This books offers a look at the entire career of skater slash designer slash artist Andy Howell. The book is presented in a very personal way, there's a good amount of text and the layout borrows styles of old skate zines...
expand review and skate mags. The story begins with his youth days in Virginia Beach, his early influences, and his rise to pro skater. These stories are illuminated by quotes, vintage photos, old skate products, and skate mag excerpts. If you grew up in the same period, this stuff is quite incredible. For the designers, the book really picks up with the chapter on New Deal skateboard company. Howell provided the visual direction for this super-influential company (recognized as one of the forces that shifted skate graphics to more of an urban direction). The book proceeds into a lengthy section on Howell's paintings. And just when you think it should end, you've only gone halfway through the book. The book gets deeper into Andy's drawings, early urban skating in nyc, starting new companies, and much more. This book is much more than a design book, it's more like an well illustrated manual on the DIY life. And if that's not enough, the book comes with 2 accompanying DVDs. Hardcover, over 300 pages. -the mgmnt
The definitive book on Banksy's work. This guy is now an official art superstar- I went to that show he did in Los Angeles a couple months back and shit was bonkers. 300 yard lines to get in, Brangelina buying up nearly...
expand review everything on the opening night, a painted live elephant, huge newspaper coverage, the whole deal. I mean this guy is MAJOR now. And while he's released three small picture books, this is the only true compendium of his work in print. It chronicles all his major works & mediums, from the beginning monkey stencils up to his full blown "street sculptures", brand burning and political work, peppered with writing, advice, explanations and such. I personally don't get off much on his fame or images, but I'm continually impressed with the scope and impact of his projects. Wherever you stand on his work, this shit is thought provoking, powerful and out there for people to experience- which is the most important thing. 210 pages, full color, soft cover. Recommended. -the mgmnt
Show book from Twist's 1999 solo exhibition at Deitch Gallery. Damn, shoulda woulda, I went to this show and those Twist bottles were right there for the taking. I think they did it on purpose, cause a lot of the bottles were...
expand review gone by the end of the show (just like the Street Market show). What was I thinking, was I afraid that those Vassar interns were gonna throw down? Karma's a bitch though. Anyway, excuse my soliloquy of the fawn, the pages here document the show in color, also injecting the usual Twist black and white photo randomness. Lots of illustration work and a section of blank pages for your own input. Approx 150 pages (1/3 blank). 9.5" x 11.5". -mgmnt
This book was made in conjunction with the massive art survey of the same name, currently showing in San Francisco's Yerba Buena center. If you caught Tokion's genre-defining "Disobedients" issue, Beautiful Losers is like a continuation of that thought line, the summation...
expand review of many years of gallery shows, art projects, and publications that have been related in spirit. It features just about every "big" name that is associated with that movement- Barry McGee, Chris Johanson, Mike Mills, Mark Gonzales, Tobin Yelland, Margaret Kilgallen, Spike Jonze, Espo, Geoff McFetridge, Kaws, Ed Templeton, Shepard Fairey, Harmony Korine, Phil Frost, Ryan McGinness, and many others. Yeah, that sounds like they're casting the net a bit wide, but this mass of information and artwork is presented in such a thoughtful manner that it comes together without a hitch. In addition to showcasing the artwork, the book consists of informative articles that give us the background on how this loosely related conglomeration of people and styles came to be. This consists of an impressive collection of images + stories that speak about the social scene, past gallery shows, collectives, and the influences of the preceding generation (things like Dogtown and skate photographer Craig Stacyk, and the early 80s NYC scene); thankfully devoid of art school interpretations of what it all "means." The result is the most comprehensive piece we've seen thus far, and if you're gonna buy one book in this genre all year, this should be it. Softcover, about 275 pages. -the mgmnt
LAB EXCLUSIVO: Each copy of purchased from the Lab is signed by CLAW MONEY herself. Get it while supplies last.
