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    Colossal’s Favorite Art Books of 2024

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    Colossal’s Favorite Art Books of 2024

    December 4, 2024

    ArtBooksPhotography

    Colossal

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    As we get ready to say goodbye to 2024, we’re celebrating some of our favorite books shared on Colossal throughout the year. We published dozens of articles about spectacular new monographs, photography, architecture, painting, science, history, and more. Peruse our top 10 below, and find many more in the Colossal Shop and on Bookshop.

    Shirin Neshat, “Land of Dreams” (2019), film still. © Shirin Neshat, courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and London

    The Women Who Changed Photography: And How to Master Their Techniques

    From bold black-and-white visages to masters of disguise, identity plays a vital role in many of the practices featured in The Women Who Changed Photography. The tome investigates the trailblazing practices of Lee Miller, Shirin Neshat, and many more, chronicling the individuals, aesthetics, and approaches that have shaped the field.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    Detail of Astrolin Color Card, Établissement Georget Fils Peintures Laquées et Vernis, Chantenay-Lès-Nantes (c. 1906). Image courtesy of Bibliothèque Forney, Paris

    Color Charts: A History

    From chemists’ plant-derived dyes to consumer paint swatches displayed at the hardware store, the history of color charts reflects a varied relationship between pigments, science, culture, and commerce. Anne Varichon explores the entwined evolution of this categorization through nearly 200 vibrant samples from the 15th century to modern day.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    The Art Book for Children

    Two decades ago, Phaidon published the first volume in The Art Book for Children series, which quickly became beloved by children and parents the world over. To share its legacy with a new generation of readers, this edition pairs a selection of “best of” artists from the original series with 30 brand-new contemporary entries.

    This year was a plentiful time for children’s art books, and we also enjoyed the informative narrative, I Am an Artist.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    Sacred Sites (Library of Esoterica)

    From ancient pyramids to subterranean labyrinths to mountaintop meccas, we have always been drawn to visiting or building sites that inspire reverence and awe. Sacred Sites celebrates how we traverse and transform the world around us through ritual and art. Compiled by Jessica Hundley, the volume surveys a remarkable array of places and artworks through more than 400 images centered around pilgrimage, performance, and devotion.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    Beth Moon, “Heart of the Dragon” (2010), archival pigment inks on cotton paper, 32 × 48 inches. Image © Beth Moon

    Tree: Exploring the Arboreal World

    Spanning 3,500 years of art, science, culture, and history, Tree: Exploring the Arboreal World surveys the awe-inspiring beauty and romance of trees. The volume includes more than 300 illustrations ranging from ancient wall paintings and botanical illustrations to captivating photography and multimedia work by today’s leading artists.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    Image © Ivan McClellan

    Eight Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture

    Eight Seconds comprises 118 images by Ivan McClellan, a Portland, Oregon-based photographer who’s spent nearly a decade documenting the lives, wins, and losses of the Black rodeo community from Alabama to Los Angeles. He offers an insider’s view, capturing the addictive energy of the sport and the rich sense of camaraderie it fosters.

    Available on Bookshop

    Camo

    Camo is the first publication to chronicle the work of Thandiwe Muriu, celebrating her vibrant portraits that combine cultural textiles and beauty ideologies. Muriu takes us on a colorful, reflective journey through her world as a woman living in modern Kenya as she reinterprets contemporary African portraiture.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    Cover of ‘Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined,’ featuring “Hidden Jacometto” (2019), from “Portrait of a Young Man” (1480s) by Jacometto Veneziano

    Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined

    This monograph gathers a quintessential selection of Volker Hermes’s works into one volume. Highlighting the artist’s wry commentary on luxury, social status, and fame, the selection delves into the history of portraiture through a humorous lens.

    Available on Bookshop

    Great Women Sculptors

    Presenting a more expansive and inclusive history of sculpture, Great Women Sculptors surveys the work of more than 300 trailblazing artists from more than 60 countries, spanning 500 years from the Renaissance to the present day.

    Available in the Colossal Shop

    Artwork by Christina Fong

    Art Is Art: Collaborating with Neurodiverse Artists at Creativity Explored

    Spurred by the belief that art changes lives, Florence and Elias Katz founded Creativity Explored in 1983, a San Francisco-based nonprofit studio and gallery designed for disabled, neurodivergent artists. More than 135 people currently participate in its programming, learning techniques across painting, drawing, clay, textiles, and more. In Art Is Art, Ann Kappes, Creativity Explored’s director of artist partnerships, celebrates the organization’s 40th anniversary through hundreds of artworks.

