Books We Wouldn't Steal pt. 2
It's been great to see the massive coffee table books coming out with hundreds of artists and works highlighting the various subsections of our various subcultures. But we also always love the more personal publications by single artists, not to mention knowing that by purchasing these books we support the artists directly. Starting with a few Italian artists and another friend whose work we love here are a few of our favorites that you'll recognize from our past Book Clubs and some you may not know by the likes of Blu, Rekal/Dem, Erica Il Cane, and Maya Hayuk.
BLU 2004-2007 - This book is a retrospective of many sketches and a selection of the insane murals that Blu has painted over the the 3 year period. Jaw-dropping as we already knew it would be although it doesn't provide much more insight about the artist than most already know.
160 page, Hardcover
80 pages of drawings printed on recycled paper and 80 pages of murals printed on white paper.
Available at www.studiocromie.org - Price 24 €
image taken from ekosystem.org
25 DRAWINGS BY Davide Zucco/Rekal and Dem - 25 Drawings is a split book of drawings by Davide Zucco/Rekal and Dem. Open up the book from either side and you'll get treated to 25 drawings of one artist or the other. At the halfway point there's a 2 page collaboration then if you slip off the cover sheet you'll find a gorgeous collaborative drawing you can hang on your wall or leave on the book to keep it protected, up to you.
25 Drawings is printed with brown ink on white recycled paper.
It's 17x24 cm.
Available at modoinfoshop.com - Price 5 €
IL BUIO By Erica Il Cane - This is more a print portfolio than a book in that each of the 20 pages is actually a drawing by the artist that has been handprinted in white on 400gms black Fedrigoni paper. It is available in a very limited edition of 100 copies, each signed and numbered by the artist.
It is published by and available at www.studiocromie.org - Price 650 €.
You can flip through the whole book by clicking here
JUST GOOD VIBES By Maya Hayuk - "I love a book that’s been made for the love of books, and this is clearly one of them. Even the fly-leafs are carefully stained with colour try-outs, as if the artist herself customized each copy of the publication."
"That said, I’m not a real fan of the new age front cover but more of the back one, which showcases Hayuk’s figurative style instead of the abstract one. The combination of both art styles works really well on the insides however, combining the brightest of colours and a slightly-off symmetry with installation photos and “see-through” pages. Drawings and paintings where nature and culture are intertwined and ancient traditions and messages hide behind Indian symbols are assembled by amazing linework where figures replace their faces with greatly detailed hair. The Savath & Savalas cover art stays my all-time favourite, but this is an artist whose work is so diverse and split into two completely different worlds that it works best when both overlap a little into Hayuk’s personal gypsy rainbow child-like universe." - Review by Ephameron
“Just Good Vibes” by Maya Hayuk, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9790862-4-3, 96p, 16x21.5 cm, full colour content and hardback cover for $19.95 on www.gingkopress.com.
