Discover Mexico by the hand of Frida Kahlo, admire Mount Fuji and its emblematic views, travel through the elegant history of the sombrero or delve into the McCartney’s vegan family kitchen. Books have the magic to make us travel to different times, to let us see what is invisible to the eyes. We just have to let ourselves be carried away by those lines full of history, by those illustrations that bring us closer to new ideas. Delve with us and let yourself be seduced by this summer’s publishing novelties with these four books.
The art of the hat: Chapeau! From Casas and Picasso to Balenciaga and Pertegaz.
Let yourself be seduced by this summer’s editorial novelties starting with Chapeau! From Casas and Picasso to Balenciaga and Pertegaz which was presented in Santa Eulalia on July 14 the book. The work, written by the historian and art critic, Josep Casamartina i Parassols, and the collaboration of photographer Dani Rovira for the images, features more than 500 illustrations, tracing the history of the hat during the last century. Great designers have contributed to enhance the vision of hats, unique pieces extolled as art. In fact, the Barcelona Design Museum has on display until the end of the year the exhibition of the Balenciaga house. For this reason, Casamartina and Santa Eulalia want to give voice and visibility to contemporary talents who keep this legacy alive.
From left to right: Ismael Núñez Muñoz, Curator of the Antoni de Montpalau Collection, Anna Maluquer, director of the Fundació Palau, Luis Sans, owner of Santa Eulalia, the author Josep Casamartina i Parassols and Malva Calzado. They are photographed next to the book Chapeau! From Casas and Picasso to Balenciaga and Pertegaz, in the exhibition in Santa Eulalia.
This book is the first published in Spain that delves into the hats of the twentieth century, focusing on Picasso and the Catalan area, from the collection of the Palau Foundation along with works from the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, the Banc Sabadell Collection and various galleries and private collections. .
To coincide with the presentation of the book, the historic luxury store inaugurated a monographic exhibition of 40 women’s hats from its Haute Couture collections, made between the 1940s and 1970s. These elegant hats, unique accessories, with great aesthetic and symbolic value, come from the Antoni de Montpalau Foundation, as well as from the historical archive of Santa Eulalia.
Interior of one of the rooms of Santa Eulalia, where the pieces are exhibited together with the books.
“The hat crowns the building of the dress”, Cristóbal Balenciaga.
The book Chapeau! From Casas and Picasso to Balenciaga and Pertegaz on display next to the hat exhibition in Santa Eulalia.
“During the next 20 days, and thanks to the generosity of Casamartina and the Antoni de Montpalau Collection, we will vindicate fashion as an artistic and creative expression through 40 iconic hats from the workshops of Santa Eulalia,” says Luis Sans, owner of the emblematic multi-brand boutique in Barcelona.
The premises, designed by New York architect William Sofield in the heart of Paseo de Gracia, offers a unique experience in a comfortable and elegant atmosphere. A space that bets on new trends and invites you to discover the best selection of the international scene. This exhibition of hats can be visited until August 3.
Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 93, 08008 Barcelona
Price: 28€.
The revolutionary woman
The publishing house Artika-Artists’ Books has published The Dreams of Frida Kahlo, a book dedicated to the artist in which it brings together an extensive study of the Mexican artist’s works. Some of the drawings depicted have been under anonymity for many years, not wanting to be openly shown to the public.
The work is presented in a limited edition, 2,998 copies, in a sculptural case that includes:
- The Art Book, with 34 drawings, to original scale and accompanied by quotations that the artist herself left in her diary.
- The Book of Studies, in which we find more than 100 drawings analyzed by art experts: Helga Prignitz-Poda, Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera, María del Sol Argüelles San Millán.
- The Art Folder with the El pájaro nalgón (1946). A spectacular and enigmatic mosaic of the time of his adventure with José Bartolí.
The design of the Sculpture Case exhibits Kahlo’s self-portrait with a necklace of thorns and hummingbird (1940), which is revealed behind a veil of leaves in die-cut wood.
Complete set of The Dreams of Frida Kahlo
This very detailed edition of the artist’s work makes you enjoy many of her works, the publishing house has highlighted how difficult it has been to research and locate many of the Mexican artist’s projects. After Kahlo’s death, many of the drawings disappeared, and others remained in the hands of private individuals. Thus, the work of Artika offers a unique and unrepeatable oeuvre.
Price:Approximately five thousand euros.
The great Hokusai wave
Mount Fuji, an essential symbol in Japanese culture, has been depicted artistically for centuries. They continue to do so today, and the legacy of great artists continues to inspire the world. Let yourself be seduced by this summer’s publishing novelties because lthe German publisher Taschen has published the work Hokusai. Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. This new edition XXL, edited by Andreas Marks, PhD in Japanese studies, brings together a complete collection of 46 prints together with 114 chromatic variations, reproduced with the utmost care with Japanese binding.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, displayed as the book cover
Under the Manen Bridge in Fukagawa. One of the drawings in which the mountain appears tiny on the horizon.
The figure of the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai was not only relevant in the Edo period, through the centuries his works have marked the artistic world. Painters such as Monet or Van Gogh were inspired by his works and the Ukiyo-e, a genre of woodblock prints.
The engravings of his crowning work, 36 views of Mount Fuji, illustrate the artist’s passion for the mountain. Always present in the drawings, being the protagonist, or represented next to seasonal changes, views from forests, cities or bridges. Capturing different landscapes, with vivid colors and full of details that show the customs and ways of life of that period in Japan.
Fuji Red. The artist enhanced the value of the sacred volcano in Japan.
The book includes the famous print, The Great Wave of Kanagawa, the iconic Fuji behind the huge wave, an internationally recognized art treasure. In addition, cfeatures an elegant and traditional Japanese binding, and offer two multilingual editions, with a choice of Spanish, English and Italian, or French, German and English editions.
Price:125€.
Betting on vegetarian recipes
Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen, is the new book of the McCartney family, in which we find more than 90 recipes of the artist’s wife, a great variety of meat-free dishes that Linda cooked more than 30 years ago. In this way, the British artist, and his daughters, Mary and Stella, want to offer a simple and vegetarian recipe book. Fighting for the ideals of maintaining the welfare of our ecosystems, and favoring the reduction of meat in our diets.
The book was published on June 24 in English. The book will be translated into Spanish in 2022.
One of the dishes in the recipe book, Sweet potato rosti with avocado, cilantro and chili.
The book was published on June 24, 2021 by Seven Dials of The Orion Publishing Group, and to give it voice and visibility, they decided to make an international presentation five days later. A worldwide and exclusive event in which Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney talked about the new book and, in addition, their favorite recipes. Sharing their personal thoughts on cooking and memories that take them back to years gone by. In this way, the McCartney family showed their most personal side, linked to the woman of the family who passed on so much to them.
The recipe book is already available in its English version, in Spain, the publisher Libros Cúpula, will launch it in Spanish in 2022.
Price: 26€.
Images courtesy of Santa Eulalia, Artika-Artists’ Books, Taschen and Libros Cúpula.
