Book reviews

Author: Pepe Karmel

A major new survey that offers fresh insights on artworks by one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century, Pablo Picasso, written by a leading authority on the master.

As one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century, Pablo Picasso’s (1881–1973) artistic achievements are unparalleled. This important new introductory monograph, released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the artist’s death, presents the beauty, power, and multiplicity of Picasso’s work across his paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints, and offers fresh analysis of the work of this great master for a twenty-first-century audience.

Since the 1980s, most books and exhibitions on Picasso have focused on the artist’s personal relationships, specifically on the representation of his wives and mistresses. Art historian and curator Pepe Karmel shifts the debate by considering Picasso’s works first and foremost as art, explaining how the artist’s style has evolved over the course of seven decades, introducing visual languages and narratives that have transformed modern art.

Arranged chronologically by themes and movements, Looking at Picasso is profusely illustrated with renowned paintings, such as the provocative Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and the monumental war piece Guernica, as well as lesser-known works, including Picasso’s animal sculptures and his animated reinterpretation of Velázquez’s seventeenth-century masterpiece Las Meninas.

Find out more about Looking at Picasso →

Author: Liam Caton

Introducing ‘The Art of AI Conversations: A Beginner’s Guide to Prompt Engineering’, a practical, comprehensive guide that demystifies the process of crafting effective prompts and brings the world of AI to your fingertips.

In this illuminating guide, you will unravel:

• The ABCs of AI prompt engineering: A step-by-step approach that helps simplify complex AI concepts
• How to create impactful prompts that elicit impressive AI responses
• In-depth insights into the workings of advanced language models like ChatGPT, empowering you to harness their true potential
• Practical, actionable guidance to use AI for your specific industry, project, or hobby
• Surprising connections of prompt engineering in diverse fields such as education, tech, and arts
• How to stay on the forefront of rapid AI advancements without getting overwhelmed
• Ethical considerations when crafting prompts and navigating the AI landscape, making sure your creations are fair and unbiased
• Unleashing your creativity to come up with inspiring prompts even when you think you’ve hit a block
• The importance of setting realistic expectations from AI and how to balance it with its limitations
• Myriad hands-on exercises to solidify your learning and immediately apply the learned concepts

And so much more.

But hold on, you might wonder, “I’m not tech-savvy, would this book still make sense to me?” or “I don’t want to waste time on fluff and repetitive content. Is this guide different?”

Here lies the real power of this guide. This book is specifically designed to be accessible even to beginners. It breaks down highly complex concepts into digestible chunks, eliminating unnecessary technical jargon. The unique approach is focused on practical, real-world applications, devoid of fluff and filler content.

So even if specializing in AI feels light years away or you’ve struggled with comprehending other resources in the past, ‘The Art of AI Conversations: A Beginner’s Guide to Prompt Engineering’ might just be what you need to make that quantum leap forward.

Find out more about The Art of AI Conversations: A Beginner’s Guide to Prompt Engineering →

Author: Michelle B Evans

From Fresh Cuts and Colors to New Styles I believe in the philosophy of “new hair, new year.” I plan to start 2024 with new bangs and a chin-length bob cut, but you can switch things up in the new year without scheduling a visit with your stylist or colourist. Investing in a cute hair accessory or changing your hair part are simple ways to embrace the “new hair, new year” mentality. Surprisingly simple, the biggest hair trends for 2024 centre around keeping natural, healthy hair. View the top looks from fashion shows, celebrity encounters, and TikTokers’ posts on our feeds. Take your hair to one side for a similar effect if you already have face-framing layers or bangs. Ask your stylist to cut your hair longer or bluntly across the lashes if you want a haircut. This will allow you more styling options, such as pushing your hair to one side or splitting it down the middle for a more Birkin-bang-like look. Why it’s trending: Think of this as the antithesis of elaborate runway hairstyles that are impossible to achieve at home. Instead, hairstyles that feature subtle bends are ushering in a new era of “easy” hair.

Find out more about 50 TRENDIEST EASY HAIRCUT IDEAS TAKING OVER 2024 →

Author: Mike Kelley

The photography collected in A View from the Top may have arisen out of a desire to document a singular body of work—the Viewpoint Collection.

Through Kelley’s eye, lens, and postproduction choices, however, it advances the very way that buildings can be photographed and understood, allowing us to visit residences that most of us will never see in person. The photographs also demonstrate that these projects are quintessentially Californian. Their emphasis on open plans, airy modernism, the indoor-outdoor relationship, natural textures and color-palette, and an intensive attention to landscaping are also quintessentially Los Angeles. The buildings—which are the creations of some of the world’s most renowned architects—are inspired and inspiring. They are luxurious, aspirational, and visually exciting. The book is both a valuable contribution to architectural history and a pleasure to read.

Find out more about A View from the Top →

Author: Patrick Bringley

A revelatory portrait of a great museum and the moving story of one guard’s quest to find solace and meaning in art.

