{"title":"Books by Kit Brooks","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781588347411","title":"Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell","description":"\u003cb\u003eThis kaleidoscopic catalog, and first book in English dedicated to Ay-Ō, celebrates the avant-garde artist’s first major museum exhibition in the United States\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKnown as the “Rainbow Artist” for the prominent bright motif in his work, Ay-Ō has long referred to this compulsion as his “rainbow hell.” \u003ci\u003eAy-Ō Happy Rainbow Hell \u003c\/i\u003einvites readers into the vibrant world of his brilliant art, mind, and imagination, featuring artwork from the first major US museum exhibition devoted to his work.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrinted on heavy 100# paper and in 7 colors (with added green, orange, and metallic gold inks, plus 2 spot colors and spot varnish) to achieve Ay-Ō’s vibrant color palette, the book is its own stunning art object. The dustjacket, printed and silkscreened on uncoated, felted art board, is die-cut to reveal the rainbow-printed caseside. \u003ci\u003eAy-Ō Happy Rainbow Hell\u003c\/i\u003e presents approximately 140 gorgeous illustrations from the Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, home to the largest US collection of Ay-Ō’s silkscreen prints, and loans from other US institutions along with enlightening catalog entries to better appreciate each piece. Additionally, the book includes:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn essay from Kit Brooks, the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art, that provides a biography of Ay-Ō; explores the artist’s fluctuating explanations for his rainbow fixation and its simultaneous liberation and restriction; and emphasizes his legacy as an eminent member of Fluxus, an experimental art group in the 1960s and 1970s.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn illustrated essay from Ay-Ō’s longtime printer Sukeda Kenryō, where he describes his painstaking work to translate the artist’s designs onto prismatic silkscreen prints, work that can take up to a year to accomplish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA message from the artist Ay-Ō himself.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eAy-Ō Happy Rainbow Hell \u003c\/i\u003eis a colorful and comprehensive book that pays tribute to an extraordinary career and legacy as luminous as the art itself.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56303705293173,"sku":"9781588347411","price":48.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781588347411_fdf91ed9-bcda-4f3a-b4f8-8c0e39c51985.jpg?v=1786023807"},{"product_id":"the-last-immortals-rise-of-the-rebels","title":"The Last Immortals: Rise of the Rebels","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA tank-bred axolotl, Zephyr, finds himself in a fight for survival between warring axolotl factions in this action-packed adventure for fans of Warrior Cats, with 24 black-and-white illustrations throughout.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eZephyr isn’t out to make friends. After a grueling escape from an axolotl breeding facility, all he cares about is being reunited with his sister, Luna. He places his trust in Neptune, a wise tiger salamander who promises to look for her. But the search is fraught, and Neptune refuses to venture above the surface at nightfall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeeling betrayed, Zephyr sets off on his own and soon encounters Jasper, an ambitious axolotl hungry for power. Zephyr quickly finds himself embroiled in a fight between some axolotls who believe regeneration is the key to survival and others who want to evolve into salamanders and roam free. The struggle for power is vicious, and there are many more dangers waiting for them around the lake.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis thrilling adventure is complete with legendary battles, incredible alliances, and a moving search for belonging at the heart of it all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDon't miss all the adventures in The Last Immortals!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDawn of the Axolotl (#1)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRise of the Rebels (#2)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Poison Descends (#3)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57466640040309,"sku":"9780316601887","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780316601887.jpg?v=1785654698"},{"product_id":"takeda-hideos-genpei","title":"Takeda Hideo's Genpei","description":"A stunning exploration of a landmark series of prints by one of Japan’s most inventive contemporary artistsTakeda Hideo has worked across media throughout his long career, from painting and print design to cartooning, photography, and sculpture. Endlessly flexible, frequently surprising, and often surreal, his work injects dark humor into a wide range of subjects, with a touch of irreverence and incorporating sexual elements, distortion, and dynamic composition. This book examines the body of work for which Takeda is best known, Genpei, a series of silkscreens portraying battle scenes from the twelfth-century Genpei War.   Kit Brooks looks at the ways in which the series challenges the romanticization of war and long-standing attitudes about Japan’s classical past. Previous scholarship has often characterized Genpei as a successor to a long tradition of representing The Tale of the Heike, a Japanese literary classic that narrativizes the Genpei War and romanticizes the conflict. Takeda’s selection of episodes overwhelmingly highlights acts of betrayal, cowardice, and cruelty on the part of the samurai “heroes.” Brooks argues that the series is part of a wider twentieth-century turn that challenged the perpetuation of outdated and hypocritical values of the samurai in Japanese society, thus positioning Takeda as a forerunner to well-known international artists like the global phenomenon Murakami Takashi, who have similarly reworked historical Japanese aesthetics with a flat, comic-like visuality as a means to address contemporary social issues.   The first major book in English on the artist in several decades, Takeda Hideo’s “Genpei” features an interview with the artist in both English and Japanese.   Distributed for the Princeton University Art Museum","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57499375206773,"sku":"9780691973999","price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780691973999.jpg?v=1786694683"},{"product_id":"the-last-immortals-a-poison-descends","title":"The Last Immortals: A Poison Descends","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTensions run high as another algae bloom encroaches on the axolotls' corner of the lake, explosive personalities clash, and Bubbles has a startling revelation in Book 3 of the \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e bestselling series. Perfect for fans of Warrior Cats.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a new group of axolotls is born the Rebels, Undecideds, and Immortals settle into a cautious harmony, but a ruthless algae bloom is quick to break this facade of peace. As the warring factions struggle to coexist, Ace embarks on his trial of solitude, and the rest of the crew journey to Recing Canal’s Safety Zone. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe axolotls once again believe they are out of harm’s way, and set up camp to train the baby axolotls, who aren’t so small anymore. But just after a week of training concludes, Bubbles, Zephyr, and Luna are ripped from the lake by human hands. Above the surface they unearth shocking secrets, leaving Bubbles to face a dark reality about the different challenges that harm lake-dwellers but not tank-breds.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis gripping adventure examines the true meaning of family, strength, and the dangers of unchecked power.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDon't miss all the adventures in The Last Immortals!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDawn of the Axolotl (#1)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRise of the Rebels (#2)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Poison Descends (#3)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57613169918325,"sku":"9780316610711","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780316610711.jpg?v=1790607714"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-kit-brooks.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}