Xu Zhen is a pivotal figure in the Chinese art scene, straddling the divide between the older generation of artists that emerged in the early 1990s and the younger generation, many of whom were born after 1980. Born in 1977, Xu Zhen is still quite young himself, buthe has been showing so long and with such potency that he is … Continue reading
We thought you might like a little more insight into the editorial minds involved in our publishing process, so here’s a peek into the world of our Visual Culture team! Editor Lisa Goodrum has been been a part of the I.B.Tauris cohort for five fantastic years, moving from production through to editorial. With a background … Continue reading
Today marks 100 years since women were granted the vote in Britain. To commemorate this centenary, we’ve put together an essential reading list of I.B.Tauris books covering the evolution of women’s position in British society. Continue reading
The Winchester Rifle, the iconic gun made in New Haven, Connecticut, and sold in its hundreds of thousands around the world, mirrors American expansion at a key period in the young country’s history. The lethal repeating rifle became the defining image of America’s frontier – and was known amongst Native Americans as “the spirit gun”. … Continue reading
As 2017 draws to a close, the I.B.Tauris staff have again taken the chance to reflect on their favourite books, from our own (strong) stable – and from further afield. As usual, there’s a wonderfully eclectic range, so dive in! Madeleine Hamey-Thomas; Visual Culture Editor I.B.Tauris Book of the Year: China’s Forgotten People: Xinjiang, … Continue reading
Video games are a defining part of mass visual culture. Today over half of all American households own a dedicated game console and gaming industry profits trump those of the film industry worldwide. In this book, Soraya Murray moves past the technical discussions of games and offers a fresh and incisive look at their cultural … Continue reading
From the introduction by Toby Wilkinson This book tells the story of an Edwardian journey on the Nile in the winter of 1907–1908. At its core is a remarkable series of letters which provide a first-hand account of the three-month trip—the sites visited, the passengers aboard and the people encountered ashore, the clashes of culture … Continue reading
Saed leads a comfortable, yet boring, middle-class life. That is, until one afternoon, he leaves work early and crosses into the rough side of town, in search of a run-down boxing club. His obsession with this underground sport grows: he starts skipping work and showing up with visible injuries. Things begin to unravel as he … Continue reading
‘The cyborg, it must be noted, is not a singular or simple figure. To assume either of these positions is to misunderstand that figure and to neglect the nuances of its critiques and alternative articulations, or to misconstrue them. Like the notions of the human that it interacts with, the cyborg has a complex genealogy. Indeed, the label ‘cyborg’ has … Continue reading
By Grazia Ietto Gillies Memories are multidimensional and this is reflected in my book. There are, however, two themes that run across the memoir: the impact that our little Calabrian town and its society had on me and on my family; and food. Food played a vital role in our family life and culture and … Continue reading
Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s Wedding Dance in the Open Air is an irresistible summons to a party. We are all invited – approaching from the edges of a wooded glade we can spy the bride at the heart of the festivities. She is seated at a table before a makeshift cloth of honour … Continue reading
As it’s black history month in the United States, I wanted to do a quick list of my favourite African American Artists. You can find out more information about some of them (noted in the text) in Derek Conrad Murray’s Queering Post-Black Art (I.B.Tauris 2016). If you like Matisse and Kandinsky, and have not yet … Continue reading
Alice Bacon was one of the twentieth-century’s most remarkable female politicians. Born and raised in the Yorkshire town of Normanton, she defied the odds to be elected Labour MP for Leeds North East in the 1945 General Election. Famed in her home town for her unlikely love of sports cars, she was a much-respected, no-nonsense, … Continue reading
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