CLAW MONEY pretty much runs things. Not only is she one of the few female graf queens (her infamous CLAW icon has...
expand review appeared on walls in the East Village to LA to Amsterdam and Milan since the early '90s), she also designs her own clothing line (with lots of her CLAW icons of course), her own jewelry and accessory line, works as a fashion editor, a brand consultant, and still has time to put out a book. Bombshell is an up close and personal look at CLAW's life and crimes, as told through tons of photos, letters, sketches, designs and testimonials from her (in)famous friends. It's clear she's having a super-fun time being CLAW MONEY - rarely have I seen so many fashionable self portraits in a graff monologue (or party pics for that matter). All I gotta say is... Damn girl, don't hurt 'em! 128 pages, hardcover. -snackmaster
Cody Hudson's first book focuses on his personal art with images from his studio, gallery shows, and lots of Strugglism doodles. Around 50 pages, measures 7" x 7". If you have a store and would like to carry this book, please email...
expand review struggle@turntablelab.com. -mgmnt
At 18, Corita Kent (1918-1986) entered the Roman Catholic order of Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Angeles, where she taught art and eventually ran the art department. After more than 30 years, at the end of the 1960s,...
expand review she left the order to devote herself to making her own work. Over a 35-year career she made watercolors, posters, books and banners--and most of all, serigraphs--in an accessible and dynamic style that appropriated techniques from advertising, consumerism and graffiti. The earliest of it, which she began showing in 1951, borrowed phrases and depicted images from the Bible; by the 1960s, she was using song lyrics and publicity slogans as raw material. Eschewing convention, she produced cheap, readily available multiples, including a postage stamp. Her work was popular but largely neglected by the art establishment--though it was always embraced by such design luminaries as Charles and Ray Eames, Buckminster Fuller and Saul Bass. More recently, she has been increasingly recognized as one of the most innovative and unusual Pop artists of the 1960s, battling the political and religious establishments, revolutionizing graphic design and making some of the most striking--and joyful--American art of her era, all while living and practicing as a Catholic nun. This first study of her work, organized by Julie Ault on the twentieth anniversary of Kent's death, with essays by Ault and Daniel Berrigan, is the first to examine this important American outsider artist's life and career, and contains more than 90 illustrations, many of which are reproduced for the first time, in vibrant, and occasionally Day-Glo, color. Softcover, 128 pages. 9.75 x 11.25 in. -the mgmnt
The music graphics book was born in the mid-nineties and died in early 2000 with over-saturation and lowered standards as a cause of death. Enough water has passed and people have learned from their mistakes. This is an excellent reintroduction to...
expand review the modern music graphics book. It's executed near perfectly with relevent examples (many records we've had at the Lab, but even more that we haven't), clean design, and Japanese-style attention to mega-detail (it's organized by designer, painstakingly documented, and each designer has an interview). It is so effective that the book creates an illusion that these are classic record covers from 10 years ago, when they really are from yesterday. Softcover, 318 pages, 7.5" x 9.5" x .75". Recommended.
-the mgmnt
It's a visual overload! Panic Room is one of those art books that keeps on giving (I've looked through it several times and keep finding something new). With over 90 contemporary artists (whose work primarily consists of drawing), this Deitch Projects book...
expand review is a great way to see the scope of cutting-edge hand styles from all over the world. Trip out on an eclectic mish mash of comic culture, graffiti, fantasy, and psychedelia from the likes of Marc Bell, Paper Rad, Barry McGee, assume astro vivid focus, Tauba Auerbach, Bjorn Copeland, Verne Dawson, Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson, Margaret Kilgallen, Ted Mineo, Ben Peterson, Cameron Jamie, Clare Rojas, David Shrigley, Kelley Walker and many more. Just take a look at the inside shots and you'll see how inspiring and entertaining this compilation of work is. 11" x 11", 160 pages, softcover. Recommended. -snackmaster
Third book from skater-artist Ed Templeton. Personally, I am a fan of Ed's work. It's gripping, engaging, sexual, pubic, teenage, dark, and always entertaining on several levels (from cheap shock to artsy deeper meaning). Deformer is a collection of photographs, drawings,...