    Available on Bookshop

    Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      The Colossal Gift Guide is Here

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      The Colossal Gift Guide is Here

      November 22, 2024

      ArtBooksColossalCraft

      Jackie Andres

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      The season of giving has somehow officially arrived, and we’ve got you covered.

      The Colossal Gift Guide features a curated selection of gifts for all the unique individuals in your life. From dozens of art books and quirky puzzles to snack-shaped candles and a slew of crafting kits, there’s something perfect for everyone, from beloved grandkids to weird uncles and that co-worker whose name is definitely Shelly. No, Sarah.

      Grab a cup of tea and get cozy, because holiday shopping is about to get way more fun! ✨

      For the Earth Explorer

      We all know someone who has the adventure bug, dreaming of wandering the world while connecting with nature. Perhaps they’d enjoy Field Notes to record those mid-hike epiphanies, mini botanical puzzles to take along for the journey, or books celebrating the fleeting beauty of land art.

      For the Art Book Lover

      Give that artistic bibliophile in your life the ability to appreciate art in their own home. You can never go wrong with a great art book, and with our wide range from contemporary painting and activism to Keith Haring and Thandiwe Muriu, this selection is a solid place to start.

      For the Budding Artist

      For those just beginning to explore their creative side, one of the most important things they can receive is encouragement. Whether that be in the form of beginner-friendly projects, one-of-a-kind crayons, or inspiring books, there’s something here to kindle your young one’s artistic spark.

      For the Master Strategist

      Chances are, you know someone that thrives on strategic thinking, competition, and finding solutions. Our collection of meticulously-designed puzzles, themed playing cards, and game night essentials are great for those looking for a fun (and aesthetically pleasing) challenge.

      For the Homebody

      Cozy corners aren’t complete without the glow of a warm candle, a whiff of calming incense, and charming matchboxes to light them. As it cools down, these picks are perfect for those who love celebrating the joys of staying in.

      For the Stationery Geek

      Do you have someone in your life who gets over-enthusiastic about finding the perfect pen, excited about paper weight, and obsessive over workspace accessories? I do (it’s me). Our hand-picked stationery must-haves are perfect for daily organizers or office supply fanatics.

      Don’t forget: Colossal Members always receive 15% off in the shop, and from now until the holiday season is over, we’re offering free shipping on all U.S. orders over $150.

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      ‘Crafted Kinship’ Unravels the Creative Practices of 60 Carribbean Artists, Designers, and Makers

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      Morel Doucet. Photo by Alaric S. Campbell. All images excerpted from ‘Crafted Kinship’ by Malene Barnett and published by Artisan Books, © 2024, shared with permission

      ‘Crafted Kinship’ Unravels the Creative Practices of 60 Carribbean Artists, Designers, and Makers

      November 8, 2024

      ArtBooksSocial Issues

      Grace Ebert

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      A new book by Malene Barnett celebrates more than 60 artists, designers, and craftspeople whose work has been shaped by their Caribbean roots.Published by Artisan, Crafted Kinship: Inside the Creative Practices of Contemporary Black Caribbean Makers peers into a range of multi-faceted practices influenced by the diaspora. Whether drawing on connections to the land and memory or speaking to colonial histories and African origins, each creative shares insight into their practices, histories, and communities through insightful interviews.

      April Bey

      Several artists featured previously on Colossal have contributed their stories to the nearly 400-page tome. Firelei Báez, for example, discusses how her work strives to center the Caribbean within a global context by capturing traditions like Carnival or perfectly translating the way sunlight would filter through her grandmother’s backyard in the Dominican Republic.

      Similarly, Morel Doucet explains how foregrounding his Haitian identity has allowed him to tell his own story, rather than have others decide who or what his delicate, ceramic sculptures are about.

      Also included in the book are April Bey, who illuminates the relationship between opulence and thriving futures, and Sonya Clark, who unravels the Eurocentric distinction between art and craft. Barnett, too, is an artist and maker who shares glimpses into her studio and meticulous ceramic practices.

      Firelei Báez

      As a whole, Crafted Kinship focuses on the processes, considerations, and histories that go into a vast range of works, drawing connections between each element, maker, and their ancestral ties.

      Find your copy on Bookshop.

