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Central Nigerian Art Revisited. Mumuye and Surrounding Peoples
€75.00In previous studies, Jan Strybol pointed out that – contrary to popular belief – sculpture flourished in northern Nigeria. Wood sculptures could be found just about everywhere, with the exception of part of the Far North. In this study, the author first examines the sculptural traditions of a number of peoples in central Nigeria, more specifically from the Jos Plateau and from the Middle Benue Valley to the source area of the Taraba River. These peoples can be described as non-centralised communities where art was mainly produced in perishable materials by part-time artists, in contrast to the centralised empires in the South (Ife, Benin) where full-time specialist sculptors created complex artefacts in durable materials (stone, bronze, iron).
Perhaps the most familiar ethnic group in the Central Benue region to lovers of African art are the Mumuye. Since the end of the last century, as a result of the advance of world religions, the traditional rites of the Mumuye have rapidly disappeared and with them the Mumuye sculptural tradition so much admired in Europe and America.
In addition to wood sculpture, Jan Strybol also pays attention to objects in bronze, iron, terracotta and other materials. These art forms have been very underexposed until now and have almost completely vanished. Finally, the author also delves into the artistic achievements of some little-known remnant groups within the Mumuye territory, which can boast of a rich art tradition.
28 x 21 cm
192 p, hardback
Also available in French: 978-90-5856-693-5
Les (Dés)habilleuses
€29.95For Les (Dés)Habilleuses, photographer Eva Rossie was inspired by gender roles and Laarne Castle. The former inhabitants of the castle are visually explored, room by room, through her own lens of the female gaze. The dresser is the main character. Because of her rather intimate position, she used to hear and see everything. There lies a contradiction within the dresser: she was like a panoptic secret camera, but she found herself in a vulnerable position at the same time. Rossie plays with the disparity between those who cover and reveal, those who see and hear everything, those who are kept small, and those who refuse the confinement of their shackles. Rossie’s characters invite a contemporary view on gender, without losing sight of history, since it is precisely what has been that serves as a starting point in the search for an alternative, contemporary view of what people can be. Presented to you are layered pictures like film stills with a vulnerable edge.
30 x 24 cm
112 p, soft cover
Bilingual edition: Dutch / English
Ikebana. Opposites Attract
€65.00Our world is built upon the fusion of opposites going back and forth until they harmonise. Like the poles of a magnet, these antithetical concepts define each other and cannot exist without each other. Contrasts, opposites and differences keep life interesting – even though keeping a balance between two opposing forces is often difficult, especially when we understand that one cannot be achieved without experiencing the other.
Floral design, Ikebana in particular, is often a balancing act in itself. Ikebana pieces strive for harmony between straight and curved lines, a right balance between taking away and adding elements, between adhering to the rules and breaking them.
Opposites Attract uses the idea of opposition and contrast as a starting point. Starting from an antonym pair, more than 150 international ikebanists created inspiring and powerful arrangements expressing two opposing feelings and concepts. The multifaceted ways in which these contrasts were given shape, attest to the creativity and ingenuity of our artists and the sheer versatility of Ikebana.
29 x 24 cm
256 p, hard cover
English edition
Haribana
€39.90The Haribana style was created in May 2020 in the mid of the global pandemic when the supply of fresh flowers and other materials was limited in Singapore. Used to making flamboyant designs with an abundance of flowers, the material shortage forced floral designer Harijanto Setiawan to drastically rethink his design style and to come up with a fresh way to create high-quality and impactful designs using the least number of materials as possible. One could argue that the pandemic was a blessing in disguise for Harijanto, as it rekindled his passion for floristry and allowed him to reinvent himself and show another aspect of his personality as a designer – away from the extravagance everyone was used to. It allowed him to go back to his roots as an architect. While Harijanto’s imagination was still limitless, the realization of his ideas had to be within the reality of the pandemic. A grass leaf and a single flower are enough to create a Haribana piece, a highly architectural design statement with a single flower as focal point.
Belgian Street Art Today
€49.90For the very first time an overview is published featuring the works of Belgium’s finest street art and graffiti artists. Belgian Street Art Today contains a selection of works made by fifty selected artists, such as Roa, Djoels, Dzia, Jaune, Mata One, 2 Dirty, Bué The Warrior, Joachim, Zenith…
Some of these artists are working around the globe and have received international acclaim; a few of them are even represented by prestigious art galleries abroad.
The selection is preceded by a brief history of street art and a never-before-published comprehensive overview of street art projects and street art and graffiti walks in Belgium. Therefore this book is a must-have for art lovers looking for insider tips and unique experiences.
