The Living Tradition of Yup'Ik Masks: Agayuliyararput : Our Way of Making Prayer

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Un veramente "grande libro.......2007-03-09

La magnifica veste grafica e l'ecezionale completezza del testo rendono questo libro uno staordinario documento oltrechè un dovuto omaggio alla cultura Inuit.A quando una ristampa?

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Sweet and educational
Kids book? I still love it at 30 years old!
Goat's point of view
Good for creative children
A charming book with wonderful illustrations

The Goat in the Rug
Charles L. Blood , and Martin Link
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689714181

Book Description

Geraldine is a goat, and Glenmae, a Navajo weaver. One day, Glenmae decides to weave Geraldine into a rug. First Geraldine is clipped. Then her wool is spun into fine, strong yarn. Finally, Glenmae weaves the wool on her loom. They reader learns, along with Geraldine, about the care and pride involved in the weaving of a Navajo rug -- and about cooperation between friends.

Customer Reviews:

Sweet and educational.......2004-10-06

This is a gentle book, both the words and illustrations, which guides the reader through the process of making a traditional Navajo rug. Told from the goat's perspective, humor is interwoven with facts. My 5 year old wants to add that the goat ate up some of the flowers the weaver had collected when she wasn't looking.

The last page states: "This is a true story of a weaver and her goat who lived in the Navajo Nation at Window Rock, Arizona." The end plates have pictures of items used in making the rug, including local plants and which parts of them are used for certain dye colors (ex. juniper branches used for brown dye).

My mother lived on a Navajo reservation as a child and so I've purchased this for her childrens book collection so that she can read it to the grandkids when they visit.

Kids book? I still love it at 30 years old!.......2002-05-15

I was raised on this book and it has always been a favorite of mine. The pictures are delightful and the story has stayed with me through the years. I love how Geraldine decides to eat all the yummy plants they were going to use to dye the wool. OOPS! Now I find it is on the school reading list and being used in the classroom! I highly recommend this book as a favorite for children and parents alike.

Goat's point of view.......2001-09-23

This is a very funny story about a goat that tells the story of how her fur becomes a Navajo rug. If you look close enough at the front cover, you'll notice the book is written by the goat herself. It's a wonderful book for all ages, especially Navajo children.

Good for creative children.......2001-08-01

When I was little (a long time ago at this point!) I had this book and was utterly fascinated by it. I remember trying to dye yarn myself after reading it... (well, that didn't work out so well as I recall-- since this is NOT a how-to book, just an engaging story-- but it was fun all the same.) Now that I'm an adult, I would definately recommend this book to anyone with "creative" children who love to make things.

A charming book with wonderful illustrations.......1998-08-07

While visiting the Hubbell Trading Post, our daughter was able to watch as a Navajo weaver worked on a beautiful Ganado rug. The ranger working on the premises suggested this charming book. The story is told by a goat whose mohair is woven into a spectacular rug. The illustrations are enchanting and my daughter loves to giggle at the goat who stays with the weaver to "supervise" her work. She asks questions about the process of weaving and the interaction between the goat and the weaver. It's a lovely little book I wholeheartedly recommend!

Facing the Other: Charles Cordier (1827-1905) Ethnographic Sculptor (Exhibition Catalogue)

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Facing The Other

Facing the Other: Charles Cordier (1827-1905) Ethnographic Sculptor (Exhibition Catalogue)
Laure de Margerie , Edouard Papet , Christine Barthe , and Maria Vigli
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Sculptor Charles Cordier (1827-1905) captured attention worldwide when he exhibited a bust of a Sudanese man at the Paris Salon in 1848, the very year slavery was abolished in the French colonies. From 1851 to 1866 he served as the official sculptor of Paris's National History Museum, creating a series of spectacularly lifelike busts for their new ethnographic gallery (now housed in the Musee de l'Homme, Paris).

