No comments about The All-Season Backyard Birdwatcher: Feeding and Landscaping Techniques Guaranteed to Attract the Birds You Want Year Round (Quarry Book).

1 comments about Runway.

1. It's something of a misnomer, the title of Larry Fink's hilariously gruesome portrait of the fashion world. In Runway, his latest and most spectacular book of photographs, the much-celebrated "catwalk" barely figures at all. Fink's much more interested in the backstage drama, and in this behind-the-scenes record of the culminating moments in the seasonal paroxysms devoted to ready-to-wear and haute couture, he finds theater aplenty.

   A pitiless and perceptive social critic, Fink previously documented the brutal heroics of boxing and the bizarre social customs of New York's Upper East Side. Here his camera captures, in unflattering close-up, the unguarded moments of some of fashion's biggest stars. And while he frequently focuses on instantly familiar supermodels, his most memorable pictures tend to be of the designers themselves. Many of them are more recognizable than their mascots, bagged like so many trophies under Fink's unremitting gaze. Isaac Mizrahi strikes a characteristically self-mocking, histrionic pose; a wolfish Oscar de la Renta glares at us suspiciously; Calvin Klein, caught in mid-sentence, could be having a cardiac arrest. In another supremely chilling image, Gianni Versace gazes heavenwards, looking horror-struck; it's almost as if the slain designer's having a premonition of his gruesome fate.

   Fink's corrosive visual style derives from influences as diverse as Weegee and Diane Arbus (he studied with Lisette Model, the legendary French photographer who made a habit of the grotesque). He's obviously well aware that his hand-held flash - usually held aloft and angled down - freezes the scene like a diorama, turning humans into statues and vice versa (in one delicious moment captured at a society benefit, we see the lower halves of a line of partygoers filing past a comparatively lively pair of sarcophagi). In page after uncaptioned, full-bleed page, Fink hammers home a harrowing glimpse of a grandly dysfunctional world.

   But Fink has a love-hate relationship with this strange and contorted show of human frailty; he glamorizes and demonizes its insanity at the same time. He's abidingly curious about the backstage talents, with their fanatical devotion to craft, who feverishly toil to create the designer's illusions. In one tightly cropped shot, makeup whiz Kevyn Aucoin, with total concentration, grasps a model's head in a vice-like grip (significantly, her face is hidden from us). And always, there are the fashion paparazzi, hovering (like Fink) on the sidelines, getting it all down on film so we can devour it.

   "When substance is dead, style lives on," Fink writes in an afterword. Rest assured, both substance and style are alive and well in this damning - and damn amusing - book.

3 comments about Madonnastyle.

1. Well,this item that i purchased,is very awesome i think it's worth it to have this madonna stuff!



2. In 1998 at the Oscar's Madonna was called the sole survivor of the 80's. Now, nearly a decade later the terms holds true. What was the secret to a reign that rivals the Rolling Stones and Elizabeth the First ... her STYLE! From New York street urchin, yoga mamma, Gauthier Muse, and Scottish lass Mrs. Ritchie .... Madonna is the master of reinvention. Her style is always changing and evolving with time, and keeps everyone guessing what this pop culture icon will do next.
   
   Unlike her 80's contemporaries (Boy George, Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benetar, etc) ... Madonna is not stuck in an era of the "good old days" because like her style reflects, the good times are always NOW!



3. I just received my copy of this book yesterday! It's a visually stunning retrospective of Madonna's inimitable style and her incredible influence over fashion and pop culture over the past twenty years. The photographs included in this collection are beautiful and capture the true essence of a woman that transcends mere superstardom and is in a class entirely by herself. This book is definitely a must-have in all Madonna fan's collections. Also check out Matthew Rettenmund's Encyclopedia Madonnica & Michael D. Craig's Who's That Girl? The Ultimate Madonna Trivia Book!

No comments about A Magazine 6: Veronique Branquinho.

1 comments about Giorgio Armani (Guggenheim Museum Publications).