      Lavar Munroe

      Basil Watson

      Sonya Clark. Photo by Alaric S. Campbell

      Charmaine Watkiss

      April Bey. Photo by Alaric S. Campbell

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      In ‘Keep the Kid Alive,’ Arielle Bobb-Willis Reaches for Exuberance

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      New Jersey (2017). All images © Arielle Bobb-Willis, shared with permission

      In ‘Keep the Kid Alive,’ Arielle Bobb-Willis Reaches for Exuberance

      November 1, 2024

      ArtBooksPhotography

      Grace Ebert

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      Color, movement, and sweeping, expertly choreographed gestures permeate the works of Arielle Bobb-Willis. The Los Angeles-based photographer blurs the boundaries between art and fashion imagery, rejecting “the notion that Black expression is limited—or limiting.”

      A slim monograph collects 90 of Bobb-Willis’s photos, highlighting her distinctive eye and bold, conceptual compositions. Published by Aperture, Keep the Kid Alive positions observation and imagination as useful tools to inspire awe for the overlooked. Models dressed in bright, color-blocked garments pose in parks or alleyways, their joyful dances and chromatic clothing enriching the nondescript spaces.

      New Jersey (2017)

      Bobb-Willis first picked up a camera at 14 and through moves from New York to Aiken, South Carolina, to New Orleans, found the medium was both cathartic through chronic depression and loss and also an essential tool for developing her taste and confidence.

      “Photography is how I keep my inner child alive. Photography has taught me to fall in love with life,” she shares with Nicole Acheampong in an interview in the book, adding:

      I love finding unexpected rainbows, and sunshine and a beautiful green park and kids’ chalk drawings on the sidewalk and melted ice cream and butterflies and flowers and Black girls with bright-blue braids and sweet graffiti poetry! I keep my inner child alive by taking pictures of my every day. I’m always finding things that I’m so in love with. …Photography is, and will always be, a daily practice of falling in love with as many things as I can.

      Whether captured in a Los Angeles parking lot or against a purple wall in New Jersey, Bobb-Willis’s images are dynamic and vivid, drawing beauty and exuberance from unassuming spaces.

      Keep the Kid Alive is available on Bookshop, and you can find more from Bobb-Willis on her website and Instagram.

      New Orleans (2021)

      Los Angeles (2020)

      Williamsburg (2016)

      New Jersey (2018)

      New Orleans (2017)

      New Jersey (2019)

      New Jersey (2022)

      New Orleans (2016)

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      ‘The Artist’s Palette’ Is Your Guide to the Process Behind Great Paintings

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      Edvard Munch’s palette (undated), paint on wood, 17 x 11 1/2 inches. Courtesy of the Munch Museum, Oslo. Photo courtesy of Munchmuseet. All images courtesy of Thames & Hudson, shared with permission

      ‘The Artist’s Palette’ Is Your Guide to the Process Behind Great Paintings

      October 23, 2024

      ArtBooksHistory

      Kate Mothes

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      One could argue that every great painting produces two works of art: the canvas and the surface where the pigments are mixed. The Artist’s Palette, forthcoming from Princeton University Press on November 5, dives deep into a timeless studio tool, exploring the beauty of the process.

      Compiled by art historian and writer Alexandra Loske, the volume features fifty palettes used by art historical greats, from Edvard Munch to Paula Modersohn-Becker to Kerry James Marshall.

      Paula Modersohn-Becker’s last palette (1907), paint on wood and metal. Courtesy of the Freunde Worpswedes, Käseglocke Collection, and Worpswede Tourist Information Center. Photo by Rüdiger Lubricht

      Loske presents the physical palettes—dried paint, worn edges, well-exercised hinges, stained wood, and all—alongside one or more of each artist’s paintings. She also analyzes the mixture of pigments, highlighting color relationships that illuminate both the methods used and the choices that led to a finished work.

      Modersohn-Becker’s palette, for example, tells a poignant story of an artist at a turning point in her career, which was cut short when she died giving birth to her daughter. She left a studio full of new and unfinished work, perpetually locked in a moment of transition—a reminder of the ongoing evolution of an artist’s oeuvre and career.

      Marshall incorporates the motif into the paintings themselves, depicting Black artists holding symbolically oversized palettes and provoking questions about the role of color in Black history and Western art.

      From Impressionist virtuosos to modernist greats, The Artist’s Palette traces the stories behind many of art history’s most significant paintings. Pre-order your copy in the Colossal Shop.

