Paul Bonet (1889- 1971) was one of the most celebrated French binding and book cover designers. His bookbinding career started as merely a hobby, and he was initially a modeler of wooden fashion mannequins until his friend asked him to design the cover for his book collection. This was a breaking point for Bonet, and […]
Berenice Abbot was an American photographer, and a central bridge between the cultural, photographic and artistic hubs of New York and Paris. She made vital connections with Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray, who were both crucial leaders of the American avant-garde movement, and in 1921 she moved to Paris and became Man Ray’s assistant. After […]
Almost everyone in the English-speaking world can say that they have heard the phrase “never judge a book by its cover” at one point or another. But looking through the history of book covers and the art of book design, this phrase falls short and renders itself as false. For hundreds of years, the book […]
Looking at Andy Warhol’s work over the years, one must realize his play with both still and living subjects for his art, and his vehement contribution to nature morte and still life. The former portrays the essentiality of a given moment, since it takes organic objects (such as fruits), that would otherwise decay, and immortalizes […]
Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer is one of the most famous and celebrated artists of the Baroque period. Vermeer is known for his depictions of domestic scenes and imagery of the middle class in the Netherlands, which was a country of great influence and inspiration for him, both in the typical Dutch domestic subjects of his […]
Flemish artist Clara Peeters was a pioneer for female still life painters in the 17th century, despite restrictions on women’s access to artistic training and membership in guilds. She was known for her meticulous brushwork and her ability to capture the precise textures of objects. She worked both in the Spanish Netherlands and the Dutch […]
Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin was a French painter from the 18th century. He is considered the polymath of still life (nature morte), and is also greatly regarded for his paintings which depict mundane domestic lives and activities. His work is characterized by his balanced compositions, granular impasto, and an artistic chiaroscuro. The fulcrum of his was interior […]
Yoko Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, musician, and human rights activist. Her work encompasses performance art, filmmaking, and design, and is in both English and Japanese. Ono is also the second wife and widow of renowned musician John Lenon; the couple did several performances promoting peace and human rights. Despite her inevitable connection with […]
Montero Lamar Hill, known by his stage name Lil Nas X, is an American rapper and singer. A black homosexual, Lil Nas puts his identity on a pedestal, embraces his uniqueness and minority status, thus inspiring African Americans and the LGBTQ community alike. His fashion pieces and artistic visuals include bold colors and patterns, and […]
Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk Guðmundsdóttir is an idol of quirky, avant-garde, electronic music, fashion, and visual representation. Björk is a grand influence for artists and designers alike, and uses graphic design to manifest her artistic vision. In every single album that Björk has released, she enters a new world; her visual world coincides with the realm […]