The Joy of Being Italian

I am a second generation Italian-American, raised in a lively & artistic household full of drama, great food & deep family connections. Many years later, when I first stepped onto Italian soil in Rome, I knew I was truly home. The smell of familiar cooking surrounded me, everyone looked like me or a relative, acted like me and had a similar style. If I was a wolf pup, I would have rolled around in that Italian dirt, home at last. The blood bond runs deep. The Little Bookroom publishers (of wonderful guidebooks like the City Secrets of Rome) have released a wonderful new book, Italianissimo, a quintessential guide to everything Italian. It profiles 50 Italian contributions to culture ranging from great ideas, to cuisine, fashion, cinema and much more. A beautiful edition & good read, even if you’re not Italian!

Remembrance of Things Past

I recently uncrated some boxes from my folks house and discovered my first set of books that really made an impression on me as a small child. The embossed cover images from these Childcraft volumes are pretty wonderful, my favorite one was Art for Children. In it, at a very early age, I learned that art is a kind of language that we use to say things we think, feel and imagine. Each page had been burned into my memory, as I found going through it for the first time in over 40 years. I may have to hunt on Ebay for the missing volumes that didn't survive.

R.I.P.

Last year I was very disappointed to see that the LA Times downsized the Book Review to a double publication of the Opinion and Books section. Much to my dismay yesterday, I saw that was the last edition of a partial stand-alone book review. From now on it will be buried in the Sunday Calendar section (part 2) along with movie & restaurant listings. So apparently the public needs the Image section as it’s own color section. Just saying…

Photo: LAist

Between the Lines

Being brought up not to desecrate books, I would not normally be responsive to this technique, but there is something intriguing about Brian Dettmer’s book autopsies of carved books revealing the artwork inside, creating complex layered three-dimensional sculptures. Through the cut-open cover of a book the viewer sees layers of selected text and illustration carved from the pages of the book. His pieces seek to bridge the gap between the medium's form and its message. Dettmer manages to use the contrasting layers of image and text to explore the conveyance of information, as well as being able to get the viewer to examine what that can mean.

Jumping Off the Pages

I just love artist Thomas Allen’s photographs of cut up old pulp fiction books with scenes of intrigue and mystery. Inspired by a love of pop-up books, Allen delights in taking on different roles in creating his scenarios: “In addition to being a photographer, I play talent scout, casting director, stage manager, lighting supervisor, and film editor.”  Check out his book Uncovered at the Aperture Foundation.

The Notebook

Came across these very covetable Field Notes memo books brought to you by Coudal Partners/Draplin Design Company, inspired by “vintage farmers’ planting books and other practical, historic, mostly-midwestern American design.” They have a great website, a blog and a Flicker photo groups of the Field Notes in action/usage. Love the typography and the price, 3 for $9.95.