Minus Equals Plus

by Istvan Banyai

No illustrator surpasses Istvan Banyai at portraying the dream lives of today's New York and Los Angeles hip urban style-setters. His repertoire of visual special effects, whether seen in magazines, books, or animated films, is perfectly suited to a pop culture in which anything - appearance, identity, status - can be morphed into its opposite. This first collection of Banyai's memorable pictures is a tribute to this dazzlingly gifted illustrator, a transplanted Hungarian who sees America with fresh eyes - and whose art uniquely speaks for our time.
In the Banyai universe, reflections and shadows become alternate realities, faces are interchangeable, and sex is a game played with laptop and webcam. Even his popular children's book illustrations consist of sequences that shift vertiginously from scene to scene. Banyai describes his art as "an organic combination of turn-of-the-century Viennese retro, interjected with American pop, some European absurdity added for flavor, served on a cartoon-style color palette... no social realism added." That distinctive perspective informs every page of this striking book.

180 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Illustrator and animator

Reviews

[Cindi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uh...I really liked the other books by this author. Let's just say that they worked fine as fun books that were fit for children (Zoom, Re-zoom, The other side). This one has an ADULT aspect to it that I didn't appreciate so much hidden right in the center of the book. Good thing something told me to glance through it before turning it over to the kids!

[Svetlana · Rating 5 out of 5]

mind blowing illustrations/cartoons having to do with sci fi and human nature and pop culture

[George Kasnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

An odd, disturbing, thought provoking series of illustrations. Interesting background from the artist in the afterword.