1. This is not a typical fashion tome. The authors have traced the historical influences of Mr. Armani as well as validlly documenting his contribution to history (both in terms of fashion and in sociological influence). The photographs are well chosen and show the broad scope of his work. The detailed description accompanying the photographs of the actual museum exhibts are informative and succinct. One unfortunate choice was to include blurbs by celebrities. These comments offer nothing in the way of understanding Mr. Armani's work and are unnecessary. That minor annoyance withstanding, this volume is a valuable addition to any library.

1 comments about Fascination with Fiber: Michigan's Handweaving Heritage.

1. The collaborative effort of Marie A. Gile and Marion T. Marzolf, Fascination With Fiber: Michigan's Handweaving Heritage is not a how-to craftbook, but rather a cultural and historical survey of Michigan's tradition of handweaving. Authors, weavers, and historians Gile and Marzolf examine the people and the social dynamics that have sustained the art of handweaving in Michigan and in America for over two centuries. A scattering of black-and-white and color photographs illustrate this grand tour of eclectic personalities, interviews, oral histories, the origin of the Michigan League of Handweavers, the "Fascination with Fiber" museum exhibit, and much more. Especially recommended for handweaving enthusiasts interested in learning the centuries of tradition supporting this creative and inclusive craft.

5 comments about Visionaire No. 43: Dreams (Visionaire).

1. Visionaire is always spectacular, and even when it falls flat, it's a great failure. But this issue is among the finest they've produced, a compilation of dream imagery as imagined by first rank artists and photographers, rendered in impossibly delicate laser-cut screens. The technique is flawless, the execution mind-boggling, and the resulting object is a work of art that vastly exceeds the sum of its parts. Many highly-regarded artists have contributed to the issue, and the extraordinary elegance with which these incredibly fragile artworks are presented is simply astonishing. It's amazing, and produced in such a limited edition that you would be foolish not to buy one immediately before they sell out.



2. Created in 1991 from his one bedroom apartment, Stephen Gan turned a $10 per issue labor of love into a $150.00 per issue work of art. Amazingly, he still publishes Visionaire with as much intensity, creativity, and originality as the issue before and most importantly - his attention to detail is closer to a parent doting on his child, than a publisher overseeing a magazine. After all - Visionaire is Gan's brainchild. Now far removed from that one bedroom apartment and, at times, charging up to $400.00 per issue, Gan and Visionaire have become a unique fashion-publishing dynasty. Top fashion/art/photo contributors such as Karl Lagerfeld, Mario Testino, Alexander McQueen and Nick Night - among many others - willingly submit their work to Visionaire without compensation. With thirty-two limited edition issues already published since 1991, not every one has been a winner; although Visionaire is original and creative in every respect, it still doesn't make each issue worthwhile or, worth $150 - $400. However, most are fascinating in their thematic approach and satisfying as a work of art. Because of the unavailability of past issues, a current review can only contain the more recent and obtainable issues of Visionaire. "Chic" (#22) is clearly the most impressive of late, due to a theme that encompasses one of the central components in fashion. This is a fashion lover's ultimate scrapbook. Edited by Mario Testino, the issue is brimming with fashion photographs, from current to classic. Combined with these images are swatches of material from famous designer houses. As if this wasn't enough, "Chic" also contains a white napkin with Paloma Picasso's lipstick print, an envelope containing a letter from Catherine Deneuve to Yves Saint Laurent, and a tiny piece of fabric from the Versace dress Madonna wore to the opening of Evita. Toning down a bit for the next issue, "The Emperor's New Clothes" (#23) is lavishly packaged in a wooden box and contains forty 11x14 sepia-toned photographs by Karl Lagerfeld. The entire suite of nude photographs is wrapped in a satin bow. Lagerfeld's images are on par with any of today's great fashion photographs. That he is also one of the best and most well known clothing designers in the realm of current fashion, only confirms Lagerfeld as an endearing renaissance man. "Movement" (#27), as the theme implies, extrapolates on the idea of motion by using clear pages that, when turned, conveys both movement and metamorphosis. "Woman" (#28) contains various artists' interpretations on the theme - however, several of the images need such deep-seated, subjective interpretation, that one wonders why they were ever included. "Woman" is clearly the least inventive of the recent issues. Encased in a Philippe Starck designed white, plastic, pillow-like casing, "The Bible" (#29) integrates chapters from the Old and New Testament with photographs and paintings. The book's size and weight is due in part to the thickness of its cardboard pages, which turn like a children's book but reveal intense, erotic, and oftentimes nightmarish images that parallel each of the Bible passages. With each new issue, Visionaire is designed to amaze and delight. After nine years, it is a credit to Stephen Gan's `vision' that Visionaire continues to gain popularity. Like a haute couture gown, the exclusivity of Visionaire makes it all the more fashionable, rendering it another must-have accessory for the in-crowd.



