recommended art books

[FreakAnimalFinland]

TOPIC for recommended art books, if it doesn't seem to be maybe worth of entire topic of its own (like overlook on artists whole career).
Starting with some re-posts from other forum...

Zed Nelson's "Love Me", new release from this year. It's a great art book following the modern worlds obsession on altering physical body to aim for "perfection", as well as the focus on beauty in society. All in full color, really sharp images. Some images are simply beautiful. Beauty pegant candidates, from ages of 9 to teenager to regular ages. Then it proceeds into more morbid areas of surgery. Severed heads used as training faces for doctors. Female fat in buckets after tummy tuck. Removed slices of nose cartilage. Removed slices of cunt lips etc. Miss nuclear energy. Miss 3rd world country inmates. Each spread has one image on right and left page is with liner notes of image as well as further texts. I struggled for some time should I buy it or not, since price for kind of "regular" full color images seemed little high, but in the end, totally recommended for study on beauty, morbid obsession, society's "bizarre" standards, need and yearning of acceptance and being special.



Also should give additional credits for Thames & Hudson "photofile" series. It's ridiculous that books with 8,95£ cover price are 18 euros in Finland. Otherwise low budget photo/art books becomes in the end pretty rough priced. Got couple more of these. Look on early French surrealist photo movement, which includes pretty good erotic / abstrack works. For those who look for morbid, death obsession, surreal works, there are cheap & easy ways to get Joel-Peter Witkin, Peter Beard, Man Ray, Lewis Carroll, Araki, etc..... Now latest purchase was book of previously unknown (to me) Sarah Moon. Probably wouldn't invest big $$ for her books, but on this range, very good stuff. She seems to have extensive body of work since 70's.. including lots of books, films, exhibitions. Probably have to keep eye on how is other works.


Some years ago I saw Peter Beards works as that gigantic size book done by Taschen. In their collectors series, which is for serious investment only. Browsed once in bookstore in NYC. Since retail went to few thousand $$, thought this would remain always out of my price league. It looked phenomenal, and kept bugging me, until finally there was edition done for "regular" people in 2008. And yesterday finally found it in shop in Helsinki for pretty decent price.
Two hardcover books in folder. About 500 pages in first volume, and 2nd book with liner notesm diaries etc. If you thought some crappy collages you see in noise tapes is "great", you should see what this guy does. Of coutse it's not all sex & violence, but it is much more. If one likes what Martin Bladh did for Special Interest #1. Or Mania, Bizarre Uproar, .. or perhaps even most of all the full folor works of Richard Rupenus/TNB.. etc etc.. If you don't need noise to justify art, these are books to grab. I tried to link few examples, but seems like artist who is so eagarly borrowing everybodys photos & book clippings for his collages, is very protective about results and programmed site in a way that can't make links to images.. but check out http://www.peterbeard.com/work.htm
Due being Taschen regular release, it should be available worldwide, and about anywhere. If you're buying one book of collages in your life, let it be this.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

KAMERAN TAIDETTA a.k.a. Kamerakonst a.k.a. Camera Art
WSOY 1946
Found copy of the hand numbered #800 copies special edition on "special paper".  Don't know how much was normal version and was it even made. This book is very good document of early days of Finnish photographic art. It is follow up to previous book done c. 15 years earlier. It explains the history of photography in Finland. Giving information from times when 1st photographic methods were invented and how long it was mainly for professional use for nothing but portrait and documenting for publications. Common man or "artists" couldn't simply master the difficult equipment, and also the war times here fucked up the supply and resources.
It does also list positive sides of isolation. While scandinavian countries were getting influenced by eachother, most of Finnish photographers were isolated from the influence. Lengthy text explains the change of technology what allowed people to actually take camera with them and start shooting more difficult angles and close-ups etc. Dadaistic influences and rebellions against traditional ways.
There was 2 photographic societies in Finland at the time. Older one was swedish language only, and the attempt to to make it bi-langual was fucked up in so hostile confrontations that the old society decided to make it exclusively for the swedish speaking high class, and the Finnish speaking finns started this Kameraseura Ry. which is responsible for the book now with is their 25 year anniversary publication.
112 full size images printed in very warm b/w colors, depicting landscape, close-ups of nature, nudes, nature morte, urban life, country life... Some phenomenal images that should be a album cover, some just "ok" images. But the way it's most of all shot on old big format cameras with the old methods, creating very eerie, somewhat blurry, but atmospheric images.
Book was a showcase, which intention was to show "not only to our neighbor countries, but worlds across the seas" how Finland is right there with everybody else succeeding on field of newly invented artform. They have summaries in Swedish and English, but Finnish language articles are many times longer about our own country as well as whole art form in general.
A lot of people then... and maybe still now, don't really associate photography as such a artform as classic painting for example.
I'm sure book is impossible to find abroad, but for Finnish people, check out the dusty book shelves of the suffering 2nd hand bookstores that nobody cares. Their shelves might be filled with goodies nobody remembers to exists and don't care. I was talking with owner about old medical books and he said nobody cares, that he just throws them out in garbage. I bought one with shitloads of drawn medical images and anatomy for couple euros. Got free of charge finnish working class commie song book as bonus. Not a bad day.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Christine Kessler "Pervy Girls - Erotic Fashion Photography" book
Goliath
So, if you think of Skin Two and words like "pervy" and "erotic fashion",  I guess you might have already stopped reading the text, but lets see... it isn't as bad as one could think. Christine Kessler started in early 90's filming b/w photos of LA subcultures, and developed into what we can see here. Neat and clean colorful fetish fashion photographer. One can appreciate quality, and the lightning, and the set ups of many of the photos, but I feel highly disconnected from the culture of tattooed neat subculture girls in their fancy clothing. If you like what Skin Two is doing, and want to forget about club reports and stuff like that, this photobook is decent purchase.

