| 50-5395 | NK8806 | MARC | | Humanities Art & Architecture General | | Schoeser, Mary. Textiles: the art of mankind. Thames & Hudson, 2012. 568p bibl index; ISBN 9780500516454, $95.00. Reviewed in 2013jun CHOICE. | | Schoeser (independent scholar, UK) here explores, visually and intellectually, the juxtaposition of historical and contemporary textiles. Divided into six themed chapters–“Impact,” “Ingredients,” “Structure,” “Surface,” “Added Dimensions,” and “Imagery”–the book aims to illustrate the continuity of skill and creativity across artist and artisan, time, and place. More than 1,000 excellent color images place past and present together, asking readers to compare and construct connections. A range of images and examples explore diversity within similar techniques, and the work of various artists illustrates broad ideas within the field of textiles and textile-based art. Image and text together provide an engaging look at contemporary textile art and design and its influences. Most of the textiles represented are hand constructed. The author explores the idea of “slow” textiles, but also integrates an understanding of the place of technology and “techno-textiles.” This book is particularly good for scholars, curators, and artists interested in thinking about the visual connections between the past and present. Included are an excellent index, a list of resources, and suggestions for further reading. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. — L. L. Kriner, Berea College |
|