May 3, 2018 | Culture
Visually striking and creatively captivating, these are the new books you need on your shelf right now.
There’s something about Elliott Erwitt’s photographs that stops you in your tracks. Perhaps it’s his instantly recognizable black-and-white aesthetic, or the fact that each image makes you feel like a fly on the wall in an inexplicably (or obviously) significant moment in time and place. You’ll get that sense each time you turn the page of Personal Best (teNeues), a comprehensive retrospective of the photographer’s work. Incorporating primarily photos he shot for himself, rather than for commercial purposes, New York City-based Erwitt, 89, gathers his most captivating images from some 70 years of incredible captures all over the world. $65, teneues-books.com
Punchy and playful, bold and brilliant, Donald Robertson’s illustrations have taken the fashion world by colorful storm. And his story is as compelling as his work: The father of five, who was based in New York at the time, started an Instagram account in 2012 called @drawbertson, and in no time earned himself the unofficial title “The Andy Warhol of Instagram,” grabbing the attention of Beyoncé and landing collaborations with Smashbox and Bergdorf Goodman, among others. Six years after his Instagram debut, Donald (Assouline) celebrates Robertson’s splashy creations, sprinkled with lighthearted narratives from industry leaders, fashion designers and celebrity muses. $85, assouline.com
“In 1994 MOSS opened. In 2012 MOSS closed. Many, many things happened in between,” writes Franklin Getchell in the foreword of Please Do Not Touch (Rizzoli), a new tome that tells the fascinating story of the legendary, though relatively short-lived, design gallery in Soho. Founded by Murray Moss and Getchell, his partner, MOSS changed the way New Yorkers— and visitors around the world—viewed design. Notorious for its opening-night parties, iconic collaborations and installations, and melding the worlds of art, design, technology and theater, MOSS was an institution. Please Do Not Touch delves into the duo’s personal archives of never-before-seen photographs and tales of an industry changing time. $55, rizzoliusa.com
ERIC FIRESTONE GALLERY INVITATION PHOTO © COURTESY OF ERIC FIRESTONE GALLERY