The Musee d'Orsay in Paris has organized an unprecedented exhibition of Cordier's work, highlighting seventy-five sculptures and almost forty ethnographic photographs. Filled with several texts on his life and work compiled by the exhibition's organizers, this book serves as the official exhibition catalogue but also includes a catalogue raisonne of six hundred of Cordier's works, of which four hundred are reproduced.

Customer Reviews:

Facing The Other.......2005-09-11

An extraordinary companion book to exhibitions of the work of Sculptor Charles Cordier(1827-1905)as exhibited in 2004-05 @ Museums in Paris, Quebec and New York. It is the finest display of Ethnographic Art in the form of lifelike busts that I've ever witnessed.It forever emphasizes the universality of beauty and nobility displayed in the human form across all divisions of race and ethnicity.

Sculptures: Africa, Asia, Oceania, Americas

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Sculptures: Africa, Asia, Oceania, Americas
Reunion Des Musees Nationaux (France)
Manufacturer: Reunion Des Musees Nationaux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 2711842347

Book Description

This massive and lavishly illustrated volume documents a new permanent display at the Louvre of some 120 masterpieces of African, Asian, Oceanic, and America art--the precursor of the Musee du Quai Branly to be opened in 2004. Large color photographs present multiple views of each sculpture, and are accompanied by historical photographs of the objects when first collected and as displayed in museums and French artists' studios.

The philosophy behind this project is to affirm that no individual exists outside of culture and there is no hierarchy among cultures. The Louvre display and new museum are committed to preserving and presenting in the most dignified and respectful way possible the great works of humanity's cultural heritage. The book documenting the exhibition reveals the manifest participation of extra-Western civilizations in the humanist legacy, made accessible at last through a few of these civilizations' most perfectly realized creations. These artists and their works speak to us across the centuries.

Book Description

This is the story of a young boy who grows up to be a famous painter of horses. His reputation is known throughout China and one day a great warrior comes to him and asks for one of his magical horses. One of Gan's painted horses comes to life and off the warrior and the horse go to battle. They are unbeatable as the horse never tires. However, over time the destruction saddens the horse and one night he disappears. Full of emotion and suspense this story will engage young readers. It is based in part on the true life of the Tang Dynasty painter Han Gan. The author/illustrator uses the same technique employed by Gan, painting with China Ink on silk.

Customer Reviews:

A story of magic for the imaginative........2007-07-17

This is written for children,or those interested in ancient Chinese art. The illustrations are plentiful and very colorfull.The drawing of a magic horse is taken from an ancient painting and could be of interest to any one interested in art.

Exquisite Illustrations; Mediocre Story for Children.......2007-02-28

There is no way to say anything about the illustrations in this book other than the fact that they are exquisite. If you love Chinese art and want to see some of the best available, this book is for you. If you are looking to purchase a book your child will enjoy, pass on this book (unless the child is a horse lover and doesn't care about the story). I found there was little here to capture the imagination of a young child and would not recommend this book as a gift for the child in your life.

Traditional Chinese art rendered evocatively.......2007-02-25

Okay, Chinese traditionalists, here is your book.

Chen trained at Beijing's Academy of Fine Arts and has dedicated his career to relating the history and traditions of his ancestral home. He even painted the illustrations directly onto silk to emulate the story's subject, a painter who lived 1,200 years ago but whose lifelike renderings of horses are still celebrated today.

Han Gan's family was too poor to indulge his love of drawing, until a wealthy artist discovered his talent and bought him paper, inks and brushes. He excelled at horses; the only humans in his art are riding or tending the magnificent steeds he creates. They may've been a little too lifelike: one day, a warrior comes to him with an unusual request.

From there, the story takes a fabulist turn, with a subtle message infused with Chinese wisdom. Chen's prose is lean and understated, giving us just enough to fuel the imagination, while the illustrations really stoke the fire.

The plain silk backgrounds and flattened perspective help us keep our focus on the important figures, with white-clad Han Gan seeming small next to the busy aristocrats hobnobbing over tea or those fine, muscular equines who prance and chomp at the bit. He's the only one in white, however, which immediately draws our eye to him.

