Book Description

Is the language of computers going to become the lingua franca of the global information society? Under its heading Code - The Language of Our Time, this year's Ars Electronica, the annual festival for art, technology and society held in Linz, explores software and digital codes. This book is a documentation of the symposia, exhibitions, performances and interventions in public space with which artistic, scientific and socio-political contributions explore this topic at the Ars Electronica 2003. Edited by Gerfried Stocker and Christine Schöpf.~Essays by Peter J. Bentley, Erkki Huhtamo, Friedrich Kittler and Pierre Lévy. Hardcover, 6.75 x 9.5 in./400 pgs / 0 color 0 BW0 duotone 0 ~ Item D20405 ... Read more

Book Description

These days, trend-conscious tastemakers from Martha Stewart to the Pottery Barn are celebrating the art of the botanical specimen. Yet this art form has enjoyed popularity for centuries. This beautiful and lavishly illustrated book is the first to present botanical specimens, herbaria, and nature prints as artworks to be collected-and even created anew.

This engaging interpretation of the colorful history of plant collection traces its progress from a hazardous natural science on eighteenth-century explorations, to a fad among Victorian-era ladies and clergyman, to a keen pursuit for today's art collectors, garden enthusiasts, and crafters.

The Pressed Plant offers a thorough representation of four different art forms consisting of or created with actual plants: botanical specimens, in which parts of or entire plants are attached to archival paper; herbaria, or bound books holding a variety of plant specimens; nature prints, images made directly from plants; and sun prints, which are produced when a plant is placed on light-sensitive paper and exposed to the sun. A detailed appendix includes instructional material, sources for materials, and a collector's buying guide. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Pressed Plant
The author provides a well written history of plant preservation and pressing with summaries, comments, illustrations, and a comprehensive "how to" section. Anyone interested in pressed plant collecting should own this book.

Very impressive, clearly written, beautifully illustrated!
As an avid fan of leaves and wildflowers, with not a few pressed examples stuck in books and files, I was glad to find a book that celebrates all kinds of pressed plants, from ferns to seaweeds (!), as art. There's an amazing fossilized impression of a prehistoric plant, photos of Victorian botanists' carefully pressed samples, and sun prints done with photographic paper over a century ago. Plus a few modern artists' examples. This book proves that Mother Nature has been one of the best artists all along, and that we humans can have a sort of artistic partnership by preserving botanical specimens in one way or another. The wide array of images is mouth-watering; and the book can be used as a sort of tasting party to get you started on a new collection, or, using the how-to at the back of the book, a new hobby or art.

Gorgeous detail for pressing plants! Buy two!
For years I searched for a book that would direct me through the process of pressing ferns and other plants. This is it! This exquisite book is a treasure! The author shows the nature lover how to complete the process of preserving plants, just as the Victorians did. However, this wonderful hobby did not originate with the Victorians, they just renewed it with avid inspiration and volumes of renditons and renderings. This book takes the reader through the history of plant preservation, and shows the eager "artist" three different techniques for display: using the real thing, printing with paints and inks, and sun printing. This book is so wonderful, you may want to have two. The numerous copies of original and rare prints are so gorgeous, you may need an extra volume to "cheat" with: you know remove from the volume and, voila, inexpensive yet exquisite art!

Well written book that includes beautiful illustrations.
This book is excellent for the new plant collector. The writer takes you through the history of the pressed plant with well written summaries, comments, illustrations, and a wonderful "how to" section. Anyone interested in plant collecting (pressing and dried), should take a look at this beautiful book. ... Read more

Book Description

The Clayton Brothers' idiosyncratic paintings and constructions have won them acclaim as unique -- if twisted -- visual storytellers. Their art collaborations have been seen in movies such as Monkeybone, music videos for Oasis, and print campaigns for the X Games. The Most Special Day of My Life showcases some of their best projects, including Tim House, a 6' x 8' x 13' church/schoolhouse installment with bizarre portraits of people real and imagined clinging together inside. Designed to be sampled rather than read front to back, this sumptuously illustrated book tours the work, and minds, of two masters of postmodern art. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Incredible Art
This is an incredible collection of exremely excellent inspiring art. It is beautifully printed and designed. You can spend hours looking at the pictures and wondering what is going on in the artist's head or just making up your own stories.