expand review and collages that loosely serves as an auto-biography. Beginning with Ed's personal adolescent pictures and scrapbook moments (his embarrassing report card is awesome), the book slowly builds into a inferno of sex, youth, and death. Yeah, sounds like an overstatement, but really, the book has an epic song quality to it. You're bombarded with images (and nudity) in unrestricted layouts... part thrash metal, part jazz. Hardcover, 166 pages, 12" x 9.5". Recommended. -the mgmnt
We've been trying to get a hold of this book for a while. It was breifly available stateside a couple years ago, and we had to go trans-national to get these copies. Skater-artist Ed Templeton has become a mini-celebrity for his low...
expand review budget style of art and candid photography. This book focuses on the latter with a striking collection of shots of friends, injuries, nudes (lots of his wife, i'd hit it), teenage life (including parts of his award winning teenage smokers series), sex, and more bugged perspectives. If you ever read skate mags, and were curious about Ed Templeton's shit, this is a direct in. I normally hate artsy-fartsy shit, but this is gripping. 100 pages, color and black & white. -mgmnt
Evan Hecox's work seems to be everywhere these days (Chocolate skateboards, Nike, Arkitip to name a few). You'd expect a following of biters, but those people can't imitate the eye and pure skill. I believe this is Hecox first proper book (we...
expand review previously had a mini-book from Arkitip) and it's like putting on a real nice pair of shades. His flattened style really brings out the moment when it shouldn't. It's easy to get lost in this. Hardcover, 160 pages. Recommended. -mgmnt
With books like Writing and The Art of Rebellion, the quality of Graf books have skyrocketed. Gone are the days of crappy layouts and 50% opacity backgrounds, these books approach the subject like a textbook, allowing the graf to speak clearly and...
expand review making larger points (ie. graf as typography, graf as rebellion). Fadings takes it in another direction, making the connection between street graf and the art/commercial world. The examples are quite expansive, ranging from typefaces, catalogs, video games, logotypes, paintings and much more. Well executed from start to finish, with a strong list of european contributors. Although this may seem like a very obvious subject, the book makes some excellent connections, and serves as a great look book and resource. Hardcover, over 200 pages. -mgmnt
A beautiful production put together by the Art & Revolution and Sweet Mother Recordings. The book smartly displays the work of 9 super influential artist/designers/graf writers: Perks, Reas, Espo, Rostarr, Bill McMullen, Space Invader, Zevs, Delta, Shawn Wolfe. Plus an introduction by...
expand review Shepard Fairey. Full color. Hard bound. 80 pages. Very recommended. -the mgmnt
Bay area graf writer, tattoo artist, and zinester gets his first proper monograph. The viewer gets blasted with all aspects of Giant's work, and it's quite interesting how his graf style carries through the different disciplines. His super clean style that blew...
expand review up graf mags back in the day has fully evolved into a free-form tattoo illustration style spawned across walls, flesh, skateboards, and brown zine paper. But don't forget about those throw-ups, some of the best in the game. Approx 150 pages. -mgmnt
The second release from these guys ups the chewability factor to ridiculous levels. If you're unfamiliar with the Gum phenomenon, they basically play right into the minds of the people who are into this "street art/design" thing by spending as much time...
expand review (& $) on the packaging as they do on the contents. Itís a nice system. So while this issue includes work from and interviews with such names as Espo, Dalek, Chris Yormick, Ray Bradbury, Nonconceptual, Interpol, Tim "Love" Lee, Cornelius, and others, the real star and fun is in the packaging. It's a big candy box which includes a 184 page hard bound book/magazine, a 44 page comic-type "activity" book with the music features, 9 pop trading cards, a View-Master reel, 1 pack of gummi Pumas, and 3 gumballs! The box even includes a little press-in gumball dispenser on the bottom. Too cool, too fun. -mgmnt
You know Jason Jagel's work, even if you don't know the name. The Cali-based artist has down a gang covers for a bunch of Stones Throw artists like Madlib, Dudley Perkins, and Egon (Evil Badger Breaks), but is probably best known for...
