Martin Parr's "Beach Therapy": A Solo Exhibition & Monograph @ Spazio Damiani In Bologna

Beach Therapy is the first solo exhibition in Italy based on the series of the same name by British photographer Martin Parr. During his long career as a photographer, Parr has always photographed on beaches, particularly in the UK. He has often used the beach as a laboratory to experiment with new cameras and techniques. So, for example, when he changed from black and white to medium-format colour in the early 1980s, his first major project was about New Brighton, a run-down seaside resort near Liverpool. In recent months, he has started exploring the beach with the aid of a telephoto lens. This lens is rarely used in the world of art and documentary photography so it is a challenge to find new ways of using it. Often, this involves incorporating the vegetation on the perimeter of the beach as a backdrop, both in and out of focus. Over his long career he has thus tried everything from a close-up macro lens, a medium-format wide-angled camera and, finally, this latest offering with the telephoto.

On the occasion of the exhibition, a major monograph entitled Beach Therapy was published by Damiani. The book is also available in a special Collector’s Edition of 90 copies that includes the book and a pigment print entitled St Ives, Cornwall, England, 2017 each numbered and signed by the artist. In addition, there is also an even more special Collector’s Edition of 20 copies. It comes with a fabric cover and 5 prints signed and numbered by the artist. After Think of Scotland, Beach Therapy is the second monograph by Martin Parr published by Damiani.

Beach Therapy is on view through February 8, 2019 at Spazio Damiani, Via dello Scalo 3/2 ABC 40131, Bologna. photographs courtesy Spazio Damiani

Shaniqwa Jarvis West Coast Book Launch And Signing @ Arcana

Shaniqwa Jarvis’ eponymous first book is now available at Arcana Books in Culver City. In this expansive monograph, Jarvis presents one hundred and sixty pages of editorial and personal work spanning two decades drawn from the photographer’s archive. This lovely hardbound volume published by Baque Creative features an introduction by photographer Ryan McGinley accompanied by a meticulous selection of pictures from her favorite personal series such as “Bathroom Portraits” - shot in the toilets of bars in the early 2000s - along with editorial work for clients like The Gap, The New York Times, Supreme, Billboard, and Riposte that includes portraits of SZA, Lee Scratch Perry, George Condo, Cardi B, and a few requisite selfies.
 
Ms. Jarvis’ work is known for blending the aesthetics of modern fashion photography with the sensitive, unfiltered emotion of art portraiture. In some of her best-loved imagery she captures vivid reality across a wide variety of subjects that always appear to be an extension of herself. The images speak to raw, disparate feelings imbued with a deep sparkling optimism. The photos in this collection are an invitation to join Jarvis on a journey to see the world from her vantage point - one that is female, black, tirelessly hardworking, and brimming with raucous, positive vibrations. These are images of celebrities who seem like best friends, vintage shots of downtown New York notables in their heyday, children, loved ones in all colors of the rainbow, and delicate landscapes and travel souvenirs. Here is sorrow and joy commingling in pictures, many of them highly autobiographical, all representing a progressive and optimistic world. photographs by Summer Bowie

Inside Marc Jacobs’ Incredible Party To Celebrate the Launch of Chris von Wangenheim's Gloss

Marc Jacobs threw a raucous party for the late Chris von Wangenheim's monograph, entitled Gloss, at his store across the street from Bookmarc in New York. The theme: ’70s glamour, excess, and gloss. A widely circulated invite called for “fur coats over lingerie, lip gloss, Jerry Hall side-swept hair, sequins, gold lame turbans, Patti Hearst symbionese liberation army gear, rogue, rollerina chic, sheer harem pants, mini skirts and muscular legs, platinum records as head gear, sequins, Grace Jones butch realness, Gloss-y skin, bleached eyebrows, slits, riding in on a white horse, sequins, sky high stilettos, mirrored aviators, metal mesh, cowl neckline halters, or eyes of Laura Mars chic. No flat shoes. No matte surfaces. No natural looks.” Click here to purchase the book.  photographs by Christian Högstedt

Doug Aitken's Station to Station Monograph Tells The Story of a Nomadic Cross-Country Cultural Happening

This illuminating new book tells the story of Doug Aitken's Station to Station project, a nomadic happening that crossed North America by train and continues to explore creativity in the modern landscape. Doug Aitken's Station to Station project is a high speed road trip through modern creativity. Over a 23-day period, the project crossed North America by train presenting a series of cultural interventions and site-specific happenings that took place in ten cities between New York and San Francisco. The train, designed as a moving, kinetic light sculpture, was at the center of it all, housing the constantly changing group of creative individuals and broadcasting experiences to a global audience. Over one hundred unique projects took place during the journey, created by today's leading contributors in contemporary art, music, literature, and culture. This volume presents the ideas that emerged from Station to Station. Stunning full-color illustrations and multiple conversations with Aitken onboard the train document the journey from East to West. Click here to purchase the book. 

A Thing of Beauty Is A Joy Forever: A Fascinating New Monograph Explores the Life and Work of Underrated British Designer James Irvine

A fascinating new monograph, published by Phaidon, explores the life and work of design legend James Irvine (1958–2013). Indeed, you may not know Irvine by name, but his designs have had a profound influence in the world of both home furnishing as well as technology – he has also had a profound impact on other designers. On top of a beautiful offering of unpublished sketches and images from Irvine’s archives, this new comprehensive tome also includes texts and narratives by contemporary designers who were friends and that worked closely with the iconoclastic designer. For instance, Jasper Morrison tells the story of going to school with Irvine at the Royal Academy of Art and learning of his move to Milan to work for Olivetti – there is also a story about Irvine falling out of a window naked in Barcelona. Another designer, Naoto Fukasawa talks about meeting one of Irvine’s chairs before actually meeting the man – and based on the lines of the chair having a prescient notion of the designer’s friendliness as a person. There is also a great dialogue between Marc Newson, who recently signed on as a design consultant for Apple, and design critic Francesca Picchi on Irvine’s contributions to Olivetti and Toshiba – namely a computer device that looks like an iPad, well before its invention.  From his early work with Ettore Sottsass’ “Associati” to his more mature works for Japanese home and office goods retailer Muji, like a USB powered desk fan or a simple aluminum pen case, this monograph may be the corner piece that helps complete  the jigsaw puzzle of contemporary commercial design. The book is available to purchase here. Follow Autre on Instagram for updates: @autremagazine