Every Fan Of Low Brow Needs this book
This book is one of the finest art books I've ever purchased. The printing is excellent, the art is the best collection of the Clayton Brothers work that I've seen. The reading is insightful and well thought out. Even if you have never seen the Rob or Christian's work you still need this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Capturing the likeness of animals on paper is a rewarding challenge for any artist.Domesticated dogs, our most familiar furry friends, bring forth a unique blend of trials for artists trying to replicate their features accurately.The incredible range of breeds, colors, sizes and shapes is further enhanced by the never-ending poses each can assume, from sitting and sleeping to working and fighting. Each dog is, at best, an individual, and bringing forth those special aspects of each animal's character will make any artist's drawings come to life. Artist Melvyn Petterson offers advice for capturing the essence of these animals, both young and old, purebreds and mutts, along with tips for portraying their features accurately, drawing fur in different media, and mastering a range of poses. * A practical guide to capturing one's dog on paper, with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions * Covers all aspects of drawing dogs in different media, including charcoal, graphite pencil, watercolor pencils and oil pastels * Illustrated with an inspiring collection of dog drawings that will appeal to artists and animal lovers ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Guide to drawing dogs!!!
I have spent lots of money on "learn to draw" books that detailed simple sketches, practice drawings and lack of detail. I was looking for a book that focused on key features, expressions, detailed aspects such as fur, coats, faces and color. I am happy to say I found my book!
Although this book may not be for the beginner, for those who have some knowledge and experience of drawing and pencil shading it is a wonderful guide to drawing our beloved K-9s!
I highly recommend this book, it has gone beyond the expectations I had for it. ... Read more

Book Description

Of the work and ideas of Daniel J. Martinez, Peter Sellars has said: "He is one of the most important and articulate artists of his generation." This monograph documents projects from 1979-1995, including his controversial and thought-provoking public artworks. His cross-media cultural production is conceptual in its use of language and approach to photography, video, film, sculpture, installations, and performance. Writings by David Levi Strauss, Coco Fusco, Mary Jane Jacob, and Susan Otto. ... Read more

Book Description

Doug Aitken makes art at the edge of the world, with a kind of primitivism and ritualism unusual for video but mysteriously present in work that hovers at the edge where desert meets sea. Rise presents stills and installation shots from rise, the mirror, moving, these restless minds, 2-second separation, and i am in you, alongside an essay and interview with the artist.

Essays by Holm, Michael Juul; Kold, Anders; Tojner, Poul Erik

Paperback, 10.5 x 8.25 in. 48 pages, 55 color illustrations ... Read more

Book Description

Conceived as an installation in six consecutive sections, Mary Kelly's Post-Partum Document has been widely exhibited and intensely debated since its first scandalous appearance in the 1970s. Now, more than twenty years later, the Document's initial challenge to conceptual art and its impact on the emerging discourse of sexual difference have taken on a new significance. For many younger artists and critics, the republication of Kelly's artwork in book form will provide the opportunity to engage directly with the visual and intertextual strategies that spawned a generation of "thinking bad girls."

"Mary Kelly's Post-Partum Document, one of this century's most significant and influential artistic statements on identity, represents the ultimate merging of feminism and minimalist performativity. . . . It is an extraordinary work that is viscerally experienced rather than statically received."--Maurice Berger, New School for Social Research ... Read more

Book Description

A complete mosaic course in one book! Making Mosaics offers both the "basics" of the craft, as well as 15 attractive projects to create. The "Getting Started" section clearly outlines the materials and tools used in the projects, including vitreous glass and unglazed ceramic tiles, as well as how-to techniques for nipping tiles, prepping surfaces, laying tile and grouting. The 15 projects were designed to offer variety in style, materials, and skill level. Projects include: plaques, planters, tea trays, trivets, trinket boxes and more. Simple step-by-step instructions and large how-to photos ensure a crafter's success. Within each project, important details are shown with close-up photos for added clarity. Artist's tips provide professional guidance and alternative design ideas for most projects.
Highlights: Mosaic is an art form that can be enjoyed by the beginner as well as the serious professional. Projects appeal to all levels of ability, including easy starter pieces for those just learning the craft. Contains large step-by-step photos with added close-up shots of detailed techniques. Contains inspirational photos with alternative designs. Includes pattern templates for most projects. Includes a source list for products & supplies.
About the Author: Martin Cheek is an accomplished mosaic artist, author, and instructor. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Helped this beginner
A great beginners' book. Comprehensive, useful and well organised information. Enabled my 8 year old son and I to complete our first project and achieve a pleasing result. I particularly like the detailed guidance on basic techniques such as cutting. The projects start of simple and straightforward enough for the novice to be able to derive a sense of achievement from, and then increase in complexity.