‘Who would have thought that the outstanding art book of you would have been written not by a curator or an art historian or even an artist – but by a museum guard?’ Sunday Times

When Patrick’s older brother dies at twenty-six, all he wants is to retreat. So, he does. He quits his job and seeks refuge in the most beautiful place he can think of: New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

All the Beauty in the World recounts Patrick’s time as a museum guard, keeping quiet vigil over some of our greatest treasures and uncovering the Met’s innermost secrets. As his connection to the art and the life that swirls around it grows, so does Patrick – and gradually he emerges transformed by heartbreak, community and the power of art to illuminate life in all its pain, pleasure and hope.

Find out more about All the Beauty in the World →

Author:  Adrian Shaughnessy

Five years in the making, Pentagram: Living by Design (two volumes) is the definitive statement on fifty years of Pentagram, and an in-depth survey of the group from its beginnings in 1970s London to its current status as one of the powerhouses of international design.

Book one, The Biography, offers a comprehensive analysis of the group, its partners, its achievements, its multidisciplinary approach and its unique business model. This is accompanied by a plethora of images (some never published), a visual essay of Pentagram’s work across four main sectors, a selection of partners’ writings, a Pentagram family tree, and much more.

Book two, The Directory, has profiles of fifty partners, past and present, accompanied by extensive coverage of their work. It’s a stellar roll call: from the five famous founders to some of the most celebrated names in contemporary design. It also includes a list of everyone who worked in the firm’s various offices.

Both books are designed by Tony Brook and the Spin design team.

Find out more about Pentagram: Living by Design →

Penny Sparke (Anthology Editor), Ersi Ioannidou (Anthology Editor), Pat Kirkham (Anthology Editor), Stephen Knott (Anthology Editor), Jana Scholze (Anthology Editor)

The Covid-19 lockdowns caused people worldwide to be confined to their homes for longer and on a greater scale than ever before. This forced many unprecedented changes to the way we treat domestic space – as relationships shifted between the public and the private worlds, and homes were rapidly adapted to accommodate the additional roles of schools, offices, gyms, restaurants, making-spaces and more. Above all, our understanding of the home as a site to support and enhance the well-being of its inhabitants changed in a variety of novel ways.

Interiors in the Era of Covid is a collection of essays which explore the complex ways in which our inside spaces (contemporary and historical) have responded to Covid-19 and other human crises. With case studies ranging from US and Europe to Japan, China, Colombia, and Bangladesh, this is a truly global work which examines wide-ranging subjects from home-working and home technologies to the impact of lockdown on people’s identities, gender roles in the home, and the realities of domestic living with Covid in refugee camps.

Exploring the roles played by designers (both amateur and professional) in accommodating changing requirements and anticipating future ones – whether Covid or beyond – this book is a must-read for students and researchers in interior design, architecture, architectural and design history, and anyone interested in the home and the relationships between health and design.

Find out more about Interiors in the Era of Covid-19 →

Authors:  Russell Tovey, Robert Diament

The actor Russell Tovey and the gallerist Robert Diament bring their much-loved Talk Art podcast to the printed page with a selection of their most popular conversations. Featuring 24 funny, moving and intriguing interviews with the likes of Sonia Boyce, Stephen Fry, Tracey Emin and Elton John, it gives a fascinating insight into how art is made, why we are drawn to it and the powerful impact it can have on our lives.

Find out more about Talk Art the Interviews →

Edited by Stefano Casciani

With offices in Milan and New York, Lissoni & Partners has a 30-year history in developing international projects in the fields of architecture, landscape, interior, product, and graphic design, as well as acting as art director for a range of prestigious companies.

Led by Piero Lissoni, the practice combines a range of expertise with a tailored approach that sets it apart, establishing a stylistic code and a visual identity that are clearly recognizable. The works are inspired by a sense of rigor and simplicity and are characterized by a regard to detail, coherence, and elegance with particular attention to proportion and harmony.

The book, edited by Stefano Casciani, is the first far-reaching monographic study on Lissoni, richly illustrated with photographs, floor plans, and sketches. It is structured by theme and includes Lissoni’s most important projects for industrial and residential architecture, as well as commercial and public spaces, museums displays, boats, graphic design, and product design.

Find out more about Piero Lissoni: Environments →

Author: Rick Rubin

The Creative Act is a beautiful and generous course of study that illuminates the path of the artist as a road we all can follow. It distills the wisdom gleaned from a lifetime’s work into a luminous reading experience that puts the power to create moments–and lifetimes–of exhilaration and transcendence within closer reach for all of us.

Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed expectations in order to reconnect with a state of innocence from which the surprising becomes inevitable. Over the years, as he has thought deeply about where creativity comes from and where it doesn’t, he has learned that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, it’s about your relationship to the world. Creativity has a place in everyone’s life, and everyone can make that place larger. In fact, there are few more important responsibilities.

Find out more about The Creative Act: A Way of Being →