{"title":"Karen Smith","description":"\u003cp\u003eEmbark on a captivating journey through the world of art and culture with the remarkable works of \u003cem\u003eKaren Smith\u003c\/em\u003e. Known for her insightful exploration of contemporary Chinese art, Karen has carved a niche for herself with her profound understanding and portrayal of the vibrant and evolving art scene in China.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong her notable works, \u003cem\u003eAi Weiwei\u003c\/em\u003e stands out as a deep dive into the life and provocative creations of one of China's most influential artists. This book offers readers an intimate look at Ai Weiwei's unique artistic vision and his unyielding quest for freedom of expression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother gem in Karen's collection is \u003cem\u003eShanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today\u003c\/em\u003e. This book takes the reader on an exhilarating visual voyage, chronicling the transformation of Shanghai from a bustling port city to a contemporary metropolis. Ideal for both history enthusiasts and avid travellers, this book is a fascinating account of Shanghai's rich tapestry of cultural and socio-economic growth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're passionate about art, culture, or travel, Karen Smith's books are a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration. Her works offer a compelling blend of historical insight and artistic exploration, perfect for anyone looking to broaden their understanding of China's dynamic cultural landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"shanghai-a-history-in-photographs-1842-today-by-liu-heung-shing-9780670080908","title":"Shanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe modern city of Shanghai rose up from truly 'muddy' origins, both in the soft subsoil its foundations were built upon and its early economy based on a trade in opium, or 'foreign mud'. Forced open to the British by the unequal Treaty of Nanking in 1842, Shanghai did what it does best—it beat the odds to become a 'bawdy and gaudy' metropolis that, 168 years later, commands a place in the contemporary imagination unlike any other city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDespite civil war, invasion, revolution, and famine, Shanghai has continued to be a byword for style, culture, business, and opportunity, leading the way for China's ongoing boom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eShanghai: A History in Photographs, 1842 - Today\u003c\/em\u003e unravels the origins of today's Shanghai, exploring the forces that shaped the city through rare archive photographs, images from private collections, and original commissions from the world's top contemporary photographers. This is the story of China—told through the prism of the country's most international city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a foreword by Paul French.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072363020524,"sku":"9780670080908","price":70.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/15482543482426.jpg?v=1765097800"},{"product_id":"ai-weiwei-by-bernard-fibicher-9780714848891","title":"Ai Weiwei","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAi Weiwei\u003c\/em\u003e (b. 1957) is truly an artist for the twenty-first century. In his sculptures, he refashions artefacts and antiques into surprising, sometimes monumental constructions such as \u003cem\u003eTemplate\u003c\/em\u003e (2007): hundreds of wooden doors and windows taken from demolished Ming and Qing dynasty temples and arranged into a massive outdoor sculpture. As much as these materials look to the past, they also speak of the present, because never before (and probably never again) have they been available in such abundance. Like his benches carved from centuries-old temple beams, \u003cem\u003eTemplate\u003c\/em\u003e is a sly commentary on the speed with which China's building boom is obliterating its past. (When \u003cem\u003eTemplate\u003c\/em\u003e collapsed in a rainstorm two weeks after its unveiling at Documenta 12, the artist embraced its demise as a clever artistic twist.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn China today, making art that's critical of current cultural and economic policies is not a particularly safe career move. But Ai's father, the poet Ai Qing, walked a similar path, absorbing European avant-garde styles while studying in 1930s Paris and later standing by them in the face of Communist opposition, a move that eventually led to his exile to the distant provincial town where his son Weiwei came to be born and raised. In the late 1970s, Ai Weiwei moved to Beijing, banding together with other pro-democracy artists in a loose collective known as the Stars Group. In 1981, following government retaliation against one of their exhibitions, Ai moved to New York, where he attended art school and lived the life of the bohemian for twelve years, his East Village apartment serving as a base for countless visiting Chinese artists. When his father became ill in 1993, Ai returned to China, settling in Beijing and finally taking up his art career in earnest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWeiwei's artistic forebears belong primarily to the Western modernist avant-garde (Duchamp and Beuys are particularly relevant). But Ai has equally and increasingly been influenced by modernist architecture and contemporary urban planning, citing the need for an ideal for living in a country where runaway economic development has shown little regard for the everyday life of the individual. In stark contrast to the glass-and-steel high-rises going up around Beijing, the art galleries, ateliers, and homes Ai designs are boxy and modest, made from brick and other vernacular materials. Their resolution of Eastern and Western styles is a fitting parallel to his antique readymade sculptures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat truly marks out Ai as a twenty-first-century artist is the multiplicity of his roles: not just artist, designer, and architect but also curator, publisher, web blogger, and compass for an entire generation of Beijing artists. He has been described more than once as the Chinese Warhol.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Australia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47362508128492,"sku":"9780714848891","price":65.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13789733482442.jpg?v=1772885448"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/karen-smith.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}