Agnes Martin: Her Life and Art

Agnes Martin is a an artist’s artist — not to mention one of the pillars of any art history conversation about minimalism. But while you may be familiar with her work, how much do you know about the woman behind them? Agnes Martin: Her Life and Art is the first full-length biography to delve, intimately, into her life.

On Being an Artist

Artist Michael Craig-Martin isn’t just a mentor to young artists; his support of them in his native UK give rise to a generation of famous names: Julian Opie, Damien Hirst and Gary Hume, among them. Here, Craig-Martin (A.K.A. godfather of the YBAs art movement) tells his own story in this hook that’s part memoir, part guide for the would-be artist.

James Mollison: Playground

You’ve never seen playgrounds quite like James Mollison has. The photographer traveled the globe photographing children at play — from the richest private schools to the poorest third-world neighborhoods. The scenes are breathtakingly beautiful and an intriguing snapshot of life in countries as varied as India, Bhutan, Bolivia, Israel, Norway, Italy, Japan and the UK.

How Posters Work

If you love graphic design — or engaging visuals, period — then you’ll love How Posters Work, which features over 150 works from the collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. It’s a great spotlight into the history of the medium while offering fantastic and inspiration posters for creatives today.

Artists Unframed: Snapshots from the
Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art

Ever want to sneak away into the hidden archives of the Smithsonian? Well, now you can. Artists Unframed features rarely seen images from the museum and its American Art wing — from Pablo Picasso on a balcony with daughter Maya to Jackson Pollock carving a turkey with his wife and mother.

African Art in the Barnes Foundation: The Triumph
of L’Art Negre and the Harlem Renaissance

Philadelphia’s renown Barnes Foundation was one of the first permanent installations in the United States to present objects from Africa as fine art — and this new book details it all. The artwork included is extensive and stunning, while curator Christa Clarke’s text provides thoughtful commentary on the collection’s significance and its influence on African art in the twentieth century.

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