3. Comprised of some cool contemporary depictions of Biblical events, clever "Visionaire-esque" packaging and presentation, and a fine lineup of contributors, this book definitely has value as a collector's item. Yet, I'm torn. I really do like this book, but it could have offered so much more.

   "Visionaire #28: The Bible," contains 41 images (e.g., photos, paintings, graphics) pertaining to verses of the Bible, submitted by over 40 artistic contributors. Each image takes up the left and right side of the opened page, complemented by the Biblical chapter, verse and text; the title of the work; and credits for the artist, stylist, model, etc. The book looks like a big, white Bible with gold-edged, stiff, cardboard-like pages.

   I must say, there is good deal of striking imagery in here, especially "The Annunciation" (Gregory Crewdson), "No Room at the Inn" (Mary Ellen Mark), "Mother and Child" (Jean-Paul Goude), "Salome and John the Baptist" (Andres Serrano), and "The Ascension" (Raymond Meier). Other notables include works by Lagerfeld, Testino and Meisel. There are also several excellent paintings and computer-generated graphics.

   Given the magnitude and importance of the Bible, this book could easily contain twice as much art. Also, with over half the pages dedicated to the books of Genesis, Luke and Revelations, I feel a little shortchanged knowing how much Biblical history was left out. I truly believe there was a great deal more artistic "fun to be had" that Visionaire #28 passed up.

   Of the two Visionaire books I've studied, I like this one much better, even though packaging and collector's novelty weigh just as heavily (they shouldn't) as artistic merit. I may sound overly critical, but a 5-Star art/photo book has to have "wow factor" on almost every page. This is a good effort, but falls short of a top rating.

   [Note that I didn't mention the price]




4. You don't know Visionare yet? You can't believe that a "magazine" can cost $150? Get with it already! "Visionare #28: The Bible" has to be one of the best issues of this ongoing art multiple. Incredible works created by a who's who of the avant-garde art world. This issue is worth the hefty price for the custom-designed Philippe Starck "pillow" case alone.

   Still not convinced to shell out $150? Have a look at what the past issues sell for on Ebay. This is not a impulse purchase - it's an investment! Buy it before it's too late.

   Karl Taps




5. when i bought this book,my first impresion was a shock to me, because the Phillipe starck design is a wonderfull piece of art,i didn't seen the book yet.i consider very interesting and i enjoyed so much.the meisel's pictures are stunning and "mother and son" too. if you have enought money to buy it, do it now,because you'll have into your hands a fantastic art book for all your life.

No comments about Textiles of the Wiener Werkstatte: 1910-1932.

No comments about Weavings from Roman, Byzantine and Islamic Egypt: The Rich Life and the Dance.

1 comments about Rapt in Colour: Korean Textiles and Costumes of the Chosen Dynasty.

1. Poring over the illustrations of Korean costumes and wrapping cloths from the Choson dynasty was a pleasure for me. The photographs beautifully captured not only the colours and forms of the creations, but the sheen and texture of the materials. I liked the design of the layout and the typeography. Before the collection of illustrations there are brief essays about Korean costumes and wrapping cloths in this period. Taking care of silkworms, spinning thread, weaving cloth, sewing and embroidery were all women's tasks. In the strict Confucian era women were discouraged from any type of intellectual pursuit. By developing textiles and designs these women were able to experience the joy of creation. Their exuberance is contagious.