I browsed several bookshops looking at books to help me get started, and have not regretted going with this one.

Doesn't WOW, but good for beginners
The colorful fish design on the cover of this book attracted me, but most of the projects don't particularly WOW me. The first few pages cover all the same basic introductory instructions that all other mosaic books do, though not extensively.

The good quality of this book is that it begins with a very simple project which uses a pre-made decorative wall tile as the centerpiece. You simply frame it with small mosaic pieces. This is a great project for trying one's hand at mosaic to get a feel for the craft. The projects become progressively more difficult, yet remain fairly simple, so it's a great way to learn, even though the projects may not be all that appealing. The cover's fish design for a plaque is actually one of the more difficult pieces because of its more complex tile layout. A mid-difficulty project includes a couple of mosaic-covered boxes that I find attractive and would make with color modifications.

There is a tabletop at the end of the book which I think would be prettier with a change of color choices, but I would never try it using the author's technique, which is to create the mosaic top, then put cement on the table and turn the table upside down and try to place it over the mosaic. The instructions say "try not to panic", but I'm afraid I would, worried that, unable to see the mosaic top, I might not get it centered, and end up with a huge mess. There has to be a better way to do that one.

Often the instructions refer you to look at the list of suppliers for materials, but the problem is the list doesn't tell you which suppliers carry which materials. You'd have to call every single one (21 of them) to find out which of the suggested materials they carry.

All in all, I would recommend this book for beginners. For others, keeping the book in your mosaic library can inspire some ideas, and I think the more ideas on hand, the better.

Making Mosaics: 15 Stylish Projects from Start to Finish
Having seen Martin Cheek's website, which contains an impressive and whimsical sampling of his own work, I was looking forward to a "projects" book by him. I am a bit disappointed. The projects are, for the most part, completely aesthetically unappealing to me. The level of the book is "beginner" (which I am), so initially I thought the images were overly simple in order to accommodate the reader's lack of expertise. At the same time, however, he suggests projects which would be out of the realm of most beginning mosaicists -- like making and firing your own decorative tiles, for instance. And although each project comes replete with a long list of necessary supplies, in some cases he never mentions any instructions for certain items on the list. Maybe his intermediate/advanced level books are better.

Great for Beginners
This is a good book for beginners (me). I did a bit of research on Martin Cheek, he has other books and they are all good choices. Unfortunately his classes are in the UK, a bit of a haul for US residents.

mosaics in a weekend
Surprisingly, the word 'mosaic' has no literal translation. Some scholars have suggested that it means 'crazy', which even if not absolutely accurate, seems to be entirely appropriate at times. Mosaic is certainly enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment. I have been running three-day mosaic courses for five years now and their popularity has grown as the public have slowly realised that they, too, can make beautiful mosaics for themselves. It never fails to amaze me that what appears at first glance to be such an inflexible material, can produce results that are so stylistically different and individual. The Italian master mosaicists had to train for many years before being allowed to tackle big public works. Understandably, they were (and still are) very secretive about their techniques. What they would think of a three-day mosaic course (or this book, which for some projects works on the principle that a weekend can be a 'long weekend' - three days) is not worth repeating , but the fact remains that wonderful things can be, and are achieved in this short space of time. So let's let the mosaics speak for themselves.

About The Projects In this Book.

The projects in this book have been chosen to show the wide range of styles, materials and techniques available to the modern mosaicist. Choose the projects that suit your temperament - it is unlikely that someone who feels drawn to the 'Gaudiesque' style of using great big chunks of broken pottery is also going to enjoy the painstaking work involved in nibbling fine detail for an intricate design. I strongly recommend that you read the chosen project through carefully before you start. There's nothing more maddening than to have to stop work because you have forgotten a vital piece of equipment. You will also notice that there are times when you will need to wait, say, for glue to dry. It is important to realise this before you begin a project, so that you don't get disappointed when you find you have to wait, for example, a whole week for cement to set. I have tried to choose projects that range from the simple, that can be achieved in a morning (For example the Trivet, page 00 and the Shell Number Plate, page 00) to the more advanced, that may take 3 days to complete (For example the Geometric Roman Paving Slab page 00). There are plenty of mosaics for internal and external settings. Mosaic has the added advantage of being able to be wiped clean, so you can hang it in your kitchen or bathroom if you wish. Other mosaics have been chosen simply because they make perfect gifts. ... Read more

Book Description

Exploring the untold stories of Hull-House arts programs in the 1920s and 1930s and the pottery program at the commercial Hull-House Kilns, Pots of Promise also addresses the story of Mexicans in Chicago and the history of Hull-House in the years when Jane Addams increasingly turned her attention beyond the settlement house she had co-founded.

This book is the first on the Hull-House Kilns; it examines Mexicans in the Hull-House colonia, Chicago's largest Mexican settlement. Pots of Promise includes 131 color and black-and-white photographs, many of them previously unpublished, and four essays: "Bringing Art to Life: The Practice of Art at Hull-House" by Peggy Glowacki; "Incorporating Reform and Religion: Mexican Immigrants, Hull-House, and the Church" by David A. Badillo; "Shaping Clay, Shaping Lives: The Hull-House Kilns" by Cheryl R. Ganz; and "Forging a Mexican National Identity in Chicago: Mexican Migrants and Hull-House" by Rick A. Lpez. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Enhanced with 131 color and b/w photographs
Pots Of Promise: Mexicans And Pottery At Hull-House 1920-40 is the result of the painstaking editorial efforts of Cherly R. Ganz (curator nd desingers of the "Pots of Promise: Mexicans, Reformers, and the Hull-House Kilns" exhibition for the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum) and Vicki L. Ruiz (Professor of History and Chicano/Latino studies, University of California - Irvine) to provide contemporary readers with an descritive survey and history of the pottery program at the commercial Hull-House Kilns during the 1920s and the 1930s with a particular emphasis on the Mexican communit in the Hull-House 'colonia" -- Chicago's largets Mexican settlement. Enhanced with 131 color and b/w photographs, as well as four informative essays; Pots Of Promise launches the Latinos in Chicago and the Midest" series from the University of Illinois Press and will prove to be a welcome addition to American Latino Studies and Art History Studies library collections and supplemental reading lists. ... Read more

Book Description

This unprecedented survey of the most outstanding ceramics being created today offers a sweeping close-up look at the work of more than 260 artists from more than thirty countries. A special feature of this collection is the range of work from China, almost unknown outside of this country until now. Organized by the distinctive categories of functional ceramics, figurative pieces, and installation works, the book gives a complete picture of the latest developments in each area of contemporary ceramic art. Chapters on materials, firing techniques, ethnic influences in design, and related topics delve into every aspect of ceramics creation that would be of interest to crafters, collectors, and other readers who are drawn to contemporary art. Stimulating essays by the author tie together the wide range of work shown in superbly detailed color photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent book!
Contemporary Ceramics by Susan Peterson, Professor Emeritus at Hunter College, is a survey of recent ceramic art showing the work of over 260 artists, each with full-color illustrations, artist statements and brief biographies. It is not a technique book or a history of ceramics edition. It is a stunning array of artistic talent using a variety of techniques showing new artists and directions of new ceramic art. My only suggestions for improvement would be (for future reference) to include how the artists mark their work. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Easy to understand with colourful illustrations
A perfect guide for roman mania interested in more than merely picture of its monumentum, this book contains colourful images of various types of ROMAN architecture scattered around its territory with plain explanation. And the book's hand-carry size makes your reading more confortable. ... Read more

Book Description

"The larger struggle we are witnessing today . . . [is] an ecological drama where the outcome rests not only on our realization that the natural physical environment is one and the same as our bodies, but that nature itself is a form of Mind." -- Bill Viola

