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The Book of Skulls
The skull is one of the most recognizable symbols of today's contemporary visual culture. Since its 1970 s renaissance in the iconic album designs of bands such as the Grateful Dead, the skull has found its way into the visual vocabulary of urban life, adorning T-Shirts, badges and rock memorabilia as the ultimate symbol of anarchy and rebellion. Repurposed and recast by artists, illustrators and designers, it has become one of the most iconic cultural symbols of our time. In response to this cultural phenomenon, The Book of Skulls presents a cool visual guide to the skull, charting its rebirth through music and street fashion to become today s ultimate anti-establishment icon. From Black Sabbath to Cypress Hill, skater punk graffiti to Gothic tattoos, from high-couture to Hello Kitty and Dali to Damien Hirst, this book is the ultimate collection of cool and iconic skull motifs. Drawing together artwork from music, fashion, street art and graphic design The Book of Skulls is a celebration of one of today s most iconic cultural symbols.
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2011
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 30, 2012
great for pointing out key art works lacking linking/connecting theory
January 6, 2023
How could I resist this stunning art book with such an attention grabbing cover and title? I love grabbing art books that expand my artistic horizons.
It was an easy sell, as I like gothic and tattoo style aesthetics, and the cover and binding of this is beautiful. But the contents are so much broader than I expected, including beautifully decorated sculptures, album artwork, watercolours, installations, screenprints and more.
Art pics are interspersed with small histories of related iconography, such as the Grateful Dead's "Dead Head" supporters, Mexican-American graffiti art, and the mythology of the crystal skull.
Do you like books with unusual binding? This one shows the stitching and the title is printed directly onto the spines of the signatures, which I think looks really interesting.
If you like gothic styling, are seeking tattoo inspiration, or just want to add to your art book collection, this is a great choice.
It was an easy sell, as I like gothic and tattoo style aesthetics, and the cover and binding of this is beautiful. But the contents are so much broader than I expected, including beautifully decorated sculptures, album artwork, watercolours, installations, screenprints and more.
Art pics are interspersed with small histories of related iconography, such as the Grateful Dead's "Dead Head" supporters, Mexican-American graffiti art, and the mythology of the crystal skull.
Do you like books with unusual binding? This one shows the stitching and the title is printed directly onto the spines of the signatures, which I think looks really interesting.
If you like gothic styling, are seeking tattoo inspiration, or just want to add to your art book collection, this is a great choice.
January 14, 2018
The talent of some of these artists is amazing!
January 4, 2021
Beautiful art, very enjoyable short read.
April 18, 2021
Some really great art but I would've liked to read more about the history of skull art and the inspiration behind the pictures.
November 8, 2016
Nice little book about skulls. Would be better if there was more text though.
June 18, 2012
I found this peculiar little book in the book shop of Centre Pompidou in Paris. I like to see it as a museum in a museum.
Faye Dowling accumulates a morbid and fascinating exhibition in a pocket-sized book.
I love skulls. Skulls rock!
I have always loved skulls. As a child I wanted a skull necklace, a bandana with a skull print and a zero skateboard. I lost my skateboarding skills years ago and I am fully aware of the fact that necklaces and bandanas are better not worn publicly. However, I retained my love and fascination for the skull throughout the years.
Skulls are intriguing. They remind us of our certain end but they don't seem to take that mortality seriously. Flipping through the pages of The Book of Skulls, you'll find a good share of grins and smirks. Like zombies, skulls are a perverse parody of death, a grotesquely mocking icon of our time to come.
The cultural background has been reduced to a minimum of pages and I must admit I would have wanted more textual immersion and more analysis. On the other hand, however, the pictures speak for themselves and this book offers a lovely collection of skulls from all layers of (underground) culture... And it contains Panic Attack by Matt Furie! Click here to see it
"Reading" The Book of Skulls is walking through a museum of death. A museum worth visiting!
Further reading:
-The Day of the Dead
-Het Feest van de Dood
-Hell Bound
Faye Dowling accumulates a morbid and fascinating exhibition in a pocket-sized book.
I love skulls. Skulls rock!
I have always loved skulls. As a child I wanted a skull necklace, a bandana with a skull print and a zero skateboard. I lost my skateboarding skills years ago and I am fully aware of the fact that necklaces and bandanas are better not worn publicly. However, I retained my love and fascination for the skull throughout the years.
Skulls are intriguing. They remind us of our certain end but they don't seem to take that mortality seriously. Flipping through the pages of The Book of Skulls, you'll find a good share of grins and smirks. Like zombies, skulls are a perverse parody of death, a grotesquely mocking icon of our time to come.
The cultural background has been reduced to a minimum of pages and I must admit I would have wanted more textual immersion and more analysis. On the other hand, however, the pictures speak for themselves and this book offers a lovely collection of skulls from all layers of (underground) culture... And it contains Panic Attack by Matt Furie! Click here to see it
"Reading" The Book of Skulls is walking through a museum of death. A museum worth visiting!
Further reading:
-The Day of the Dead
-Het Feest van de Dood
-Hell Bound
August 30, 2011
Simple book all about skulls in art, design and culture. Touches on the religious and culture meaning of skulls and how they symbolise life, death, rebellion and vanity. Would have liked more reading and background on skulls but this is primarily a collection of designs and illustrations. Useful to me at the moment as I am designing an identity using a skull motif.
July 1, 2016
I got this book on sale, and mostly because the art is so neat. I even took one of the pages out to frame (sorry, book.) The stories that go with each skull are fun to read and learn about, and honestly, it's just one of those great coffee table books. It's not some fascinating and engrossing read, but I'm glad it's on my bookshelf.
November 23, 2014
Perfect for anyone fascinated by skulls.
December 5, 2013
Would have liked this to be a bit more comprehensive.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews