“What Art Can Tell Us About Love” by Nick Trend, published by Laurence King
Written by Nick Trend, publisher Laurence King describes the new book as follows: “Whether in the throes of passion, enduring the pain of an unrequited love or basking in the joy of a wonderfully supportive friendship, this book explores how love influenced artists and the work they created.
Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photographs of more than 70 artworks, this guide looks at how artists have painted, sketched and modelled their lovers, and how the theme of love has found its way into an array of subjects – from landscapes to still-life and self-portraits.
“Boy With Paintings”, 1957–1959 by Peter Blake in “What Art Can Tell Us About Love”
Other artists include: Caravaggio, Georgia O’Keefe, Sarah Bernhardt, Picasso, Rembrandt, Frida Kahlo, Tamara de Lempicka, Clifford Prince-King, Chagall, Lotte Laserstein and Niki de Saint Phalle.
Due to be published on 13 March, What Art Can Tell Us About Love is a new and accessible way to understand art, through the passions that inspired the world’s greatest masterpieces.”
Sections in the book include Enduring Love, Serial Lovers, Soul Mates, Burning Passions, Secret Affairs, Love Triangles and Unrequited Love.
“Pauline Boty: British Pop Art’s Sole Sister” by Marc Kristal, published by Frances Lincoln. Photo by Lewis Morley.
“Pauline Boty: British Pop Art’s Sole Sister” by Marc Kristal will be published by Frances Lincoln on 19th October.
From the publisher’s website: “Pauline Boty (1938 –1966) was a founding member of the British Pop Art movement and one of its very few women. She attended London’s Royal College of Art at a watershed moment when its students included David Hockney, Peter Blake, R.B. Kitaj and Allen Jones. Dying tragically young at the age of 28, she is now seen as central to British Pop Art and an icon of Sixties culture.
As well as her work as an artist, she appeared on the stage, TV and in film (including alongside Michael Caine in Alfie) and was a regular contributor on BBC radio. She was photographed by David Bailey and other society photographers and became a key player in 1960s London’s golden age.
Outspoken, provocative and charismatic, she refused to accept the oppositions between sexual woman and serious artist, between celebration and critique, between high and low culture. Observer and participant, feminist and hedonist, subject and object, Boty’s ‘double vision’ was decades ahead of its time, and prefigured a diversity of artists—everyone from Cindy Sherman to Madonna.
Having been largely forgotten after her death, her reputation has been growing steadily since the rediscovery and exhibition of her works in the early 1990s. As well as cropping up regularly in various books, documentaries and newspaper articles since then, she features as a central character in Ali Smith’s novel Autumn (2016) and one of her works sold for $1.4m at auction in June 2022.
After seeing her work at an auction in 2013, author Marc Kristal has spent almost ten years researching her life, interviewing the people who knew her and delving into archives and libraries.”
Contents page from the book with at left a portrait of Boty by Lewis Morley taken in September 1963.
Marc Kristal is an author, screenwriter, filmmaker, editor, and journalist. He has authored, co-written or contributed to more than forty books, notably Re:Crafted: Interpretations of Craft in Contemporary Architecture and Interiors (2010), Immaterial World: Transparency in Architecture (2011), and The New Old House: Historic and Modern Architecture Combined (2017). His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Architectural Digest, Wallpaper, Metropolis, and Elle Décor.
He has also written films about contemporary and modern artists, notably Cindy Sherman and Mark Rothko. He is a two-time MacDowell fellow.
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Format: Hardback ISBN: 9780711287549 Dimensions: 9.65 x 7.48 in / 245 x 190 mm Pages: 256 Price: £25.00 / $40.00
“This is Tomorrow: Twentieth-century Britain and its Artists” by Michael Bird, published by Thames & Hudson
Pauline Boty features on the cover and within the new book This is Tomorrow: Twentieth-century Britain and its Artists by Michael Bird, published by Thames & Hudson.
The publisher’s website describes the book as “A compelling and lively history that examines the lives of British artists from the late-19th century to today” and has the following Overview:
“In This is Tomorrow Michael Bird takes a fresh look at the ‘long twentieth century’, from the closing years of Queen Victoria’s reign to the turn of the millennium, through the lens of the artists who lived and worked in this ever-changing Britain. Bird examines how the rhythms of change and adaptation in art became embedded in the collective consciousness of the nation and vividly evokes the personalities who populate and drive this story, looking beyond individual careers and historical moments to weave together interconnecting currents of change that flowed through London, Glasgow, Leeds, Cornwall, the Caribbean, New York, Moscow and Berlin.
From the American James McNeill Whistler’s defence of his new kind of modern art against the British art establishment in the latter half of the 19th century to the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson’s melting icebergs in London, he traverses the lives of the artists that have recorded, questioned and defined our times.
At the heart of this original book are the successive waves of displacement caused by global wars and persecution that conversely brought fresh ideas and new points of view to the British Isles; educational reforms opened new routes for young people from working-class backgrounds; movements of social change enabled the emergence of female artists and artists of colour; and the emergence of the mass media shaped modern modes of communication and culture. These are the ebbs and flows that Michael Bird teases out in this panoramic account of Britain and its artists in across the twentieth century.” . Further information is available here: [link]
About the author Michael Bird is a writer, broadcaster, and curator. His books include Artists’ Letters: Leonardo da Vinci to David Hockney, Studio Voices: Artand Life in 20th-Century Britain, and 100 Ideas That Changed Art. In addition, he has been the Goodison Fellow at the British Library, researching the Artists’ Lives archive.
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Format: Hardback [Ebook also available] ISBN 9780500024430 Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.3 cm Pages: 352 Illustrations: 81 Price: £30.00
“The Story of Art Without Men” by Katy Hessel, published by Hutchinson Heinemann
“The Story of Art Without Men Art” by Katy Hessel, a pioneering exploration of women artists from the past 500 years, is published by Hutchinson Heinemann and available now. The book includes a section entitled “Political Change and New Abstractions”, the Pop art chapter of which features Pauline Boty, Marisol, Evelyne Axell, Martha Rosler and others.
“In her new book, curator and art historian Katy Hessel challenges the canon as we know it and showcases the female and gender non-conformist artists who are so often excluded from the history books. Hessel shines a spotlight on the glittering paintings of Sofonisba Anguissola of the Renaissance, the radical work of Harriet Powers in the nineteenth-century US, the astonishing work of post-war artists in Latin America and the women artists defining art in the 2020s. From the Cornish coast to Manhattan, Nigeria to Japan, The Story of Art Without Men is the history of art as it’s never been told before.” [From Hutchinson Heinemann]
A spread from the book with left “The Only Blonde in the World”, 1963, and right “It’s a Man’s World I”, 1964, by Pauline Boty
To coincide with publication of the book, The Story of Art as it’s Still Being Written, is an exhibition at Victoria Miro, London, featuring artists from its final chapter. The exhibition will run from 8 September – 1 October 2022. Further information is available here: [link]
Katy is also conducting a series of book talks to discuss the work – further information available here: [link]
“It’s a long way before the balance is truly redressed but this is a good start.”Tracey Emin
“I was not aware how hungry I was for this book until I dropped everything and ate it from cover to cover. I was not aware how angry I was that this book did not exist until it existed. It’s an urgently needed, un-put-downable, joyful, insightful, glorious, perspective-shifting revision of the Story of Art.”Es Devlin
“Women artists currently make up just 1% of the National Gallery collection in London. This same museum only staged their first major solo exhibition by a historic female artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, in 2020, while 2023 will mark the first time the Royal Academy of Arts has ever hosted a solo exhibition by a woman in their main space.” Marina Abramović
A spread from the book showing part of its Timeline
About the author Katy Hessel is an art historian, broadcaster and curator dedicated to celebrating women artists from all over the world. In 2015, Katy founded the Instagram account @thegreatwomenartists, which has grown to almost 300,000 followers, and hosts a podcast of the same name with over 1.5 million listens. Katy has lectured at Tate, National Gallery, Christie’s and University of Cambridge; presented films for the BBC and Royal Academy; and collaborated with Dior on a podcast series featuring interviews with Tracey Emin and Judy Chicago. She lives in London and sits on the Board of Trustees at Charleston, the former home of the Bloomsbury Group.
Publisher: Hutchinson Heinemann Format: Hardback [Ebook and Audio Download also available] ISBN 9781529151145 Dimensions: 241mm x 32mm x 162mm Pages: 520 Price: £30.00
“Revisiting Modern British Art” edited by Jo Baring, published by Lund Humphries
“Revisiting Modern British Art”, edited by Jo Baring, accompanies exhibitions at The Higgins, Bedford (15th October 2022 – 16th April 2023) and The Lightbox (15th October 2022 – 8th January 2023) and is published by Lund Humphries on 10th October.
The book includes contributions by Harriet Baker, Elena Crippa, Aindrea Emelife, Laura Freeman, Alexandra Harris, Simon Martin, Hammad Nasar, James Purdon, James Rawlin, Natalie Rudd, James Russell and Laura Smith and alongside Boty features the work of artists including Paul Nash, Eric Ravilious, Eileen Agar, Ithell Colquhoun, Vanessa Bell, Francis Bacon, Barbara Hepworth, Margaret Mellis, Richard Hamilton and Kim Lim.
From the Lund Humphries website: “As the twenty-first century unfolds, notions of our cultural past and how our history has influenced our present shift almost daily. Within this, accepted artistic trajectories are being questioned and new connections made.
In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking publication, experts in their field address specific aspects of British art of the twentieth century. Presenting new perspectives on established narratives, subjects range from British Surrealism and the rise of corporate and private patronage, to nationality and British identity. Complemented by a range of striking images, this publication succeeds in showing the strength of the British artistic tradition while also encouraging the reader to rethink and explore the existing narrative.”
A spread from the book with left “Cover Girl” by Frank Bowling, 1963–4 and right “It’s a Man’s World II” by Pauline Boty, 1964–5
Jo Baring is a former Director of Christie’s and is currently Director of the Ingram Collection of Modern British and Contemporary Art. Jo is also the co-presenter and co-writer of the podcast, Sculpting Lives.
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd Format: Hardback ISBN 9781848225619 Dimensions: 260 x 210 mm Pages: 176 Illustrations: 100 colour and 10 b&w Price: £39.99
“Colours of Art: The Story of Art in 80 Palettes” by Chloë Ashby, published by Frances Lincoln
“Colours of Art: The Story of Art in 80 Palettes” by Chloë Ashby examines, in chronological order, 80 artworks and their palettes.
From the Quarto website: “Colour allows artists to express their individuality, evoke certain moods and portray positive or negative subliminal messages. And throughout history the greatest of artists have experimented with new pigments and new technologies to lead movements and deliver masterpieces. As something so cardinal, we sometimes forget how poignant colour palettes can be, and how much they can tell us.
Structured chronologically, ‘Colours of Art’ takes a fun, intelligent, visually engaging look at the greatest artistic palettes in history offering a refreshing and thoughtful primer for those who want to look at art through the ages from a different perspective. Spanning centuries and styles, from cave to contemporary art, Chloë Ashby invites you to navigate familiar and lesser-known works through a vibrant new lens.
‘When I was planning my chapters’ says Chloë, “some works came to me right away. Others, I discovered as I went along. This book isn’t definitive – how could it be, considering colour’s inexhaustible variety? Instead, it’s my attempt to capture and celebrate that variety on the page. Each artwork is accompanied by an infographic palette that’s intended to help you engage with the colours at play. My focus is on painting and colour is my jumping off point, but the art that does appear within these pages can be viewed through countless lenses.
The book’s Contents page
The story of art reads differently depending on where and when you’re doing the reading – this is just one version, told in 80 palettes. You can read it chronologically from start to finish, or you can dip in and out. Wherever you land, you’ll find yourself immersed in colour – rich, vital, chameleonic. For these pieces, colour is not only a tool (like a paintbrush or a canvas) but the fundamental secret to their success.’”
Chloë Ashby is a writer and editor. She studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and has written about art and culture for numerous publications.
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Format: Hardback ISBN 9780711258044 Dimensions: 245 mm x 190 mm Pages: 256 Price: £25.00
“Ready, Steady, Go! The Weekend Starts Here” by Andy Neill. Published by BMG Books.
“Ready, Steady, Go! The Weekend Starts Here” by Andy Neill has just been published by BMG Books. The 12″ x 12″ hardback comprises 272 pages with a UK retail price of £39.99.
Pauline Boty danced on the first show and was from then on a regular dancer with Derek Boshier. Both are mentioned in the book and Boshier’s 10th July 1964 dancer’s badge button is included among its illustrations.
From the BMG press release:
“Almost sixty years have passed since the first transmission of the most influential popular music programme in British television history. Ready, Steady, Go! began broadcasting on Friday, 9th August 1963 and became an essential television ritual for the newly confident British teenager. It provided a style bible – setting trends and becoming the barometer for popular culture. It epitomised the spirit of youthful optimism that gripped Britain in the mid- Sixties, reflected by the handpicked Mod audience who were an integral part of the programme. This was perfectly embodied by girl-next-door presenter Cathy McGowan whose shy, almost awkward demeanour directly connected her with the show’s target audience. It ran for three and a half years up to December 1966, its demise coinciding with the loss of pop’s innocence and the birth of the ‘rock industry.’ Within that time RSG! set a blueprint for music presentation and production on British television that resonated over the following decades and can still be felt today. It attracted and presented anyone who was anyone in popular music at the time: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and Otis Redding were just some of the important names that appeared. RSG! not only gave invaluable television promotion to these greats but also provided such then-unknowns as Rod Stewart, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Donovan, and Jimi Hendrix with their first small screen exposure. Ready, Steady, Go! broke through technical barriers. Young adventurous directors such as Michael Lindsay-Hogg experimented with camera techniques used in French nouvelle vague cinema. The sets that were designed each week by Nicholas Ferguson were consciously modelled on current mod fashions and op art (Hockney, Riley, Blake etc.) Ready, Steady, Go! has never been documented in full detail before – until now. Thanks to exclusive contributions and unseen photographs and memorabilia, author Andy Neill fully examines Ready, Steady, Go! from quintessential Swinging London accessory to its current iconic status as the most legendary popular music programme of all time.”
Pauline Boty 