expand review the painted covers of MF Doom's MMM FOOD album and 12"s (you know - the cartoony ones that make Doom look all cuddly). I've been a fan of Jagel's work for years, ever since I saw his art at the Cartoon Art Museum in SF. Then I started seeing his stuff on Stones Throw records and it made it even better. His paintings have a loose-yet-tight quality about them with tons of stuff going on all in one panel (you can re-visit drawings you've seen a lot and find new things in them). Tons of musical and personal references are placed in a colorful, cartoony world that doesn't seem to take itself too seriously seemed to be a perfect match for Stones Throw's releases. I was wondering when there would be a proper book showcasing his work and that time is finally here. This beautiful, oversized (14" x 12" x 1") book features 200 images from Jagel's career, all in super crisp full color detail. In addition, The Beat Konducta himself has contributed an exclusive 10" record (designed by Jagel of course) featuring 3 unreleased tracks by Yesterday's Universe. Dopeness. 208 pages total, hardcover. Highly Recommended. -snackmaster
Kevin Lyons is a true behind-the-scenes pioneer of the DIY design game and has had immeasurable influence on the independent music and clothing worlds. This retrospective book of over 500 t-shirt designs is much more than graphics printed on cotton. You really...
expand review get to relive past micro-eras (acid jazz, golden-age hip-hop, the skating boom, the early days of streetwear), and understand how key Lyons was in pushing them along. This guy did the Giant Step logo for crissakes (not to mention directing Stussy and Fourstar, and producing graphics for Supreme, aNYthing, Huf and Ssur)! As a designer, I am in awe of the work here, flipping pages and thinking "he did that too?" (Denver Broncos logo? Check.) The book design itself kicks ass too with cotton cloth bound cover, folded pages, and a fake library card in the back. Over 200 pages, recommended. -the mgmnt
I first found out about artist Matthew Brannon in an article in Color magazine (Canada's finest skate mag). I was instantly hooked by his graphic designer's approach to fine art. Brannon pairs his 60s/70s advertising-style imagery with non- sequitur, catchy one liners....
expand review He seems to travel in a parallel world with Geoff McFetridge, but with an alternate color palette and font style (and his work goes for fine art prices). Softcover, 8.5" x 12", 175 pages. Recommended. -the mgmnt
Brooklyn-based Maya Hayuk has been a bright spot in the NY art scene over the years. Whether it's rolling with the Barnstormers or designing Prefuse covers, Hayuk seems to dodge the trendy while doing her own thang. You may be familiar with...
expand review her signature detailed drawings of hairy couples fornicating (represented here), but you also get a heavy dose of her vibrant color / pattern work. And like NYC itself, the book is interspersed with beautiful randomness like a bunny-man drawings, photoshop blowouts, cultish nature symbols, and various photos. Hardcover, approximately 90 full color pages. -the mgmnt
Just sat down and rapped with Doug and Jason at Morning Breath Inc. and saw that they have this huge Surfboard in there with a clean-as-hell painting of a snake and roses on it by Mike Giant. When I asked him...
expand review when he did that, they replied with, "yeah, he just came one day and busted that out." That's kinda Mike in a nutshell. His perfect lined sharpie and ink pieces has befuddled artists and connoisseurs for years. They may look like a painstakingly done illustrator file, but don't be fooled, they're all handrawn (no computah here, son!). "Muerte" marks a new page in the Mike Giant saga, featuring almost 50 of his works from his show in Paris. Some may look at it as his continuing love for tattoo art and LA / SF gang culture, but there's a genuine consistency to these images. Life, mortality, sacrifice, blood, tears, love, and humanity are deep in every page, and the result is quite powerful when compiled all together. Recommended. -C'mish
Optical Art is so underrated. Trevor Jackson ruled it for a couple years with his record sleeves, but really, it's more fundamental than fad. The introduction quote applied to this subject is genius: "Thus art is not an object, it is an...
expand review experience" - Josef Albers. Focusing on the height of Op Art (60s and early 70s), this book quickly establishes itself as a visual and informational force. This ain't no visual tricks book! It rightfully documents the style as an art movement and culls some of the finest examples (painting and sculptures) I've ever experienced. Super informational and visually stunning. Softcover, 300+ pages. 11" x 9.5". -the mgmnt
I will make a prediction and say that mid-century California design is the next thing in the design world. I think people are getting over both rigidness and sloppiness, and California design falls somewhere in the middle with the added components...
