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Central Nigerian Art Revisited. Mumuye and Surrounding Peoples

79.00

In 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

Floral Poetry in Normandy / Poésie florale en Normandie

45.00

Floral Poetry in Normandy features awe-inspiring floral designs made by Cédric Deshayes, photographed in scenic settings that are quintessential for the region in which he was born and now thrives: Normandy.

 

More than 50 meticulously crafted designs, using diverse techniques, are artfully presented across 35 picturesque sites scattered through- out the five departments of Normandy. Cédric, his team and photographer Jean François Lange, embarked on an incredible journey spanning all four seasons, seeking out prestigious and historically significant sites for his floral displays. From the grandeur of Rouen Cathedral and the architectural marvels of the Palais de la Béné- dictine to the majestic Château de Tilly and Château de Carrouges, from iconic towns like Êtretat and Honfleur to hidden gems like Cidrerie des Hauts-Vents, Bec-Hellouin Abbey, and not to forget the world-renowned Mont Saint-Michel.

 

This exceptional book captures the charm and history of Normandy and celebrates France’s cultural heritage in a way that is nothing less than breathtaking.

Haribana

39.90

The 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.

HOME MADE. Create, Produce, Live

29.95

What do we make at home?

 

At a time when working from home has almost become the norm, Home Made – Create, Produce, Live looks at how the professional and the private meet in the heart of the home. Bringing work back into the home is not a trivial matter: environmental issues, communal living, new urbanity and relocated production are all part of the challenge.

 

This book brings together a history of work that illuminates the present and contemporary designers whose projects reflect on a possible home for tomorrow. While some have utopian and poetic ideas about working from home, others take a more pragmatic approach. But all of them bring us back to questions that are as simple as they are dizzying: what is living? what is working? which are approached in this book from the perspective of a joyful creativity.

 

24 x 17 cm, soft cover with flaps

144 pages

Also available in French or Dutch edition

Ikebana. Opposites Attract

65.00

Our 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 Attractuses 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

Kazuhiro Sugimoto. Eternal Moment

39.90

Eternal Moment is testament to transient beauty. Within these pages, Kazuhiro Sugimoto seeks to immortalize the fleeting beauty of some of Earth’s most captivating flora – capturing the flowers’ essence, their vivid colors and delicate blooms in all their glory before they fade away. Every petal and stem lovingly crafted and each design executed with care and in minute detail.

As a Japanese flower designer, Sugimoto’s work incorporates the aesthetics and techniques of Japanese culture, emphasizing the importance of space and simplicity. His designs are striking and dramatic, yet achieved with minimal materials.

After a quarter of a century devoted to creating floral art, Kazuhiro Sugimoto for the first time compiled his most exquisite designs for the world to discover.

 

33 x 24,5 cm, hardcover

96 pages

Bilingual edition: English/Japanese

 

Leave the Light on

79.00

Leave the Light on is Annelore Desmet’s tribute to women. Her captivating images are like poetry without words, but their beauty goes beyond the pretty picture. Suggestive and mysterious, these photographs tell a compelling story of authenticity, seduction and feminine power.

Annelore Desmet knows better than anyone that beauty is more than skin deep. With her trusted camera and light as her sole ally, she manages to meticulously capture every model’s essence, uniqueness and energy.

For Annelore, photography is more than a craft. It is an intuitive journey wherein she completely surrenders to her instincts and embraces the moment. Or, as Henri Cartier-Bresson once said: It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.

 

38 x 26,7 cm

144 pages, hard back

Multilingual edition: Dutch / French / English

Les (Dés)habilleuses

29.95

For 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

My First Ikebana

29.95

My First Ikebana wants to foster a sustained interest in ikebana from childhood through to teenagers, and beyond. The step-by-step arrangements range from simple to complex, requiring different levels of motor skills and degrees of attention. As an individual develops, learns and grows, they will find arrangements for their specific level of development. Complex and more advanced arrangements have also been included to inspire older children and adults with creative ideas for their own ikebana arrangements.

Author and Sogetsu Ikebanist Louise Worner has an extensive background in education that has provided her with the knowledge and experience to create fun and creative ikebana arrangements for the young and old(er). As an Ikebana teacher she hopes that this book opens a gateway for nurturing the next generation of Ikebana artists, and will help children to reconnect with the natural world and become stewards of the environment in which they live.

 

28 x 21,5 cm
112 pages, soft cover
English edition

The Art of Flower Arranging . Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

39.95

For the past five years, the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire has been organising Quand fleurir est un art (The Art of Flower Arranging), a captivating event where renowned flower artists and designers from around the world unleash their creativity in the majestic rooms of the castle, creating stunning arrangements ranging from the most daring to the most classic.

 

The Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire’s previous (and last private) owners, the Prince and Princess de Broglie, were avid plant enthusiasts. They took pride in their impressive collections of orchids and exotic green plants, which earned them numerous awards in horticultural competitions during the Belle Époque. Today, the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire is committed to carrying on this rich legacy, inviting talented floral artists to showcase their artistry and expertise, creating a harmonious fusion of art and nature in the pursuit of beauty.

 

This book offers a nice overview of some of the best creations that were on view during the event. Discover some of the amazing designs made by renowned floral designers such as Makoto Azuma (J), Clarisse Béraud (F), Timo Bolte (D), Rudy Casati (I), Tomas De Bruyne (B), Sébastien Dossin (B), Frédéric Dupré (F), Max Hurtaud (B), Pascal Mutel (F), Julian Paris (F), Gilles Pothier, Charline Pritscaloff (F) and the École nationale des Fleuristes de Paris (F).

 

24,5 x 33 cm
128 pages, hard cover
Bilingual edition: English/French

The Beauty of Bruges

35.00

Bruges has many faces. Its proud towers, elegant stepped gables and charming squares were once the scene of bloodshed and intrigue, but also of budding romances and excessive wealth. Seduced by its illustrious past, Bruges attracts countless visitors who come to soak up the romance and atmosphere of yesteryear. Apart from the must-see sights like the Rozenhoedkaai, the Beguinage, the Minnewater and the Grote Markt, the city also boasts countless intimate corners, authentic squares and tranquil green oases that provide a retreat for those seeking some peace and quiet.

 

Through the lens of photographer Selina De Maeyer, the essence of Bruges comes to life. Her evocative photographs capture the city in all its bustling vibrancy, its occasional weariness, and even moments of wistfulness. They offer a poetic glimpse into the soul of the city and take us on a journey from the iconic hotspots to the hidden gems.

 

144 pages, hardcover
Multilingual edition: English, Dutch and French

Belgian Street Art Today

49.90

For 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

115.00

His 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

45.00

The 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

29.95

Everyone 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

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