Ancient and Modern Meet in the Cyclades

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

A remarkable exhibition of contemporary sculpture by British artist Antony Gormley is on display from now through October 2019 at the extraordinary archaeological site of the Greek island of Delos. The non-profit organization NEON  is presenting the collection of anthropomorphic sculptures scattered across the Aegen island. Gormley populates the sacred island with 29 iron “bodyforms.”

I was fortunate to get to visit Delos about 25 years ago when I was staying on the nearby Cycladic island of Naxos. The small island is now uninhabited, but maintains ruined temples, homes, and theaters going back more than 5,000 years. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is now entirely an open-air archaeological museum. It’s a unique place not to be missed if you are in the region.

Gormley’s exhibition, titled “SIGHT “, reinterprets the function and purpose of sculpture, re-imagining the traditional statues of the ancient world that once adorned public spaces, temples and private buildings into sites of empathy and imaginative projection.

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Animating Books and Travel

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

This short animated film was created as part of the Sketchtravel project, an international charity project in which a red sketchbook was distributed to 71 artists from around the world for 4 ½ years. The original Sketchbook was sold for 70,000 euros for the construction of libraries in third world countries to support children’s literacy.

One More Page is an awardwinning short film that pays tribute to the powers of reading and imagination.

In the animated short Stamped a gnome-like librarian struggles with a magical book that just doesn’t want to get stamped.

 

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Flying Book Beetle

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Beijing-based firm LUO Studio has created an adorable mobile mini-library crafted out of recycled industrial parts. Made from an abandoned bicycle, discarded iron car sheets and reclaimed wood, the Shared Lady Beetle is a tiny contraption in the shape of a beetle that roams on four wheels, bringing books to local children.

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Turn Left At Winterfell

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

You don’t have to be a huge Game of Thrones or Song of Ice and Fire fan to appreciate the genius of James Shadrach Schoenke’s brilliantly imagined modern-day Westeros maps. The St.Louis-based artist and designer modeled his cartography on contemporary European road maps. You can check out more of his projects on his website.

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Happy 300th to Robinson Crusoe

Posted on May 6, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Daniel Defoe’s Adventures of Robinson Crusoe was first published on April 25, 1719, and before the end of the year had run through four editions. An abridged children’s version was published in 1784 in Boston, printed and sold by N. Coverly, price three pence.

Two years later Isaiah Thomas (1661-1731) printed and sold the novel from his bookshop in Worcester, Massachusetts, as “Travels of Robinson Crusoe.” The book was as big a success for Thomas in the United States as it had been in England. Here are some plates from the 1786 and 1795 editions.

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Word on the Street: San Diego

Posted on May 5, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

h/t Thomas Paine

 

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Don’t Tip Toe Through The Tulips

Posted on May 4, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I have been lucky enough to have been in the Netherlands many times during the spring flower season. It’s quite a sight to see millions of tulips and other flowers in bloom. Sadly,the well-loved fields in the Netherlands have been suffering  serious damage due to many stupid Instagrammers’ selfish behavior. Thoughtless tourists who try for the perfect selfie with the flowers have been trampling fields and causing growers to suffer thousands of Euros in losses.

The Netherlands’ tourism board has launched a campaign reminding people to take “tulip-friendly selfies” with the help of the hashtag ‘#watchyourfeet’. The probably useless campaign is currently being showcased on Visit Holland’s Instagram account, @visit_holland.

Some farmers and communities have decided this approach might not be enough to dissuade social media fans from further destroying their blooms. They have built fences around the tulip fields, with signs in both English and Chinese that read, “Enjoy the Flowers, Respect Our Pride.” While some towns have hired tourist guides to try and dissuade the mindless selfie brigade from trampling the flowers.

Maybe some peer pressure would help ? Would you be willing to call out other travelers who were trespassing and damaging private property ? It’s not an easy thing to do, especially if there are language issues. I know that on my last trip to Iceland I tried to “nicely” point out to other visitors that they were trampling vulnerable terrain, but it usually fell on deaf ears or I was just ignored.

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High Above the High Line

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

New York City’s High Line, the formerly abandoned elevated train tracks on the lower west side of Manhattan, is opening the last remaining section of the wildly popular attraction on June 5, 2019. The Spur section includes the Plinth, which is a dedicated site for changing displays of monumental artworks. Although you can’t access the Spur yet, it’s possible to view the first piece on display from 10th Avenue and 30th Street. The impressive sculpture is titled Brick House. The 16 foot-tall statue was created by Simone Leigh.

Simone Leigh, Brick House, 2019. A High Line Plinth commission. On view June 2019 – September 2020. Photo by Timothy Schenck. Courtesy the High Line

 

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Weekday Links to Love

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I was recently asked: “Why do you call softcover books paperbacks ?” So, I had to get an answer and here it is.

Not to burst your bubble, but here are 5 reasons you shouldn’t work in a bookstore.

Although I stopped visiting Venice over a decade ago due to the overtourism and Disneyfication of the city, I am still intrigued by the magical place. This short film offers a fascinating look at the city’s unique infrastructure.

Every few days I check in at the Books and Art blog. It delivers just what it says on the tin and more.

Offering 500 years of the vulgar tongue, Green’s Dictionary of Slang is now online and free to use.

I was absolutely blown away by the blockbuster show “Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future” at the Guggenheim New York earlier this year. Although the exhibition has closed, the recent issue of The New York Review of Books had a great article on the artist called “Painting the Beyond.”

 

Posted in Art, Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Film, Museums, Tourism, USA, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Vintage Covers

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I know that it’s my juvenile sense of humor, but I do love these silly re-imagined vintage book covers. You can find more of these parody covers at the website for Vintage Covers and even purchase posters and postcards of your favorites.

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