STRANDed

Since I had some guests in town this weekend, I was doing some slightly more "touristy" things with my time. Although I consider this store a real local treasure of New York, people from far and wide have heard its praises, so it often ends up in guidebooks and "must-see" lists for visitors.

The Strand bookstore has millions and millions of books (literally 18 miles!). The second floor is home to so many art books that I could spend weeks of my life drooling over the amazing photos, monographs, catalogues, writings, and texts... ahhh, Strand - I can't wait to go back this weekend!

The Americans

Last post I wrote about Cartier-Bresson's seminal work The Decisive Moment. This week I wanted to feature another photography book. Robert Frank's The Americans was the result of his 1955 U.S. road trip funded by a Guggenheim grant. Although he was friends with the likes of famous figures like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, Frank's work showcases a beautifully gritty, heartbreakingly unfair America.

The Decisive Moment

As an artist or an art enthusiast, I'm sure you will agree with me that sometimes the best art texts don't involve anything other than visual language. I have always held deep respect and reverence for the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. The French photographer was born in 1908 and gained international recognition when he covered the funeral of Ghandi.

In 1952, his book entitled Images à la sauvette (The Decisive Moment was the title of the English edition) was published. Drawing from a text by Cardinal de Retz, Cartier-Bresson wrote, "There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment". This idea of such a "decisive moment" would become synonymous with Cartier-Bresson and his work.

"Photography is not like painting," Cartier-Bresson told the Washington Post in 1957. "There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative," he said. "Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever."

The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge

Recent news about Christie’s, in collaboration with Pierre Bergé and Associates, announcing the second sale of Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Berge’s collection has me all in a tizzy. Nevertheless, just as I was unable to attend the first auction in person, there will be no way I will attend this upcoming auction in November.

So, as solace, I just placed my order for The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge, written by Robert Murphy and photographed by Ivan Terestchenko. The book beautifully catalogues the works that were auctioned off in the first sale, making this a great resource for great art.

I must be really gullible or something, but the book description just about had me jumping out of my pants with excitement:

The star pieces from fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent's art collection including works by Cezanne, Picasso, Mondrian and Matisse have been unveiled in the Grand Palais, Paris, ahead of what auctioneers have dubbed the art sale of the century. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge amassed the collection together before the designer’s death in June 2008. The works, which had adorned the pairs Paris flats, the Chateau Gabriel in Normandy and their home in Morocco, include antiquities, Old Master and 19th-century paintings and drawings, Art Deco pieces and European furniture and art. Now Pierre Berge has decided to sell the entire collection. It’s the end of an era and the sale has already excited enormous interest and speculation. This book shows, for the first time, the collection in situ in the pair’s homes. Although some pieces have been photographed separately in the past, they have never been photographed together, making this beautifully produced book the ultimate record of one of the 20th century's great collections.

Rogue's Gallery

When it comes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I think of a haven of well-curated exhibitions, quality art by quality artists, a place to cultivate culture - all in all, a do-gooder in the world of art. But then again, there’s the star-studded Met Gala accompanied with its notions of glamour and LOTS of money, and I have to rethink what the Met really is about.

Rogue’s Gallery by Michael Gross was especially enlightening when it comes to the capitalist aspect of the Met. Intriguing anecdotes throughout the book gives insight into the behind the scenes dirt in acquiring art and garnering publicity, thus presenting the interesting symbiosis of culture and cash.

Persepolis

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi is not just a comic book meant for children. Though the illustrations are in clean black and white, they are immensely powerful and beautiful in their sheer simplicity. On top of that is Satrapi's humorous yet mortifying autobiography, told through her eyes as a 10 year old.

For those unfamiliar with the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and the Iran-Iraq War, Persepolis will not only be an enjoyable read but also an educative one - it certainly was for me.

There's also a sequel - Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return.

The Sartorialist

Yes, the Sartorialist is now a book.  Pre-order your copy today.  For those of you who don’t know, the Sartorialist is a street style blog run by Scott Schuman that has gained a devoted following.  I, too, am an avid follower, and I am so excited about this.

This blog has received accolades, named as one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Design Influences.  The New York Times says “the bellwether American site that turned photo blogging into an art form.”

Kanye West says, “Scott doesn’t just take pictures, he captures emotion. He is not just a photographer. He’s a historian marking the feelings of this generation one photo at a time.”

Carine Roitfeld, editor of French Vogue, says, “During all the fashion weeks I am approached by many photographers, Scott is the only one who can ask me to cross the street for better light and I do it! I love his portraits.”

I can’t wait to get my hands on this book and flip through all the wonderful photographs.  To me, as much as I love following the Sartorialist online, nothing can compare when I can study the portraits up close in print.