tribal_revival

Tribal Revival by Kyer Wiltshire

A glossy fat tome on the table draws you in. It’s not about Martha Stewart’s cottage or endangered animals of the coral reef, it’s people in outrageous costumes or darkly beautiful artwork.

The book that gave me the idea for this post is Kyer Wiltshire’s Tribal Revival – West Coast Tribal Culture. I gave it to Paul last year for his birthday (which is Boxing day BTW).  Since then we’ve loaned it to friends and passed it around parties (BTW, there is an Organic Armor headdress in one of the photos!).

Here is an eclectic list of ten more that would make nice be-ribboned rectangular packages for someone:

Art of Modern RockPete and Lynette showed me this one. It’s sheer size and bright colors will wow you, especially if you are a fan of gig posters.

Dot Dot Dash – over 4,400 vinyl figures, plush dolls, designer toys, action figures and more. Connor’s fav.

Wall & Piece by Banksy – The collected works of Britain’s subversive and prolific urban artist.

More graffiti –Trespass – A History of Uncommissioned Urban Art. This one is hot off the press.

Fruit: Tokyo Street Style by Shoichi Aoki – full of engaging photographs capturing a fashion subculture that has inspired designers worldwide.

Spectrum – a treasure of annual showcases of the best in contemporary fantastic art, published since 1993.

Taschen’s 1000 Pin Up Girls – retro pulp charm

A classic from 1989 – Modern Primitives by Re/Search – interviews, essays and photos about body modification

More classics from the designer of Alien and other biomechanical beauty – H.R. #Giger’s Necronomicon I and II

Burlesque and the Art of the Teese with the flip side of the book being Fetish and the Art of the Teese, by fashion icon and performer Dita Von Teese

Thanks to all the Facebook friends who gave me their ideas for this list.