Chosen to represent the United States at the 46th Venice Biennale, Bill Viola, a New York artist living on the West Coast, is recognized internationally for his work in video and sound installations. This book brings together a selection of essays, notebook entries, drawings, and descriptions of projects that map Viola's personal course through the readings, observations, experiments, and associations that form the groundwork for his art. Each work illustrated is accompanied by a description by the artist, as well as comments on the work's origins from the artist's notebooks. For the last 25 years, Viola has used innovative multimedia technologies to explore the phenomena of sense perception as a language of the body and avenue to self-knowledge, integrating many disciplines and philosophies to reveal contemporary art's relevance to the modern world. His views have deep roots in mysticism, poetry, philosophy, Eastern art, shamanism, Chinese Taoism, Sufism, and Zen Buddhism. Viola's chief concerns today are to draw attention to the upset ecological balance of nature by focusing on the connection between our inner and outer lives, on the conception of the self as part of the whole. Published in association with the Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London ... Read more

Reviews (2)

a brillant contemporary artist
Bill Viola is one of the most interesting artists working today. His work brilliantly blends technology and spirituality and this collection of his writings provides a glimpse into his thought process.

A brilliant artist and thinker
It is so refreshing to read what an artist's work is about from their own point of view, and not from a critic's. This book takes that a step further, by including sketches, a plethora of quotes, and facsimiles of Viola's legendary notebooks. Unlike most new media/video artists, Viola uses technology only to get beyond it, to provoke his audience to ponder the larger questions in life. He is an extraordinary thinker as well as a pioneering video artist. As an artist I find his writings -- and proof that he's an ordinary human being, with a messy notebook -- incredibly inspirational. The ideas in this book will keep you going for years. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good overview
roni horn has had a strong impact on contemporary photography . Her works incorporate the ideologies of many important movements of contemporary art which have been underrepresented in the fine art photgraphy world....this may be contested but i think that in the majority of the FA Photography there are extremely conservative currents, that run back to its stepchild role among the "truely" fine arts. Thankfully horn represents a challenging view for photography. ... Read more

Book Description

What is a pyxis? Who was the Amasis Painter? How did Greek vases get their distinctive black and orange colors? This richly illustrated book--the latest in the popular Looking At series--offers definitions and descriptions of these and many other Greek vase shapes, painters, and techniques encountered in museum exhibitions and publications on ancient Greek ceramics. Included is an essay on how to look at Greek vases and another on the conservation of ancient ceramics. These essays provide succinct explanations of the terms most frequently encountered by museum-goers. The concise definitions are divided into two sections, one on potters and painters and another on vase shapes and technical terms relating to the construction and decoration of the vases. Featuring numerous color illustrations of Greek vases, many from the Getty Museum's collection, Understanding Greek Vases is an indispensable guide for anyone wishing to obtain a greater understanding and enjoyment of Greek ceramics. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Lots of them out there just $20 for new!!!!
I agree that this is a very lovely book and it is well written with lots of useful information on the Yixing products.

Just be patient and as I was told a cheaper edition was coming out pretty soon.

If you live in the San Francisco bay area, you could just go to the nearby Chinatown or the bookstores, it costs less than $20 for a brand new one. I live in LA and saw many in the bookstore. For the paperback it is under $20, hardcover same as Amazon's price. If you don't bother to go, try selectbooks dot com. They have it for around $50. Good luck.

WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't find this book anywhere on the web!!!!!!!! It's such a lovely book, WHY DOESN'T ANY PLACE HAVE IT!!!!!!! Really dont understand how the business world is going...

Do you like Yixing teapots?
Interesting book but would be a mistake think it's just a collection of Yixing teapots'photos.
Author develops his ideas about an "affinity" between teas and "not glazed" teapots like Yixing's.
Some ideas are good some others arguable but this book worth a reading.

The beauty of this book......
This is a real stunner for anyone who has a penchant for YiXing teapots. When I received this lovely work as a Christmas gift, I was so stunned, I almost cried. Lim Kean Siew is obviously a great lover of these unique teapots and this book does a beautiful job of displaying that love. The photos are perfectly lit, show fine detail and make you really want each teapot! But, sorry, all of the teapots pictured are from his private collection. He does a nice job of describing his early tea experiences, his budding appreciation of YiXing teapots and the history of where they originated. I found the duel printing of his words in both english and chinese very welcome and helped to set the 'atmosphere' of this book. And, since you purchase one of these teapots for both use and artistic beauty, he displays gorgeous teapot images from his private collection with a recommendation of the precise tea best enjoyed in that teapot. While not all that useful (the recommendations), the photos are certainly stunning 'eye candy'. From the very first teapot pictured, I simply wanted to own each and every one. After his gallery of teapots he describes how to enjoy tea properly. He goes into enough detail to satisfy any YiXing teapot enthusist. My only complaints (if you can call them that): the teapots pictured are one of a kind so tea recommendations are not very helpful, the translation from Chinese to English could be a little bit better and I think the editor should have pared some of the rambling (the tests at the end maybe?). But, I assure you, this is a very nice book that would make a great conversation piece.

