible.

This next one is by Bruce Davidson in the vein of photojournalism; he gives a view into the heart of the circus in the middle of the last century. The first half follows a dwarf in his work at the carnival in 1958. They are powerful photos that make you feel as though you are looking into the man’s soul as he goes about his days in this foreign world. The second half is a return to the circus in 1965 and his following of the Ringling Brothers and the Barnum & Bailey Circus, and the James Duffy and Sons circus of 1967. It is a strong eye through which we can see these acrobats and human cannonballs.

This last one I remember putting on the shelf after we received it. Immediately I was struck by the cover and the incredible formal construction of the photograph. I proceeded to flip through every page with my jaw on the floor. Nick Brandt went to Africa with his camera and commenced with a photo shoot of wild beasts as his models; and they perform in front of the camera as if they were highly trained supermodels, veterans of Vogue and Vanity Fair. Every photograph seems to be a career-maker. They are Beautiful.

-John P.

“The impulse to draw is as natural as the impulse to talk. As a rule, we learn to talk through a simple process of practice, making plenty of mistakes when we are two and three and four years old — but without this first effort at understanding and talking it would be foolish to attempt to study grammar or composition. It is this vital preparation, this first mouthing of words which mean actual things, that parallels the effort a student should make during the first years of his art study.

There is only one right way to learn to draw and that is the perfectly natural way. It has nothing to do with artifice or technique. It has nothing to do with aesthetics or conception. It has only to do with the act of correct observation, and by that I mean a physical contact with all sorts of objects through all the senses.”

…and that is just the beginning of the introduction. Nicolaides’ The Natural Way to Draw is one of my favorite books, of any sort, of all time. Holding guidance that can be repeated and repeated until they are ingrained into process. This book is not only useful for those who are crazy about learning to draw; it is a great read for anyone who enjoys investing themselves in their craft. Originally published in 1941, this book still stands as a solid benchmark in drawing instruction.

“The Limitation of Preconceived Ideas. In learning to draw, it is necessary to start back of the limitations that casual information sets upon you. Preconceived ideas about things with which you have no real experience have a tendency to defeat the acquiring of real knowledge.”

How money is that? These statements are written with the clear purpose of teaching you how to draw. Those deep implications that are swimming around in your head after reading are just a byproduct of being true…in that deep, philosophical sort of way.

In the eighties there was another book that came along and blew away the drafting world: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. When I was a sophomore in college I was talking to my roommate who was an art major; and I expressed how it would be cool if I could draw. His response was perfect: So Learn. He explained that anybody who is not legally blind and has decent control over their motor-skills can learn to draw. I didn’t believe him. He told me to get Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and a week later I realized he was right after I went from the drawing level of a five year old to a place I thought impossible when I started. So I kept drawing. This book is a nice practical guide to getting started, giving exercises and breaking down very well the process of drawing. Nicolaides takes you the rest of the way.

-John P.

Recently, I have looked through a couple of awesome collections of poster and logo designs. This world of graphic design and illustration is a quirky one; and although I a member of their race, I am nerdy enough to get excited about these books. The work of these we see everyday and do not always recognize the the value and the craftsmanship that is displayed through the trademarks on our products or the posters for our bands.

This book, Gig Posters, is a slick 14 x 11 in. collection of the stellar show posters from GigPosters.com which contains the cream of the crop in contemporary   illustration. It utilizes its large spacious pages allowing you to see all the detail and setting, giving multiple examples of the included artists and their write-ups.

This next book is so cool that it can pretty much speak for itself. Once you crack the pages you are overwhelmed by some of the best designs throughout the history of American Trademarks. I myself could be just fine to spend many hours analyzing these beauties and picking favorites. Both of these books have enough to say in their own way, so its worth taking a gander next time your popping around the store.

And speaking of bands [good segue?] , ya’ll remember Hunter. He left Lemuria at the beginning of the year and moved to Austin with his wife and band. Last month he had an accident involving a dog and a window and was left with a gash on his arm needing surgery and 37 stitches. In an effort to help pay for his surgery, Byron Knight and friends held a fundraiser concert at Sneaky Beans. During this event we debuted a music video for his band that was done by Hunter’s friend and mine, Robby Piantanida. So here is the video to bring a little attention to a buddies misfortune.

