Famous British Artists of the 21st Century

T. Bradley — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:32:02 +0000

There have been many British artists in the 21st Century that have left us in awe of their work and talent. However, when it comes to expressing one’s self, there are always a few who stand out in our minds for the creativity and originality of their work.

Young British Artists (YBA)

The YBA movement was the earliest result of British artists adapting to the post-modern world of art. This movement was initiated with a series of artist-led exhibitions that took place in factories and warehouses in the late 20th Century. It later gained a high amount of media attention because the artists used original so-called ‘shock-tactics’ to express themselves; they used garbage and other material for their art. This new form of art was indeed controversial but it also intrigued many and illustrated a new world of different possibilities.
Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin are known as the leaders of the YBA. The former British artist is well known for his The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living which depicts a shark preserved in a vitrine, while the latter artist’s principle work is called My Bed, which is a disordered bed surrounded by debris.

Stuckism

The British artists of the 21st Century also founded the Stuckism movement in 1999, which has since won international acclaim. Billy Childish and Charles Thomson formed this movement to promote figurative painting, accompanied by 13 other British artists. This group differs from the YBA as it criticizes post-modernism and aims to encourage artists to produce art that has spiritual value and not to focus on the style or subject of their work.
Opposing the post-modern YBA has not hurt the Stuckists’ popularity, as it finally managed to hold an exhibition at the renowned Walker Art Gallery, in Liverpool, in 2004. Notably, although artists belonging to this movement are primarily painters, there are also photographers, film-makers and sculpture-makers that have joined this internationally recognized group.

Image by T. L. Furrer

Influential Books About Architecture

T. Bradley — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:14:05 +0000

Architecture has changed throughout the years, but the drive of man to create new and mesmerizing buildings has not.
Architecture as an art form and simply a way of shelter has been around for thousands of years, with changes coming from every walk of life and architect. If you are interested in architecture, are a current architecture, or just someone that finds it fascinating, there are several influential books about architecture that are a must read.

101 Things I Learned in Architecture School

This is one of those books about architecture that even if you never went to architecture school or have worked in the business, you want to have on hand. It gives little pointers for different scenarios, tips and tricks, plus just some interesting information as to how certain structures are designed. The book isn’t large, but it does gives you answers to many of the facts that you might have wondered about for years.

Think Like an Architect

When looking through the different books about architecture, this is one of those books that should be at the top of your list. The book takes current designs, landmarks and buildings, strips them down and shows you the graphics, designs and charts for how the building was constructed, taking the three-dimensional form of an image and stripping it down to two-dimensional images. This is one of those books about architecture that is truly fascinating and is going to show you exactly how some of these structures are made.

A World History of Architecture

This is slightly different than the other books about architecture, as it looks at how architecture has changed and evolved over the years, from the beginning of man kind to the modern structures built today. It is a rather interesting look at how architecture has changed and what possibilities there are to come in the future. It also looks at different regions of the world, how these different ancient cultures were able to create and build amazing works of art and architecture, without many of the tools we need and require today. For anyone looking for books about architecture and the history of it, this is one of the best books you are able to purchase.

Photo Roman Sigaev – Fotolia

Popular Photography Books

T. Bradley — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:00:41 +0000

With new photography books being published daily, it can be hard to know which ones are really worth their weight.
All famous photographers have a collection of photography books, and there is always one that to them is the most prized, the most precious of them all. Below are some of the most popular photography books so you can find your special book for your collection.

Camera Use

For beginner photographers, it’s a great idea to have several books that encourage one to experiment with using the camera, and learn how to use it. The Camera, The Negative, and The Print is a series of books by Ansel Adams that give a great orientation for those starting off and how to get that perfect shot. The Moment in Clicks by Joe McNally is also a great way to feel like a professional is personally helping your progress.

Photo Composition

One you have the basics of the camera, it’s important to know how to put a picture together, and how to develop it. The following photography books help you to do just that. Fundamentals of Photo Composition by Paul R. Comon is a great addition to a photographer’s library, explaining the basic rules from color and symmetry to depth. The Photographer’s Eye by Michael Freeman is a great book that helps any photographer train, or see images in a new way to get the best composition possible. The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnbaum is also a must-have, having been called a textbook of photography.

Inspiration

Every photographer needs photography books to inspire them. The Journey of Photographic Vision by David duChemin is a personal journal of how this photographer has found his vision, and how you can find yours. Ansel Adams at 100 by Ansel Adams is a beautiful compilation book, along with Light Lines by William Ewing. Animals in Motion by Eadweard Muybridge and Life: A Journey Through Time by Frans Lanting are also full of breathtaking images.
There are lots of photography books out there, so at times it can be hard to know which ones to get. By making sure you have your basics covered and following your own style, you are sure to have a great collection.

The Best Books About Cinema

T. Bradley — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:08:15 +0000

For any cinema lover, there isn’t enough information you can obtain about your favorite movies, actors, directors and everything else related to film. Of course, what you see on the screen isn’t half of what goes on behind the scenes, and if you want a better insight to what happens on the sets of your favorite movies, there are a few books about cinema you should have a look at.