Donna Ferrato "love & lust" book
Aperture
Only checking out who actually published this, Aperture instead of something like Goliath. You know you're getting something better. At least, that's what I feel. Black & white photoraphy from 70's to late 90's, focusing to much more real and filthier approach. Swingers clubs, sex show, fellatio, fucking, family portraits, pregnant women, some pretty experimental shots. Fags, lesbians, few minor "celebrities" a'la Annie Sprinkle. Some pretty funny things, some just grotesque,... basically life in general from perspective of... hmm.. Well, someone who was there, I suppose. You don't see any specific "girly" approach here, nor any specific agenda, I'd say. Or at least it doesn't jump into your face. Maybe some sort of showcase sexual freedom and all that. But simply as visual journey, the book is well worth of its price.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

GüNTER BLUM "Erotisches Tagebuch"
umschau/braus
This is compilation of artists Gunter Blum who was active from late 60's till .. well probably today. Book is published in 2000, so biography ends in 1999. All text is in german, so I have very little to check out other than the images. And what is it then? It is collection of color & b/w polaroid photos or erotic nature. Some simply stylish nude works, others more fetish oriented, and I have vague recollections I have seen some of these previously in some issues of european fetish magazines back in mid 90's. One can appreciate the quality of polaroid image. His works are actually rather advanced and I wonder how big differences there are with polaroid cameras? I have cheap one, and only used it for "substitute" CD front cover photo years ago. Image was originally of pretty old female, but the lenz just changed image to look very very different than situation actually was, and therefore was used for cover. These, you couldn't really tell if they are polaroid or not, only from square shape perhaps.
It's very limited amount of models, pretty neat settings and taking good care of lightning etc. With soft velvet like surface on cover, nice item to be on shelves for occasional browsing.

[Jaakko V.]

Speaking of polaroids and Taschen, The Polaroid Book is not bad at all for its price. Might be of interest to those with an obsession towards the format.

In existence for over 50 years, the Polaroid Corporation's photography collection is the greatest collection of Polaroid images in the world. Begun by Polaroid founder Edwin Land and photographer Ansel Adams, the collection now includes images by hundreds of photographers throughout the world and contains important pieces by artists such as David Hockney, Helmut Newton, Jeanloup Sieff, and Robert Rauschenberg. The Polaroid Book, a survey of this remarkable collection, pays tribute to a medium that defies the digital age and remains a favorite among artists for its quirky look and instantly gratifying, one-of-kind images.

• over 400 works from the Polaroid Collections
• essay by Polaroid`s Barbara Hitchcock illuminating the beginnings and history of the collection
• technical reference section featuring the various types of Polaroid cameras

[FreakAnimalFinland]

angelo cozzi "Innocence in the mirror"
William murrow company NYC, 1978
Have tried to look some information of this guy, but never really found anything relevant what would expand information give in this book. American edition goes back 30+ years and it says copyright to 77 for artists.
In opening text mr. Cozzi goes through thoughs of womanhood.. and then proceeds much longer text of girlhood. "The stress of growing up shows in the gangling body  and uncertain gestures; and the hard task of becoming a person is reflected in the worried eyes. With a mixture of excitement apprehension and amazement, every girl wonders what her new womanly body will bring her; standing in front of mirror asking herself questions is part of her essential narcissism, so necessary if she is to live and love to the full"
Images what Cozzi delivers are quite similar to dreamy and blurry images of David Hamilton, but perhaps less about the setting and enviroment and more about the girl in front of camera. Many fully clothed, many slightly less, but also full on nudity. Always very tasteful and artistic. Both color and b/w images are soft and grainy.
Cozzi is real professional. He had being doing photography since 1950, and was for example among very first foreigners who managed to go to document Hungary after uprise of 1959. Was in vietnam as photographer. Been filming olympic games and space shuttle launches, but when you look at this book, it seems like man went into totally selfish interests and passions and covers the pure innocence and beauty. Don't know if this was ever re-printed, and perhaps in times or modern hysteria concerning models like this, makes it hard. And perhaps also guarantees that item is pretty much unavailable for larger amount of viewers. For those who really need it, seems like Amazon and various other 2nd hand/collectors book sites have plenty available, often for, in my eyes, exaggerated prices.
I got this book almost purely by accident. While buying various books of FKK, nudism & nude art as lot, without knowing exactly what was coming, except that got good deal for few I knew I wanted.
I wonder is this is somehow exceptional famous or notorious character in Italy? Any italians know something?