      Gabriele Münter’s palette (undated), paint on wood, 17 x 13 inches. Courtesy of the Gabriele Münter and Johannes Eichner Foundation, Munich

      Winifred Nicholson’s palette (undated), oil on wood. Courtesy of a private collection. Photo © Trustees of Winifred Nicholson

      Reproduction of photo of Edvard Munch holding his palette, printed in “Der Querschnitt, Jahrg. 11” (1931)

      Edward Hopper’s palette (undated), oil on wood, 14 x 10 inches. Courtesy of Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center, Nyack, and The Sanborn-Hopper Family Archive. Photo by Dan Swindel

      John Singer Sargent’s palette (undated), oil on wood, 22 1/4 × 15 inches. Courtesy of Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo courtesy of President and Fellows of Harvard College

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      In ‘Hidden Portraits,’ Volker Hermes Reimagines Historical Figures in Overwhelming Frippery

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      “Hidden van Mierevelt IV” (2022), from “Portrait of a Man in a White Frill” (1620s) by Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt

      In ‘Hidden Portraits,’ Volker Hermes Reimagines Historical Figures in Overwhelming Frippery

      October 18, 2024

      ArtBooksHistory

      Kate Mothes

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      Engulfed in their own finery, the subjects of Volker Hermes’ portraits epitomize a bygone era. From the Italian High Renaissance to French Rococo, his digital reinterpretations playfully hide the faces of wealthy and aristocratic sitters.

      Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined, a new book forthcoming this month, gathers a quintessential selection of Hermes’ works into one volume. Highlighting the artist’s wry commentary on luxury, social status, and fame, the selection delves into the history of portraiture through a humorous lens.

      “Hidden Wright of Derby” (2023), from “Portrait of Dorothy Beridge, née Gladwin” (1777) by Joseph Wright of Derby

      Hermes expands upon the ornate silk gowns, brocade, and lace ruffs that characterized elite fashion through the centuries (previously). An enormous bow cocoons a woman in “Hidden Wright of Derby,” for example, elaborating on a portrait of a wealthy woman painted by Joseph Wright of Derby, now in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

      In striking profile, strings of pearls and a green, helmet-like hood envelop Bianca Maria Sforza, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, in “Hidden de Predis,” the 15th-century inspiration for which can be viewed at the National Gallery of Art.

      Explore more of Hermes’ work on his website, and snag a copy of Hidden Portraits on Bookshop.

      “Hidden de Predis” (2023), from “Portrait Bianca Maria Sforza” (1493-95) by the workshop of Ambrogio de Predis

      “Hidden Titian II” (2021), from “Portrait of a Man with a Quilted Sleeve” (1511) by Titian

      “Hidden de Bray” (2022), from “Portrait of a Young Woman” (1667) by Jan de Bray

      “Hidden Cornelius Johnson” (2023), from “Portrait of Thomas, 1st Baron Coventry” (1631) by Cornelius Johnson

      “Hidden de Keyser” (2019), from “Portrait of a Gentleman” (c. 1626) by Thomas de Keyser

      “Hidden Pourbus VIII” (2023), from “Portrait of a Nobleman” (1593) by Frans Pourbus the Younger

      “Hidden Anonymous (Munich Court Painter)” (2023), from “Portrait of a Young Lady” (1623), by an unknown artist

      Cover of ‘Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined,’ featuring “Hidden Jacometto” (2019), from “Portrait of a Young Man” (1480s) by Jacometto Veneziano

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      ‘The Women Who Changed Photography’ Chronicles 50 Trailblazing Artists

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      Shirin Neshat, “Land of Dreams” (2019), film still. © Shirin Neshat, courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and London. All images courtesy of Laurence King Publishing, shared with permission

      ‘The Women Who Changed Photography’ Chronicles 50 Trailblazing Artists

      October 16, 2024

      ArtBooksHistoryPhotography

      Kate Mothes

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      In 1929, sought-after New York fashion model Lee Miller moved to Paris to apprentice with surrealist photographer Man Ray, joining an influential circle of artists. She and Ray worked so closely together, in fact, that many of her photos have been erroneously attributed to him.

      Like many women, Miller’s work was often overshadowed by her male counterparts. A new book, The Women Who Changed Photography: And How to Master Their Techniques, marks Miller’s contribution to photography among 49 more groundbreaking artists who incorporated unique techniques blazed a trail for future generations.

