Systems Librarian Susie Bille recommends new contemporary art books.
If you love art, come to the Library!
Contemporary art books (new to us) are in our New Books room. We’ve been adding some each month, thanks to a generous donation from Ruth Bloom. These books are big and heavy. But once home, they quietly sit on a table, waiting for ten minutes of your day.
Think of it as taking a gallery home with you.
- ©Murakami is the first major retrospective of the artist Takashi Murakami, known for blending Japanese historical art with anime and pop culture. His theory of ‘superflat’ art blends consumerism with high art; he designed a video with Billie Elish, handbags for Louis Vuitton, and a Grand Prix helmet for Lewis Hamilton. He just made Topps trading cards for Tokyo’s 2025 NBL Series between the Dodgers and the Cubs. Take this book home to decide … is it art? Pop culture? Find it in our collection here. 709.2 MUR New Nonfiction
- Gee’s Bend; The Women and Their Quilts by John Beardsley: This book was part of a national exhibition featuring the cultural heritage of quilt-making in a small Alabama town. The quilts are extraordinary, and each quilt maker is featured with quotes that build a history of their work. Find it in our collection here. 746.46 BEA New Nonfiction
- Wolf Kahn; Paintings and Pastels 2010-2020 by Sasha Nicholas: The wildly colored pastel and oil landscapes featured here are worth studying. Khan was a refugee from Nazi Germany and studied in New York under Hans Hoffmann. It’s fascinating to see landscape through this artist’s eyes. Find it in our collection here. 759.13 KAH New Nonfiction
- Julian Schnabel: Published to accompany an international traveling exhibition in 2004, Schnabel’s work is in MOMA, the Met, Guggenheim and the Tate Gallery, just to name a few. He may be better known now as a filmmaker but take a look at 300 plates of late 20th century neo-expressionist art and tell us what you think! Find it in our collection here. 709.24 SCH New Nonfiction
I’ve been enjoying leafing through these books and find myself occasionally leaving one open to an interesting image, so I can look at it again and again. The craziest ones I show to our collections manger, Aly, (of course!), and then we discuss. Endlessly.