The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made

Yes, the title is a mouthful, but it is one of the greatest books you can read about movies. Covering 1,000 titles is no easy task, and although it doesn’t go completely through everything that went on during the production process of all movies, you are sure to learn something about your favorite movies. Plus, it is fun to compare how many movies you’ve actually seen to the movies listed in one of these books about cinema.

100 of the Most Inspiring Movies of All Time

If you are looking for books about cinema, this is a must read. It doesn’t simply brush over a bunch of movies you need to see or that it recommends. The title goes over the movies that changed cinema, forever. You might have heard of most of these films, while there are others that may have passed under your radar. This is one of the books about cinema that is going to shed light on a few new pictures and really push you towards watching them. Not all the movies are fantastically great, but some included new trick photography, special effects, techniques or other aspects that had never been seen in the world of film beforehand.

Touch Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary After Life of Humphrey Bogart

There are few biographies about film actors that are actually worth the read, but this is one of those books about cinema that should be on the top of your list. The book dives into Bogart’s life, and how he didn’t actually become a leading man until his 40s (back when the studio system was far different than it is today). It covers everything you’ll ever want to know about possibly the most iconic and never duplicated actor in the history of cinema.

Picture dipego – Fotolia

Most Successful Films Based on Books

A. Perry — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:51:29 +0000

Making films based on books is a very intriguing idea because most readers find it interesting to see what their favorite characters could look like or how the story could be executed. But Adapting the story-line of a novel and turning it into a 120 minutes or so movie is a difficult task. Therefore, there have been quite a few failed attempts at making these movies. Nevertheless, there have also been a few successful achievements that left most readers and audience more than pleased.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the rings series proved to be one of the most successful films based on books. These movies drew a large number of audience to the theaters to watch Frodo struggle and carry the mysterious ring to its destination: Mordor. From the excellent job done by the actors, to the successful choice of setting, hence scenery, and unforgettable soundtrack; this movie was a complete success. Interestingly, many of the movie’s fans had not even heard of the novels and only started reading the series after having watched the movies, which is certainly a sign of a successful attempt at making a movie based on a book. The most critically acclaimed part of this series was the Return of The King, but viewers expressed their loyalty to all the parts that separately came out, making them some of the best films based on books.

The Godfather

The Godfather is one of the most outstanding films based on books because the adaptation was made at a time where basing a movie on a novel was still not as popular as it is in the modern times. Directed by Francis Coppola, this production received three Academy Awards for: best picture, best actor and best screen-play adaptation. Marlon Brando and Al Pacino left their viewers speechless and, indeed, asking for more, hence the two sequels of the movie. The Godfather was a very successful attempt and although it came out in 1972, it is still highly referred to.

Schindler’s List

Spielberg’s Schindler’s List is one of the most renowned films based on books because it is one of the most successful attempts at making a film based on a true story regarding the Holocaust, as there have been quite a few. This black and white film was produced in 1993 and critics have helped it stand out by praising it and giving its actors and production team the credit they deserve. This film received 7 Academy Awards, 7 BAFTA Awards (British Academy of Film and Televison Arts) and 3 Golden Globe Awards. Viewers also constantly recommend this production and claim it to be one of the best films based on books.

Image Ferenc Szelepcsenyi – Fotolia

Literary Trends of the 21st Century

T. Bradley — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:25:48 +0000

The 21st Century is a post-modern age, with literature and how it is consumed changing shape almost every year. There has been little in the way of comprehensive ‘movements’ when it comes to what has happened so far in 21st Century literature. The 21st Century author is a diverse and fragmented creature, as likely to be catering for heavily compartmentalised specialist audiences via the medium of ebooks, as to be writing heavy duty intellectual tomes for a conventional publisher.

Diversity through Specialization

Genre fiction has become, if anything, more popular than ever. A 21st Century author such as Ian Rankin or Patricia Cornwell, who may in another age have written ‘conventional’ novels, finds a greater clarity of expression of their intellectual ideas through writing crime fiction.
Literature about real people using the names of historical figures has been one interesting feature of fiction so far this century. David Peace’s ‘The Damned United’ an example of this, as is ‘Richard’ by Ben Myers, an English 21st Century author, is a novel about missing rock star Richey Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers.

Writing and Publishing in the Digital Age

The internet has played a role in shaping how fiction and reality are observed by people. Fiction is often difficult to define in age of online identities, and some authors have incorporated this into their work.
There has also been a severe reduction in the number of publishers willing to take chance on new work, as financial issues have plagued the industry. The rash of independent publishing houses which spring up in the wake of the viral spread of internet literature have offered some antidotes to this though, with bodies such as Small Press Distribution offering distribution networks to independent publishers of off-beat or experimental literature.
One interesting recent tangent taken by publishing over the last year or so has been the ebook. As writers look to adapt forms to this new medium it may well be that new forms of literature emerge for the 21st Century author to work in. Electronic reading devices offer a strangely different experience to that of reading books.
Good artists should always be looking at how new media can shape or affect their work in future. It will be interesting to see what a 21st Century author looks like by the end of the century.

Image (c) bravecarp