expand review of cheer and verve (what we need in these times). I also like the muted color tones with the occasional tight punches of color. This book is the top book I've encountered that covers this aesthetic in design, art, architecture, music (primarily jazz) and even film. Tons of pictures and all the writing you need to know. Hardcover, 10" x 11", 300 pages. -the mgmnt
Os (freakin) Gemeos! These Brazilian artists have fascinated us since they became cult graf heroes in the pages 12oz. Prophet in the mid-nineties. Since then, they've blown up to Barry McGee levels working with Deitch, hip europeans, that company with the swoosh...
expand review logo, and other wealthy institutions. However, like McGee, you'll always be reminded of their awesomeness by a spontaneous street sighting or some ridiculous mural in Coney Island. I could be wrong, but this might be the first official monograph of their work, published on occasion of their first museum show in the Netherlands. The book is divided into sections: public work juxtaposed with street portraits, sketchbook pages, and installation images. Full color, square-bound softcover, approximately 170 pages. Limited to 2500 copies. -the mgmnt
If you need some grown man business in your book collection, check out this hardcover facsimile of Picasso's sketchbook from the early 70s. Starting at the exterior, this book features a cloth bound cover embossed with Picasso's own handwriting. On the interior,...
expand review you'll notice that the pages are very similar to a high quality sketchbook. Then you'll start to notice things like marker bleeding through to the next 2 pages, and you'll ask yourself what's going on. Yes, this is a facsimile, so the detail is impeccable. You even see pencil rub wear on the opposite page and stray watercolor marks. The first two-thirds are filled with Picasso's signature drawings of voluptuous tang (I see the Reas link now). The last third includes analysis and thumbnails. Hardcover, 88 pages total. -the mgmnt
I've already drooled over Peter Saville's accomplishments in previous Lab musings, but this is the finest monograph on Saville's work to date. While other recent books on Saville and Factory Records have been consistently excellent, this book gets even deeper into Saville's...
expand review work archives and thought process. For a little color, the press release says it best: "The now legendary cover designs for the Joy Division album Unknown Pleasures (1979) and the New Order single "Blue Monday" (1983) brought the Manchester graphic designer Peter Saville immediate international renown, with their somber yet lush Modernist edge. Saville was the cofounder of Factory Records, and was single-handedly responsible for its unique house style, so widely imitated, and so entirely Saville's own. Outside of the Factory stable he has produced covers for, among others, Patti Smith, Roxy Music, Wham!, Suede and Pulp, and has also collaborated on many architectural, fashion and interior design ventures, including the famous Manchester nightclub the Hacienda, and collaborations with Nick Knight, David Chippenfield and Stella McCartney. His sensibility combines unerring elegance with a remarkable ability to facture imagery that epitomizes and defines a cultural moment. Based on his solo exhibition at the Migros Museum in Zurich, which also traveled to the ICA London, this book surveys Saville's extensive archives for the first time. It was conceived and designed in close collaboration with Saville; as such, it is the first publication to be designed by the artist. Paperback, 8" x 10.5", 272 pages. Recommended. -the mgmnt
Banksy is the unstoppable juggernaut of the street art world right now, straight up. With his works gaining value exponentially by the minute (from actual pieces ripped out of walls to out of print books and even records with his art on...
expand review it) it kinda makes you wonder about the history of this heralded street artist that would prefer to be anonymous. Enter "Home Sweet Home" the first book on Banksy that really delves into his roots and art stemming from his hometown of Bristol. Definitely the most revealing account of Banksy's formative years, the book features over a hundred images of his Bristol art, as well as pictures of Banksy at work (many of which have never been published before). Author Steve Wright really did his homework on this one, tracing Banksy's roots way back to the rave/hiphop culture of the 90's and painting a full portrait of the mysterious artist. "Home Sweet Home" is essential reading for any Banksy fan or anyone that ever wondered about how Banksy came up. About 105 pages, hardcover. -snackmaster
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