Being an artist takes a lot of talent, hard work, knowledge and skills. Most artists constantly make efforts to improve their work and win recognition and praise around the world. They try out new techniques, experiment with novel methods, and study the work of other artists.
Fortunately, there are many books that showcase artwork that can be quite useful for aspiring artists, but also very interesting to any person who is a fan of art. Here are some of the most popular art books from 2018 that you should consider reading if you are an art enthusiast.
Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future edited by Tracey Bashkoff
This is a book about fascinating Swedish artist Hilma af Klint, who is considered the pioneer of abstract art. Af Klint created over 1000 paintings, but she kept them secret during her life as she believed that people of her time were not ready to understand her art. Only in the 21st century has the public begun to appreciate her artwork and recognize its relevance. Many people are still wondering whether af Klint created the paintings for our generation or maybe even for some future generations.
Regardless of whether they are interested in abstract art or not, this book is a must for all modern artists. It also includes essays about the European society at the beginning of the 20th century and the trends in the world of art.
Yayoi Kusama: Festival of Life by Jenni Sorkin
This book familiarizes readers with the unique art style of Yayoi Kusama from Japan. It includes paintings from her My Eternal Soul series, two Infinity Mirror Rooms as well as sculptures and a room covered in polka dots which have become her trademark. Kusama is considered a revolutionary artist and has held exhibitions all around the world. The artist also belongs to 100 most influential people according to Time magazine, which is just another reason why contemporary artists and art enthusiasts should not miss out on reading this book.
The Moon: From Inner Worlds to Outer Space edited by Larke Rydal Jorgensen
Although it may not seem clear from the title, this book features works of art inspired by the moon. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first landing on the moon and it includes moon-related artwork ranging from Romantic landscape paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, Julius von Leypold and J.C. Dahl to surrealist paintings by Salvador Dali and Max Ernst. Moreover, the book covers moon-related themes in design, architecture, literature and science.
Shape of Light: 100 Years of Photography and Abstract Art by Simon Baker
As Sean O’Hagan from The Guardian stated, this book “shows how masters from May Ray and Mondrian to Maya Rochat transformed reality in their laboratory–like darkrooms and studios”. It deals with the development of photography and abstract art since the beginning of the 20th century until now and it covers various art movements from cubism and surrealism to abstract expressionism, pop art and minimalism.