For more than two years, photographer Vincent Willems crisscrossed Belgium in search of the most spectacular interventions and murals, a passion culminating in this stunning book.
26 x 21 cm
240 pages, hardback
English texts
L’Art de vivre en Provence. Arles, Les Alpilles & La Camargue
€115.00His search for top culinary addresses brought photographer Henk van Cauwenbergh to the region that thrilled him more than 30 years ago. During the unforgettable years working alongside the famous fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, he lost his heart to Provence. Henk van Cauwenbergh shows us the pure and unspoilt Camargue, the romantic landscape of the Alpilles, the whimsical beauty of the rock formations of Les Baux and, last but not least, Arles, that beautiful historical art city that has so much to offer.
44 x 31 cm
176 pages, hard back
Texts in English and French
Les / The Tshokwe
€45.00The Tshokwe are a major people of Central Africa who have been present for six centuries on the borders of Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their structured social organization gave them a military and commercial advantage.
Thanks to this dominant position, they have developed an artistic heritage which gradually became their main identity factor.
Today, there are two million Tshokwe, half of whom reside in Congo DRC. The people continue to assert their desire to exist through their culture. And the power of their art is internationally recognized.
This reference work allows us to discover the daily life of the Tshokwe but also their crafts, the symbolism of their masks, the power of their rites and the fervor of their popular festivals. It makes us understand how their attachment to tradition helps them to chart a course for the future.
Author Angelo Turconi has spent over fifty years photographing the artworks, culture and traditions of the DRC.
192 pagina’s
33,5 x 24 cm, hard cover
Extended Family
€29.95Everyone who sends in a photo is accepted into my Extended Family. For this endless series I ignore the basic principles of the portrait.
Instead of depicting the recognisable face of just one person, I present the concept of ‘open identity’. I consider love, dependence and
identity with new eyes via African philosophy, Spinoza, Picasso, Thomas Hirschhorn and many others. (Aäron Willem)
Extended Family is an ode to human complexity, from an artist with a significant background in philosophy.
With text by the curator Hans Martens, the philosopher Valérie De Prycker and the artists Anyuta Wiazemsky Snauwaert and Ben Benaouisse.
27,2 x 20,7 cm
128 pagina’s, hard cover
All Belgian Whiskies
€24.95Belgium has all the assets to become a true whisky country. The knowledge required to make whisky is readily available, thanks in part to our centuries-old culture of beer and jenever. A number of Belgian jenever distilleries and breweries have been experimenting with whisky for quite some time, but the concept of ‘Belgian whisky’ only really took off in the recent past. Every year new initiatives arise and time after time the announced releases are sold out in no time. Belgian whisky is appreciated, has become a sought-after collector’s item and regularly wins gold and silver at international competitions.
For the first time, an overview of Belgian whiskies and whisky houses is published in book form.
An indispensable reference work for collectors and whisky lovers alike.
edition:
152 p
hard cover
24 x 17 cm
Multilingual edition: English, Dutch, French
Triënnale Brugge 2021: TraumA
€29.95With TraumA, the Triennial of Bruges dives into the ‘uncanny’ history and reality of Bruges. Historical layers are exposed, forgotten or hidden storylines discussed. This edition explores the thin line between dream and trauma, between paradise and hell. It appeals to the imagination, to the pomp and circumstance, but also to the ‘uncanny’ that is present underground. For although Bruges seems to be a dream destination for many, poverty, loneliness, pollution or fear also lurk in this picture-perfect world.
Triennial Bruges 2021: TraumA uses artistic and architectural interventions to bring the less attractive aspects to the surface and make them part of the city’s image. It creates a polyphonic discourse, where there is room for imagination, beauty, darkness and complexity. A space where artists and architects can explore both the stage and the dusty wings. Triennial Bruges 2021: TraumA balances between the present and the hidden. With a course of sculptural, architectural and organic creations, it is a celebration of the versatility and mobility of this city.
Between private and public.
Between dream and nightmare.
176 p
hard cover
27 x 20 cm
Bilingual edition: English/Dutch
International Floral Art 2021-’22
€59.90International Floral Art 2021/2022 is the result of a careful selection of top works from hundreds of world-renowned floral artists. The book is a unique source of inspiration, a sumptuous ode to nature and the boundlessness of human creativity.
More than 130 floral designers let their imagination run wild and explore the limits of craftsmanship to let us enjoy the unexpected. Both established floral artists and the new generation of top florists will amaze and seduce with spectacular creations that bear witness to a strong artistic vision, great craftsmanship and an unbridled fantasy.
International Floral Art 2021/2022, the ninth volume in the series, has once again become a collector’s item, a beautiful coffee-table book with more than 240 designs that fire the imagination.