The way inks bleed into the silk affects the way robes seem to drape and adds texture to a nighttime sky. Chen's palette is muted, with subtle grays, greens and beige, except for great streaks of angry crimson used on walls to create a sense of enclosure, or on war gear to add excitement, and even in a red sunset as the din of battle loses its allure.

As your eye follows those reds, you'll notice crimson serves a practical purpose: the compositions are off-center, with figures spreading unevenly across the picture plane. The spot use of crimson ties everything together, creating symmetry and harmony out of chaos.

Gorgeous stuff, and a great introduction to the Chinese aesthetic from a purist.

An introduction to classical Chinese painting.......2007-01-23

From a Western perspective, we may discount Chinese classical painting as being too stylized and one-dimensional, the faces of the people without expression, and the lines on the page flat. It is the same experience that we have when we view art from 12th-century. We shrug without any real enjoyment, accepting the artist's work with the thought, "Well, that's just the way it was back then. They had limited tools."
Chen Jiang Hong's work here tries to undo all of those prejudices, suggesting that Han Gan's work, whom he imitates here, was controversial in its day for its realism. Just as 13th-century European artists fought hard for a more realistic style, Han Gan's work sought a true imitation of reality, which, as the fable tells us, could be confused with reality.
Han Gan's creation, a horse that could be ridden by the most demanding soldier-warrior, also has emotion and intellect, enough so, that he ultimately makes the choice to live in the imagined world of the painter rather than the world of suffering created by the warrior class.
Thanks to the perfection of the illustrations and the inherited wisdom packed into the fable, the book truly works on many levels.
The book can be enjoyed by three-year-olds, like my daughter, but, I'd like to think that I enjoyed it much more.
Like a coffee-table book of beautiful pictures, "Han Gan" can be enjoyed many times over.

Going into Darkness: Fantastic Coffins from Africa

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Going into Darkness: Fantastic Coffins from Africa
Thierry Secretan
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Highly recommended for all young readers ages 6 to 10

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow
Amy Lee-Tai
Manufacturer: Children's Book Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0892392150

Book Description

Under the harsh summer sun, Mari’s art class has begun. But it’s hard to think of anything to draw in a place where nothing beautiful grows — especially a place like Topaz, the internment camp where Mari’s family and thousands of other Japanese Americans have been sent to live during World War II. Somehow, glimmers of hope begin to surface — in the eyes of a kindly art teacher, in the tender words of Mari’s parents, and in the smile of a new friend. Amy Lee-Tai’s sensitive prose and Felicia Hoshino’s stunning mixed-media images show that hope can survive even the harshest injustice.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended for all young readers ages 6 to 10.......2006-08-13

A lovely bilingual picturebook (English/Japanese), A Place Where Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai features illustrations from Felicia Hoshino and is the intimate story of a young girl and her life among thousands of other Japanese American families interned by the government during World War II in the Topaz Relocation Center in Utah. Deftly contributing to a historically ill state of America and their world, A Place Where Sunflowers Grow follows Mari through the beginning of her art classes during the heat of the summer, her discovery of life, her newly found passion for art, and the use of her art to cope with the harsh circumstances of her family's confinement. Inspired by the author's personal life and family history, A Place Where Sunflowers Grow is very highly recommended for all young readers ages 6 to 10, as well school and community librarians seeking to augment their bilingual picturebook collections.

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This story was inspired by the author's own appreciation for art.
Lily Creates

Lily Brown's Paintings
Angela Johnson
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439782252

Book Description

When Lily Brown paints, her world starts to change . . . trees wear hats and drink tea, people walk upside down, and apples sing all the way home from the store. It's Lily Brown's world, and it's wondrous. A little paint and a lot of love bring imagination to life in this captivating picture book. Angela Johnson's lyrical writing compliments E. B. Lewis' delightful watercolors. This book marks a different approach for E. B. Lewis' artwork as his images imitate the great artists, such as Van Gogh and Matisse.

