Art & Photography > Art

In this remarkable book, a record of a decade of private conversations with art critic Martin Gayford, David Hockney reveals via reflection, anecdote, passion and humour the fruits of his lifelong meditations on the problems and paradoxes of representing a three-dimensional world on a flat surface. These conversations are punctuated by wise and witty observations from both parties on numerous other artists, and enlivened by shrewd insights into the contrasting social and physical landscapes of California, where Hockney spent so man... read more

The history of ceramic art is ingrained in the history of mankind. Clay is one of the very first materials 'invented' by man. An essential part of our lives it has been moulded, thrown, glazed, decorated and fired for over 30,000 years in order to preserve and transport food and water. And it was on the surface of these early jugs, vases, dishes, plates, beakers and amphorae that man placed some of his first decorative markings. In more recent times clay has been used not just by artisans and potters, but also by artists, designers... read more

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Charley Harper was an American original. For more than six decades he painted colorful and graphic illustrations of nature, animals, insects and people alike, from his home studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, until he passed away in 2007, at the age of 84. Renowned New York-based designer Todd Oldham rediscovered Charley's work in 2001, and collaborated closely with him in the ensuing years; combing through his extensive archive to edit and design this stunning monograph. This new "mini" edition is a popularly priced, beautiful tribute to ... read more

In this sweeping collection of essays, Edmund Capon describes his lifelong fascination with art and the artists who, over centuries, have enlightened us and challenged the way we see the world. He shares his passion for topics as diverse as the art of China and the Renaissance Old Masters, talks of personal encounters with artists such as Henry Moore and Sidney Nolan, and tells the stories behind some of his controversial acquisitions as the long-time director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, including Cy Twombly's Three Stud... read more

Michelangelo and Leonardo lived five centuries ago, but their works still obsess our culture, with a popular and universal quality that nothing else matches. They have been equally revered and famous since their lifetimes, but our admiration for them exists mostly in isolation of each other. But in 1504 they competed with each other directly, to paint the walls of a room in Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. It is remarkable enough that the same city had produced two such geniuses in the same century -- let alone that they met and exhibit... read more

"The Tomb of an Unknown Craftsman" is of a treasure hoard from a distinct civilisation. The difference is that it is a civilisation of one. The territory it springs from is my imagination...The relationship between my personal themes and obsessions and the vastness of world culture as represented in the British Museum is like a narrow pilgrimage trail across an infinite plain. Grayson Perry's centrepiece to this fascinating journey is a major artwork: a metal tomb in the form of a ship, encrusted with reliefs and artistic cargo bas... read more

Vitruvian Man is the world's most famous drawing, by one of the world's most famous artists. The image - named after a Roman architect and engineer, Vitruvius - has become visual shorthand for artistic genius and scientific inquiry, and yet nobody knows anything about it. In Da Vinci's Ghost, critically acclaimed historian Toby Lester examines the forces that converged in 1490 to turn an idea that had been around for centuries into this iconic image, bringing the ghost of an unknown Leonardo da Vinci back to life. Rooted in little... read more

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With their bold flowering and fruiting spikes, banksias remain a favourite among artists and gardeners alike. A Banksia Album features over 90 stunning full-colour reproductions of watercolours, pencil and sepia-wash drawings, colour prints and early hand-coloured engravings and lithographs of banksias from the National Library of Australia's collections. A Banksia Album covers over two centuries of botanical illustration, from 1770 when the Endeavour's artist, Sydney Parkinson, was the first European to make drawings of banksias ... read more

This children's reference book tells the history of Australia through its iconic art. Ages 12+.

"Let's go see the Frida Kahlos." It seemed inconceivable that after decades of exhibitions, auctions, books, and movies, unpublished Frida Kahlo artwork could still be found anywhere, much less a shop in a converted textile factory. "Well, if you don't believe me just come along," replied her traveling companion. Levine, having recently relocated to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, could not resist and was soon en route to La Buhardilla Antiquarios (The Attic Antiques). Down an arched stone corridor in a small back room sat two woode... read more

In "Mess", Keri Smith, creator of "Wreck This Journal", asks readers to explore what it feels like to throw themselves off balance - on purpose. Smith dares readers to drop some kind of coloured liquid (ink, tea, coffee) onto a page from a good height (at least five feet); draw in the dark (or with eyes closed); creatively misspell words; paint a picture in a water-based medium (pen, marker, watercolour, etc) and leave it out during a rain or snowstorm; and, bury this book, then dig it up. This book is unlike any other you've encou... read more

At once a biography of an extraordinary 18th-century gentlewoman and a meditation on late-life creativity, this is a beautifully written tour de force from an acclaimed poet. Mary Granville Pendarves Delany (1700-1788) was the witty, beautiful and talented daughter of a minor branch of a powerful family. Married off at 16 to a 61-year-old drunken squire to improve the family fortunes, she was widowed by 25, and henceforth had a small stipend and a horror of marriage. She spurned many suitors over the next 20 years, including the po... read more

This tiny book reflects the scale of a new series of sculptures by world renowned artist Antony Gormley. Gormley's 'Memes' assume 33 different postures, each signifying a psychoanalytic state or position and invite a new engagement with the human form. A remarkable new contribution to the field of contemporary sculpture.

In this gorgeously illustrated book, join Betty Churcher on a personal tour of her most beloved works, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Goya, Manet, Velzquez, Courbet, Vermeer and Czanne. A trained artist, Betty's sketches reveal the secrets within the artworks and the processes of their creation. With the gift for making art accessible that characterised her popular television series, she gently leads your eye to these paintings' intimate details, describing their kinship with other masterpieces and their place in the history ... read more

The year 2012 is the centenary of the birth of Russell Drysdale, one of the greatest Australian painters of the twentieth century. This book celebrates his achievement as a draughtsman.

Ngaanyatjarra: Art of the Lands is a glorious illustrated book documenting the six art centres (Warakurna, Papulankutja, Tjarlirli, Kayili, Maruku and Tjanpi) that make up the Western Desert Mob group. This book combines the aesthetics of an art catalogue with the rigour of an academic art history, and contains both essays and stories of Aboriginal people's perspectives on their own artistic heritage. The Ngaanyatjarra Lands has a unique place in the art history and art story of remote Australia and yet art histories of the Western... read more

Modern Woman explores a watershed period of French history through drawings of women by major artists of the Belle Epoque. Modern Woman explores more than 90 drawings of women at the time of the Belle Epoque, a significant period of artistic and social change in France. Featured in this beautifully illustrated publication are drawings by some of the leading artists of the period - including Pierre Bonnard, Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Jean-Francois Millet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Auguste Rodin and He... read more