Exquisite presention
Beautifully produced volume with quality paper and superb photography of very numerous,well chosen Yixing teapots. The author explores the relationship of teas and how the taste is effected by specific teapots. Quite a revelation. One can return to it over and over. If drinking tea and viewing masterfully produced Yixing teapots are meaningful to you, this volume is a must. ... Read more

Book Description

Taking books like The Artist's Way a step further, this guideprovides a paint-and-paper approach to the quest for enhanced creativity and personal satisfaction.

Why do we need to create? Searching for the Artist Within challenges artists to answer this question through stimulating prompts and hands-on, artistic exercises. Designed to build confidence, develop artistic skills, and break through creative boundaries, this guide blends warm encouragement with inspiring visual examples and insights from dozens of accomplished artists. With this liberating, no-fear approach to painting, artists will discover new things about themselves, their art, and their will to create. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Searching for the Artist Within
This colorful beautifully illustrated book is full of inspiration, not only from Karlyn Holman, but from many other well-know artists, mostly from the Midwest. Each has a story to tell about his or her own experience as an artist and the path to finding their creative center. Along the way there are many wonderful insights into the creative process as well as how-tos for using new and intersting approaches to making art. Karlyn is predominantly a representational watercolorist, but the book moves into the areas of abstract composition, collage and other media as well. I found this book a jump start toward some new approaches in my own work and a feast for the eyes in its lovely illustrations.

Great addition to her first book
Karlyn has done it again. This book has
helped me to build my artist skills in other
water media techniques. It is filled with
inspiring ideas and step by step demonstrations.
Very well written and motivating. It has detailed
instructions of other artist and captivating
paintings to veiw of their work.

Especially recommended for watercolor painters
Searching For The Artist Within: An Inspirational And Visual Guide For Your Journey Through Watercolor by artist and teacher Karlyn Holman is a beautifully presented, full-color exhibition of a wide variety of remarkable watercolor paintings and painting styles. The reader is offered a wealth of "tips, tricks, and techniques" along with many snippets of advice from the original artists. Searching For The Artist Within is an engaging, inspirational volume especially recommended for watercolor painters of all skill experience levels.

I Love This Book
I've been trying to improve my drawing for quite a while...searching for a way to best express my view of the world. In Karlyn's first book, "Watercolor Fun and Free" I was particularly attracted to the on-location drawings. And now, in the second book, there is even more inspiration.

I tried Sara Muender's (one of the artists featured in the book) approach---blind contour drawing with a little "peeking" thrown in---and I feel as if a door has been opened to me. I've done more drawings in the past few days just for the fun of it...getting free of the "shoulds" and all the other baggage I've been carrying around regarding drawing.

Karlyn Holman's books and videos (I have 2 of each) have been so inspiring. More than once they have gotten me back on track to the fun and joy of watercolor painting.

This book contains tons (a very generous number of pages) of helpful and inspirational material, and Karlyn's energy and spirit simply flow out of her books and videos.

I recommend it wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Book Description

Photography, cinema, and video have irrevocably changed the ways in which we view and interpret images. Indeed, the mechanical reproduction of images was a central preoccupation of twentieth-century philosopher Walter Benjamin, who recognized that film would become a vehicle not only for the entertainment of the masses but also for consumerism and even communism and fascism. In this volume, experts in film studies and art history take up the debate, begun by Benjamin, about the power and scope of the image in a secular age. Part I aims to bring Benjamin's concerns to life in essays that evoke specific aspects and moments of the visual culture he would have known. Part II focuses on precise instances of friction within the traditional arts brought on by this century's changes in the value and mission of images. Part III goes straight to the image technologies themselves--photography, cinema, and video--to isolate distinctive features of the visual cultures they help constitute. As we advance into the postmodern era, in which images play an ever more central role in conveying perceptions and information, this anthology provides a crucial context for understanding the apparently irreversible shift from words to images that characterized the modernist period. It will be important reading for everyone in cultural studies, film and media studies, and art history. ... Read more