Customer Reviews:

This story was inspired by the author's own appreciation for art........2007-07-10

Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis' LILY BROWN'S PAINTINGS tells of Lilly Brown, who paints her world and by doing so, changes it with her fantasy images. From singing apples to trees wearing hats, this story was inspired by the author's own appreciation for art.

Lily Creates.......2007-06-02

Lily Brown is a happy child living in her small world with her parents and baby brother. Her world expands enormously when she paints pictures, however. She paints stars that come down to earth, trees that drink tea , phone-using alligators, and anything she can conjure from her vivid imagination. While she is painting, she is the true artist for whom reality disappears, but she always delights in returning to the warm embrace of her family.

The author successfully speaks to young readers about the feelings of all artists when they are in the thrall of creative experience - not an easy theme. The watercolor double-page spreads by the illustrator not only capture the essence of the child's paintings, he playfully pays tribute to the paintings of a number of great artists who have influenced him. Large themes in a beautiful, accessible , different picture book.

Elizabeth Catlett: An American Artist in Mexico (Jacob Lawrence Series on American Artists)

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Elizabeth Catlett: An American Artist in Mexico (Jacob Lawrence Series on American Artists)
Melanie Anne Herzog
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0295985453

Book Description

Elizabeth Catlett, born in Washington, DC, in 1915, is widely acknowledged as a major presence in African American art, and her work is celebrated as a visually eloquent expression of African American identity and pride in cultural heritage. But this is not the whole story. She has lived in Mexico for 50 years, as a citizen of that country since 1962, and she and her husband, artist Francisco Mora, have raised their children there. For 20 years she was a member of the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Popular Graphic Arts Workshop) and she was the first woman professor of sculpture at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Her extraordinary career has stretched from her years as a student at Howard University during the 1930s through various political and social movements—including the Chicago Renaissance of the 1940s, the Black Power and Black Arts movements, the Mexican Public Art Movement, and feminism—which have informed her art.

This richly illustrated and informative monograph is the first to document the full range of Catlett's life and work. In addition to thoroughly researching primary source materials and to critiquing individual art works with sensitivity and erudition, the author has conducted numerous interviews with Catlett and has analyzed with clarity the political context of her work and her diverse sympathies and allegiances. Herzog examines key artistic influences and shows how Catlett transformed an extraordinary stylistic vocabulary into a socially charged statement.

Book Description

Masks of Mexico is a state-by-state guide for collectors and general folk art enthusiasts to learn about the types of masked dances still carried out in Mexico's Indian and mestizo communities today. Close to one-hundred color photos of authenticated masks from the collection of the Museum of International Folk\ Art are presented, including finely carved pieces from the 19th century to simple face coverings made in the past ten years. The masked ceremonies are brought to life with documentary photos showing masqueraders acting out their roles.

Customer Reviews:

An attractive and valuable new reference on Mexican masks........1999-04-27

The author assigned herself the task of publishing a representative sample of masks from the many Mexican states with strong traditions of mask use, drawing from the previously underdisplayed collections of the Museum of International Folk Art, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The book brings together a number of interesting photographs of masked dancers, to augment the excellent mask photos. Some of these have appeared in other books on Mexican masking, accessible or inaccessible, others are fresh and new, to the reviewer at least.

In terms of the actual masks, a number of these are rather old, attractive or uncommon, rarely seen or described in books or exhibits; some others are not so old or rare, but nevertheless very interesting. A minority of others are familiar from other standard reference works, and add little to this volume. Their inclusion follows from the goal to present the broad spectrum of Mexican masking.

On the other hand, there appear to be virtually no decorative masks among all those illustrated, which is a credit to the excellent scholarship of the author. Indeed, she has taken great care to identify the carvers, the towns, the estimated age, and the indigenous traditions of each mask, to the extent that this could be documented. The estimated ages are refreshing in their modesty, in contrast to the florid attribution of great age to any demonstrable wear, that one so commonly encounters in books about masks.

In the end, a book about Mexican dance masks must rise or fall on the strength of the material and the quality of the photographs; from this perspective the book is a must buy for any Mexican mask collector or aficionado.

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