Law School – King of the Crops from Robby Piantanida on Vimeo.

-John P.

As I was cleaning out the art section the other day I decided to rearrange all our essays on art.  In this section we have a variety of biographies on artists, books on art and architecture, and books on the contemporary art world.  There are also books that tell the stories of stolen art and reproductions.  Some of my favorite books in this section that I already blogged on are Loot by Sharon Waxman, The $12 Million Stuffed Shark by Don Thompson, and The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr.  Here are some more books that I thought looked very interesting!

Tom and Jack: The Intertwined Lives of Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson Pollock by Henry Adams.

“The drip paintings of Jackson Pollock-pulsing clouds of color dribbled or flung on canvas-appear to be the polar opposites of Thomas Hart Benton’s murals-rollicking American landscapes peopled by cowboys and steelworkers.  Yet the two artists had a close and intense relationship dating from Pollock’s earliest days in New York.  When Benton, then one of the most famous artists in America, took the young man under his wing.   Benton gave Pollock the only formal training he ever had, and became a mentor and a surrogate father to him” (flap).

The Secret Lives of Buildings: From the Ruins of the Parthenon to the Vegas Strip in Thirteen Stories by Edward Hollis.

“Altered layer by layer with each generation, buildings become eloquent chronicles of the civilizations they have witnessed.  Their stories, as buildings and captivating as folk tales, span the gulf of history” (flap).

Each building is discussed based on the contemporary style and methods of the time in which they were built.  The Basilica of San Marco in Italy, Gloucester Cathedral in England, and the Notre Dame in Paris, France are among the thirteen historic buildings mentioned.

Art Lover: A Biography of Peggy Guggenheim by Anton Gill.

“Peggy Guggenheim was one of the greatest and most notorious art patrons of the twentieth century.  After her father, Benjamin Guggenheim, went down with the Titanic, the young heiress came into a small fortune and left for Europe.   She married a writer Laurence Vail and joined the American expatriate bohemian set.  Though her many lovers included such lions of art and literature as Samuel Beckett, Max Ernst (whom she later married), Yves Tanguy, and Roland Penrose, real love always seemed to elude her.

In the late 1930s, Peggy set up one of the first galleries of modern art in London, quickly acquiring a magnificent selection of works, buying great numbers of paintings from artists fleeing to America after the Nazi invasion of France.  Escaping from Vichy she moved back to New York, where se was a vital part of the new American abstract expressionist movement.

Meticulously researched and filled with colorful incident and boasting a distinguished cast, Anton Gill’s biography reveals the inner drives of a remarkable woman and indefatigable patron of the arts” (flap).

-Sarah Clinton

As an Art History major I took all the classes that I could on Ancient and Medieval Art and Architecture.  The most interesting classes to me were the ones that began in 3200 BC.  For me the older the subject the better.  Needless to say, though I was and still am interested in Contemporary art, I didn’t understand the fascination.  What’s the appeal of a canvas painted solid blue, when there are Boticellis and Michelangelos?

The $12 Million Stuffed Shark by Don Thompson explains the process as well as the high demand of contemporary art.  Most works done by these artists are meant to be conceptual and controversial.  Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol are two contemporary artists whose art is known for being unique yet criticized.  Warhol’s whole purpose was that by making silk screens anyone was able to copy them.  Many conservators now can’t tell between an authentic or a replica, which was the idea.  Damien Hirst didn’t catch, stuff or install the shark that he sold for $12 million, he just had the idea.

The business for these artists  is all  fueled by the wealthy collectors.  People who are looking for huge investments buy art.  Someone purchases a Francis Bacon and ten years later it’s worth ten times the amount.  The reason that contemporary art is so popular is because of branding.  Anyone can have a nice car or a sea side Villa, but not everyone can own an original Jasper Johns.  It’s like carrying a Prada purse.  The label or logo on the bag automatically shows your wealth.

Thompson touches on all of the angles of contemporary art and what makes it so interesting in our world today. Some of the most interesting points covered are the mixed media used, which  ranges from paint, elephant dung, the artist’s own blood, and stuffed sharks.  Other fun facts cover the most expensive paintings sold privately and at auctions as well as the most expensive painting sold per square inch:  Madonna of the Pinks, an 11in x 14in Raphael, sold for £35 million to the Getty Museum.

-Sarah Clinton