[Andrew McIntosh]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2010/jul/06/kanaval-haiti-photography#/?picture=364606778&index=0

[Strömkarlen]

Ritter Verlags books on Wiener Aktionisten are great. The one I treasure the most is the Schwarzkogler one.



I have a friend who traded tourist crap about the Swedish ship Vasa for those books. Luckiest phone call he ever made to a publisher...

The Schwarzkogler book is still available from the publisher for 75 Euros http://www.ritterbooks.com/index.php?id=23&tx_ttnews[backPid]=5&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=26&cHash=f98bdd85f2&no_cache=1&sword_list

• =schwarzkogler and I actually think that the book is worth it. 200 Euro for the first Wiener Aktionisten book is a bit step though.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Some recent artbook reading:

BONDAGE FASHION A6/200 pages
It's tiny postcard size book from Japan from the early 90's. Nothing to do really with what "bondage fashion" brings to your mind. It's all about re-prints of classic bondage. Drawings, photos, etc..
Irwin Klaw, John Willie and many others of the time. Also pin up models and tihuania bible comics. Of course many things overlap with western publications of similar type, but we're talking about cheap (originally c. 8$) full color book, which includes some things in full color what western re-issues did only b/w. And some before unseen images. Hardly any text, so great browsing.

IIZAWA KOHTARO book A6/235 pages
Another similar, 10 years old publication from 2001. There was whole series by publisher, this book (name unknown, the title I have refers to.. I guess editor who collected it?) covers vintage photo art and classy fine-art photography, focusing mostly young females and girls. Including works of Sally Mann, Lucia Radochonska, sawatari hajime (now I regret not having guts to buy the re-issue of Alice book of him, due high price and not being able to browse what it actually was), Cecil Beaton (google for her name + "evacuated chilren"), Hans Bellmer,..... It has 1800's deformed people, midgets, dwarves, reprints of old photos/postcards from west and japan. Small and relative inexpensive way to get exposed to plenty of artists, very nice printing too.

[HongKongGoolagong]

http://www.atlaspress.co.uk/index.cgi?action=view_arkhive&number=7

- has given me a great deal of pleasure and inspiration over the last ten years.

[P-K]

went home with this:

Synopsis
The first hardcover part of the work consists of a series of polaroid pictures, taken in Dark Rooms and Sex clubs. Bruylant chooses not to depict the visitors in action, but focusses on the surroundings. We see parking lots, dressing rooms, staircases, walls,... The second poster edition portrays a more human angle, forming a surreel tableau vivant of the sex club underworld.

[P-K]

a collection of telephone booth hooker calling cards from '84 to '94

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Last summer, was walking around Stockholm. By accident, saw art book store. Went through the inventory, and this book by Miroslav Tichy immediately captured my eye. Heavy duty hardcover book with 3 blurry black'n'white photos pasted on the front. Had not heard about him at all. Browsed sample copy a bit, and was convinced this is what I need to have. Hesitated a bit due the price, yet then sacrificed some of the travel budget on it.

short bio:

After studying at the Academy of Arts in Prague, Miroslav Tichý (born 1926) withdrew to a life in isolation in his hometown of Kyjov, Moravia, Czech Republic In the late 1950s he quit painting and became a distinctive Diogenes-like figure. From the end of the 1960s he began to take photographs mainly of local women, in part with cameras he made by hand. He later mounted them on hand-made frames, added finishing touches in pencil, and thus moved them from photography in the direction of drawing. The result is works of strikingly unusual formal qualities, which disregard the rules of conventional photography. They constitute a large oeuvre of poetic, dreamlike views of feminine beauty in a small town under the Czechoslovak Communist régime.

His photographic work is obsessive with voyeuristic images of women, sometimes girls. Blurry, grainy, stained, damaged, scratched, cut & drawn on,... And this extensive collection exhibits several hundreds pieces of his works, scanned and printed in full size accurate replicas, including the hand made frames. Texts by various people, and also with more detailed history of his works and photos about his hand made equipment in his "studio".

Man was nearly unheard until few years ago, and all his photographic work dates several decades before it got published.

Tichy never did anything to promote his art. Tichy distroyed a large part of his work, mostly passively, by leaving it to time and dust (and rats), sometimes actively by burning it in his oven. As all artists he enjoyed the late fame, that has come since 2005 but only in a indirect way he would express his appreciation and approval for books, articals, films and exhibitions. He lived a life in isolation and did not travel. He never had a telephone and never gave interviews. He never visited his exhibitions. Now he is too old and too ill and does not wish to be disturbed anymore

For more information and sample photographs, visit:

http://www.tichyocean.com/

This huge collection book 1st edition is 2010, so I guess now is about the time to get it. I would bet than sooner or later it could be hard to find collectors item.

[XXX]

simply amazing. voyeur has always been an obsession, but have never heard of Miroslav Tichy. I will be buying this book.

[Hakaristi]

For a long time, Tichy was something between a charming oddity and a local bogeyman. He was frequently arrested for hanging around the local pool and snapping pictures of unsuspecting women.

Heh. Indeed, brilliant stuff!