The plight of the rain forests of the Amazon basin is well known, yet the people who live there, and their decorative arts, are relatively anonymous. Arts of the Amazon, edited by art historian Barbara Braun with text by anthropologist Peter G. Roe, addresses this gap with a collection of 192 illustrations, most in color, displaying fine basketry, masks, ceramic sculpture and vibrant feather-work headdresses, armbands and more. (Thames & Hudson)
The belated onset of modernism might be the leitmotif of this compendium of brief histories of painting and sculpture in 20th-century Latin America, edited by the chair of New York University's fine arts department. While students of varied "isms" of our century will not be surprised by the imagery and attitudes of Latin American artists, they will be struck by the originality and regional shadings that reverberate throughout this volume. The work embraces every Hispanic tradition from that of North American Chicanos to work from the Argentine tip of South America, and each national tradition is independently surveyed, from usually desiccated academic beginnings to the postmodern present. As the quality of the national traditions varies, so do the individual considerations. Several of the essays are little more than recitations of basic art historical data, while others attempt a more subtle exploration of style, content, and context. Although it is lavishly illustrated, many of the cited artists' works are not reproduced. Nevertheless, the trove of some 300 fine color reproductions and compilation of otherwise hard-to-find information make this essential for collections concerned with the culture of Latin America.?
Robert Cahn, Fashion Inst. of Technology, New York
A firsthand survey of the most original graffiti scene to emerge in the past decade.
From the startlingly distinctive achievements of the internationally renowned twin-brother painters Os Gemeos to the visual powers of the ubiquitous daredevil Pichadores, Brazil's graffiti captivates with entirely fresh ideas, techniques, and messages. Whether one's taste is for the extraordinary creative extremes generated amid urban deprivation or for crafted murals at their most elaborate, Graffiti Brasil offers both stunning photography and in-depth history and insight.
Graffiti Brasil is the result of collaboration across three continents. Tristan Manco is from England, and is the author of the best-selling Stencil Graffiti and Street Logos. Caleb Neelon (SONIK) is an artist and writer from Boston, who has been traveling to and painting in Brazil since 1997. Ignacio Aronovich and Louise Chin are "Lost Art," and have for many years documented the streets of Brazil from their home city of São Paulo.
With graffiti worldwide becoming more homogenized, this book is a reminder of the strengths of creative independence and the rich fruits of cultural diversity. 440 color illustrations.
About the Author
Tristan Manco is the author of the best-selling Stencil Graffiti and Street Logos. Caleb Neelon (SONIK) is an artist and writer from Boston, who has been traveling to and painting in Brazil since 1997. Ignacio Aronovich and Louise Chin are "Lost Art," and have for many years documented the streets of Brazil from their home city of São Paulo.