      Cindy Sherman, “Untitled #577” (2016)

      From Zanele Muholi’s bold black-and-white visages to masters of disguise, like French surrealist Claude Cahun (1894-1954) and contemporary artist Cindy Sherman, identity plays a vital role in many of the practices featured.

      Iranian artist Shirin Neshat, for example, often delves into the complexities of womanhood within Islamic cultural and religious value systems. Pushpamala N. employs narrative and figuration in images that critique stereotypes of women in India.

      Released by Laurence King Publishing last month, The Women Who Changed Photography chronicles the individuals, aesthetics, and approaches that have shaped the field. Grab your copy on Bookshop.

      Pushpamala N., “Yogini F-24” (2000–2004) from Native Women of South India: Manners and Customs

      Claude Cahun, “Self Portrait (Holding Mask)” (undated)

      Julie Cockburn, “Feed the Birds (Women)” (2019)

      Shirin Neshat, “Rebellious Silence” (1994)

      Julia Margaret Cameron, portrait of Julia Jackson Duckworth (1846-1895)

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      An Expanded Edition of JR’s Monograph Recounts the Power of Socially Engaged Art

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      All images © JR, courtesy of Phaidon, shared with permission

      An Expanded Edition of JR’s Monograph Recounts the Power of Socially Engaged Art

      October 4, 2024

      ArtBooksSocial Issues

      Jackie Andres

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      Traveling to different regions across the globe, French artist JR envisions grand projects that call to humanitarian issues and collective action. At the forefront of his practice is a persistent query, rooted in a palpable yearning for change and strong belief in the power of art.

      JR: Can Art Change the World? chronicles the artist’s phenomenal range of participatory efforts, from mural-laden buildings to photographic installations to performance art. Originally published in 2015 and later updated in 2019, an even newer edition featuring a half-decade of JR’s latest works is slated for release by Phaidon later this month. The 2024 version includes a whopping 390 photos and illustrations, as well as a foreword by George Lucas.

      Among the four new chapters included in the expansion, you might recognize more recent projects such as “Tehachapi,” a poignant collection of murals focused on the lives of incarcerated individuals, and impressive optical illusions from the artist’s ongoing “Trompe l’œil” series.

      Pre-order JR: Can Art Change the World? in the Colossal Shop to be one of the first to page through the monograph.

      Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.

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      A New Book Chronicling the Artist-Designed Billboard Project For Freedoms Poses a Critical Question

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      JR, “Migrants, Mayra, Picnic across the border, Tecate, Mexico—U.S.A.” (2017). Salome, Arizona. Photo by Josh Haunschild

      A New Book Chronicling the Artist-Designed Billboard Project For Freedoms Poses a Critical Question

      September 18, 2024

      Art Books Social Issues

      Jackie Andres

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      Where do we go from here? At a point in history that feels so turbulent and unpredictable, this unresolved question sits at the forefront of many minds. For Freedoms, an artist-led organization channeling its efforts toward creative civic engagement and direct action, is set to release its first-ever monograph, fittingly named after the query.

      For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? is a comprehensive 340-page collection of more than 550 artist-designed billboards from the last seven years. You might notice some familiar names involved in the project, such as Hank Willis Thomas, JR, and Nari Ward. Whether it be a pair of eyes staring straight forward, an impactful question directed toward the viewer, or the simplicity of the word “human being” in Arabic, each design leaves its audience to reflect on the issue at hand.

      Marilyn Minter, “If Not Now When?” (2020). Boring, Oregon. Photo by Lincoln Barbour

      Popping up in different corners of the United States from rural areas to urban centers, the works tackle a multitude of societal challenges and humanitarian crises that require urgency and advocacy.

      In contrast to a billboard’s usual profit-driven, commercial function, the large-scale structures instead become poignant messages in line with For Freedoms’ overall mission. By spotlighting short but compelling phrases, powerful imagery, and clever placement, the public installations act as a force for widespread movement.

      For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? is slated for release on October 15, just before the 2024 election. Pre-order yours on Bookshop, and learn more on the organization’s website.

      Christine Sun Kim, “Words Shape Reality” (2018). Jefferson City, Missouri. Photo by Notley Hawkins

      Nari Ward, “Mass Action” (2016). Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Wyatt GalleryS

      Ross McDonnell, “DREAM” (2023). Los Angeles, California. Photo by Taisuke Yamada

      Hank Willis Thomas, “Who Taught You To Love?” (2020). Des Moines, Iowa. Photo by Jeff Scroggins More