Rodchenko & Popova: Defining Constructivism

Always had a soft spot for Rodchenko. Unfortunately missed this Tate Exhibition, so this book is a welcome reference. However like most of my Art Books, they sit on the shelf looking impressive and get rarely used. Maybe in retirement I will read them all.

Written by Margarita Tupitsyn with an essay by Christina Kiaer. Available from Tate Shop.

Alexander Rodchenko (1891-1956) and Lyubov Popova (1889-1924) were figureheads of the Russian avant-garde during its most exciting period following the Russian Revolution, a heady period when they and other artists dedicated themselves to creating a new world. As leading lights in the Constructivist movement they were responsible for an astonishing array of iconic works. For the first time male and female artist are given equal status, throwing new light on their achievements and tracking the extent of their influence, still felt today.

The book concentrates on four key periods. From the Revolution in 1917 to 1921 both artists believed that abstract art had the potential to transform everyday life. The legendary 5 x 5 = 25 exhibitions, which created a community of artistic and revolutionary endeavour, are examined in depth. Between 1921 and 1924, the year of Popova's tragically early death, both artists abandoned art for art's sake and put their artistic skills at the service of the Revolution. The final section follows Rodchenko's later move into photography, the medium for which he is perhaps best remembered, and explores his involvement with film.

The lives and work of these two artists, along with their extensive network of colleagues and collaborators, provide a key to the whole Constructivist project. For the first time the issue of gender is explored; is there a difference between the approach of a female Constructivist and a male one? The wealth of new scholarship and previously unpublished works the book includes make it indispensable for anyone wishing to know more about the art of this fascinating period.

John Baldessari Pure Beauty

Perhaps the perfect antidote to Pop Life, this gorgeous book documents the conceptual and imaginative work of John Baldessari. This large size books has a great combination of glossy plates, wise words and thought provoking commentary.

Edited by Leslie Jones and Jessica Morgan and available from Tate Shop. Preview here:

"I am interested in what gets us to stop and look, as opposed to simply consuming images passively."

A quietly towering figure in contemporary art, John Baldessari is widely considered one of the most influential artists to emerge since the mid-1960s. For nearly five decades his prolific and highly varied work has challenged our ways of looking at art, images, and text. A renowned teacher as well, first at California Institute of the Arts and later at UCLA, he has had an important impact on the practice of subsequent generations of media savvy artists. From his early text-and-image paintings to the more recent photocollages and installations, Baldessari has continued to make art that addresses the social impact of mass culture, often playfully, and always with a sly profundity. His lifelong exploration of the gap between the verbal and the visual has probed the very nature of communication and perception.

John Baldessari: Pure Beauty, the most comprehensive volume to date on this legendary California artist, features more than 240 illustrations. Eleven insightful essays, by critics, curators, art historians, and an artist and former student, illuminate many aspects of Baldessari's oeuvre and provide a context for the artists extraordinary contribution to twentieth and twenty-first century art. Few contemporary artists have achieved Baldessari's range and relevance and this stunning volume, with its expansive reproductions and substantial text, provides the definitive look at an artist who has engagingly challenged our very ways of seeing.

And now the back cover

Pop Life: Art in a Material World

Accompanying book to the recent Tate Modern exhibition, Pop Life. Comes with a Warning of Contains explicit imagery, wit woo. Lots of additional goodies available.

From Tate Shop. By Jack Bankowsky, Alison Gingeras and Catherine Wood

"Good business is the best art." Andy Warhols notorious statement provides a starting point for this book, which examines the legacy of Pop art and its most celebrated exponent in the lives and work of succeeding generations of artists. Rather than shying away from the limelight, these post-Warhol artists have wholeheartedly embraced both the cult of celebrity and the commercial cut and thrust of the art market. Keith Haring set up his Pop Shop in Manhattan to sell his own branded products direct to the public; alongside making painting and sculpture, Takashi Murakami produces editions via his multinational corporation, Kaikai Kiki; and Damien Hirst arranged his own, hugely successful auction of his work at Sotheby's, entitled Beautiful Inside My Head Forever.

