VISUAL ANTHOLOGIES
An eclectic mix of coffee table books suggests intellectual curiosity, depth and style. By Annie Tan
The best must-read art tomes to start the new year with
LORI GOLDSTEIN: STYLE IS INSTINCT
It’s hard to forget the public outcry when a nude, seven-month pregnant Demi Moore first appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair in 1991. Styled by Lori Goldstein, this controversial image launched the continuing trend of pregnancy photos. Of course, this only scratches the surface of Goldstein’s contribution to pop culture. Collaborating with icons like Madonna, Rihanna and Gisele Bündchen, and famous photographers like Steven Meisel, Mario Testino and Annie Leibovitz, the fashion stylist has deeply influenced our current notions of cool.
Available at www.harpercollins.com
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING
Bridging the gap between pop culture and art, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin’s work has graced the world’s top galleries and fashion magazines. From Björk to Lady Gaga, each portrait and campaign explores the tension between the sublime and mundane; the beautiful and grotesque. Compiling the highlights of the Dutch shutterbugs’ career, this collection is subversive, inscrutable and above all, compelling.
Available at www.taschen.com
COLLECTING FINE ART
Although this book sets out to inform and inspire the serious art collector, even casual hobbyists will adore the kaleidoscope of 85 thought-provoking pieces. Noted artists such as Robert Lebeck, Jock Sturges, Nino Malfatti and Patrick Demarchelier are juxtaposed beside new talents in a compilation of photographs, paintings, illustrations and architecture. Stunning images aside, the accompanying essays also provide excellent insights into art appreciation.
Available at www.teneues.com
ROCK AND ROLL STORIES
As one of music’s greatest photographers, Lynn Goldsmith has shot legends at the very moments that they were making history. From the Rolling Stones to Bob Marley, Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen, she has followed them onto tour buses, concert halls and out into the streets. These photographs not only capture cultural icons, but also the spirit of an entire generation that grew up on rock and roll.
Available at www.abramsbooks.com
AMERICAN FASHION DESIGNERS AT HOME
Curious whether the private pads of Ralph Lauren, Reem Acra, Carolina Herrera and Donna Karan look anything like their runway creations? Author Rima Suqi offers a rare glimpse into the personal spaces of some of the most influential tastemakers—100 members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Satisfy your voyeuristic tendencies and be inspired by the artful abode of America’s most creative minds.
Available at www.assouline.com
NEW FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY
To borrow editor Paul Sloman’s words, this “hierarchy-free” book features 30 experimental photographers constantly challenging conventions in the fashion industry. From established names to up-and-coming artists, it offers page after page of provocative images, exclusive interviews and insightful commentaries. New
Fashion Photography is an invitation to discover a brave new world of cutting-edge photography, technology, fashion and art.
Available at www.randomhouse.de
FASHION JEWELRY: THE COLLECTION OF BARBARA BERGER
You could say Barbara Berger has jewellery in her blood. She not only comes from a long line of diamond cutters, but at the mere age of 13, found her calling when she fell in love with a pair of Chanel earrings at a Paris flea market. It became the first item in her 4,000piece fashion jewellery collection, which has since been exhibited in New York, Paris and Mexico. With treasures from Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Valentino, this book is a quintessential ‘accessory’ for your coffee table.
Available at www.assouline .com
ART CITIES OF THE FUTURE: 21ST-CENTURY AVANT-GARDES
Forget New York, Paris and Berlin—this book spotlights 12 global cities as the future epicentres of art. Art hubs such as Delhi, Cluj, Johannesburg, São Paulo and Singapore each get glossy spreads in this 336-page visual spectacle. Look out for artwork by Singaporean artists such as Heman Chong and Donna Ong alongside other rising international stars. Put together by a group of curators and critics, this book sets to redefine the art world, as we know it.
Available at www.phaidon.com
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO KARL
“Think pink. But don't wear it." Expect to find ‘Karlisms’ like this in this quote book—witty, provocative and rarely politically correct. Coming from the visionary behind houses such as Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld’s eponymous label, this tome presents his memorable musings on style, fashionable living and public figures such as Michelle Obama and Adele.
Available at www. thamesandhudson.com
FAMOUS: THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PAPARAZZI
Not your regular paparazzi, Bruno Mouron and Pascal Rostain have photographed rock gods, fashion icons and royalty. From Grace Kelly to Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson and Kate Moss, each black-and-white image is intimate and effortlessly glamorous. Transcending the scandalous, these professional voyeurs have captured 20th-century style icons at their most spontaneous and unguarded moments.
Available at www.thamesandhudson.com