Jeff Koons's celebration in painting and sculpture of his marriage and sexual union with porn star and latter-day politician Illona Staller (aka La Cicciolina) is just one example of an artist crossing the usually accepted boundaries between the public and the personal, and between art and flagrant sensationalism. British artist Cosey Fanni Tutti caused similar outrage by electing to make performance art by working within the sex industry, appearing as a model in 'adult' magazines. For other artists featured, including Tracey Emin, Richard Prince and Martin Kippenberger, their public persona or 'brand' is something to be knowingly manipulated as part of their artistic practice.

Extensively illustrated and with illuminating essays by critics and curators from both the United States and Britain, this book is guaranteed to be as entertaining, challenging and provocative as the art it portrays.

Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True Nature

Following on the heals of Nudge, is Herd. Again talking about behaviour and behavioural change. We've heard a lot about this herd behaviour in the recent Credit Crunch Crisis as everyone piled in to buy shares, CDOs and property. ALL PILE IN>>

Herd behaviour is exactly the kind of behaviour we want when creating virals. Book has mixed reviews, so goes to the less important list.

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Wealth, Health and Happiness

Seems like the world is going crazy for Behavioural Economics, as Advertising & Brand Agencies realises that just building a brand isn't going to help shitty businesses pay there employees. So we have to influence customers to do the things we need, be that for a business or for society. Nudge has lots of good examples and makes you think about Choice Architectures. So when people talk about User Centred Design - stop them and make sure they are weaving some Behavioural stiff in there too.

With regards to the detailed content - you could read this - or go visit a market and watch the traders in action. You'd certainly see BE in action. To many this is good business and common sense.

Baked in: Creating products and businesses that market themselves

In Baked In, CP+B's Alex Bogusky tells us how 21st Century marketing will give us better products. To quote Mr Sall Ball, I wonder if Product Design agencies across the land are talking about doing advertising...

In principle this sounds interesting but the book gets bad reviews. Creating products is something that takes time, talent and vision. Ultimately this book says less about product design and more about advertising, and how it needs to be useful and/or entertaining and/or connecting and/or educational.

Brands must build a new relationship with their customers and the culture they participate in. The old rule was: Create safe, ordinary products and combine with mass marketing. The new rule is: Create truly innovative products and build the marketing right into them. Today the product is at the centre of the conversation. It's within the product itself that a brand has the most leverage with consumers. Baked In gives companies a step-by-step guide to how to adapt and succeed in this brave new world, where the product is not separate from the message but is the message.

Seth Garner

So ar' Seth popped up today. We'd been talking about authors we know and we referenced these two easy to read, entertaining jaunts through the marketing industry inspired whodunnit thrillers.

Getting 5 star reviews on Amazon these two are a perfect holiday read - you'll struggle to put them down once you start.

Blood Partnership

Ben Spencer is the ambitious young owner of The Blood Partnership, an online property marketing company. Over the past few months, he has become heavily involved with every member of the wealthy property - developing Westlake family - including becoming engaged to beautiful young Caitlin Westlake - and now he's beginning to regret it. Things go from bad to worse when Ben's own family are targeted by the Westlakes. Now, he must choose a side and it seems the only way out is death - but whose will it be?

Broken Surface

This book presents the haunting secret of a 15 year old murder. Fifteen years ago two teenagers killed a mentally handicapped boy called Doofy. It was an accident, but things got out of hand and they never reported it. Instead, they hide the body but as Duncan and Richard grow up the secret continues to haunt them both. While Richard matures into a psychopath, Duncan becomes a respectable and successful businessman with a lot to lose if the truth ever comes to light. Now, the secret, like Doofy's body, is about to be revealed with dire consequences.

DPM: Disruptive Pattern Material - An Encyclopaedia of Camouflage: Nature, Military and Culture

This beauty made an appearance as part of an military related pitch. It really is a fantastic collection of camouflage and related visual stimulus. Some amazing photography and designs in here. A double pack of books that costs a pretty penny.

Lovely packaging and you're certain to recognise its ISBN as its plastered across the pack. Very DPM.