130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Gaetano Pesce

The Complete Incoherence
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Gaetano Pesce is the definitive volume capturing the incomparable life and career of the visionary artist-designer, Gaetano Pesce, told through his own words. The book is based on a wide-ranging interview conducted by acclaimed curator and writer Glenn Adamson, revealing new stories and insights into Pesce's unique position in contemporary art and design. Bridging multiple art and design movements without fully belonging to any, Pesce's practice is provocative and defies convention, utility, and traditional good taste. This long overdue summary, co-published with Salon 94, offers an intimate and richly illustrated account of Pesce's wildly inventive career.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$18000
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Gaetano Pesce is ideal for enthusiasts of contemporary art and design, collectors interested in postmodern aesthetics, and readers keen on exploring the life of an iconic and unconventional creative figure whose work defies easy categorisation.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The definitive volume on Gaetano Pesce’s incomparable life and career, as told in the artist-designer’s own words

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The definitive volume on Gaetano Pesce's incomparable life and career, as told in the artist-designer’s own words.

In a category all his own, Gaetano Pesce is widely considered one of the most important and elusive creative figures of the last half century. Bridging numerous key art and design movements, while never belonging to any of them, Pesce's singular practice has remained steadfastly provocative, defying convention, utility, and good taste.

Glenn Adamson, the acclaimed curator and writer, conducted the wide-ranging interview with Pesce on which this book is based. This draws out new stories and insights, as well as providing an introduction that thoroughly contextualises Pesce’s unique position in contemporary art and design. As postmodern design has become increasingly desirable, interest in Pesce has grown with renewed exhibition activity and critical attention, and his work has become even more valuable and collectible.

In this long overdue summary co-published with Salon 94, Pesce looks back at his incomparable and wildly inventive career, recounting his life and practice in his own words.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised for its inventive presentation and stunning visuals, Gaetano Pesce has been described by The World of Interiors as "a work of art in itself" and an "admirable book." The FT How to Spend It considers it a "hefty coffee table book" worthy of pride of place. AIR MAIL highlights the emotional honesty of Pesce's autobiographical chapters complemented by beautiful archival photographs. Elle Decor calls it a "vibrant guidebook" to one of design's most intriguing figures, while Cool Hunting commends Glenn Adamson's capturing of Pesce's colourful provocations and inventive perspectives.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781580935999

Publisher: Monacelli Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 08 June 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Monacelli Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 235.0mm

Height: 329.0mm

Weight: 2478g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Glenn Adamson is a curator and writer who works at the intersection of craft, design history, and contemporary art. He was previously director of the Museum of Arts and Design, New York; head of research at the V&A; and curator at the Chipstone Foundation in Milwaukee. Adamson contributes regularly to Art in America and Frieze, and his many publications include Objects: USA 2020 (Monacelli,2021) and Fewer Better Things (2018).

Also by Glenn Adamson

View all
  • Nike: Form Follows Motion
    An unprecedented look at the design archives of the iconic sportswear brand. In Autumn 2024, the Vitra Design Museum will present the first ever museum exhibition about Nike, the world's most revered sport brand. The exhibition, together with this accompanying catalogue, marks the milestones in Nike's six-decade history and explores its ascent into a global brand that holds a central...
    Hardback
    $12000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Lino Tagliapietra
    The most comprehensive monograph available on the greatest living glassblower, Lino Tagliapietra. Lino Tagliapietra has been described as the world’s greatest glassblower, a figure born from the five-hundred-year-old culture of Venetian glass, but one who also revolutionised glass as a discipline, inventing new techniques to create his masterful works. Even more astonishing, as Tagliapietra hit his full stride, he has...
    Hardback
    $9000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Liz Collins
    This groundbreaking volume positions Liz Collins as a singular figure who not only synthesises fine art, craft and fashion and textile design, but also advocates fiercely for queer and feminist politics. Collins is a queer feminist artist known for her radical deployment of fibre, her activism around labour and gender politics, and her exploration of the borderlands between art, design...
    Paperback
    $9000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Craft Reader
    From the canonical texts of the Arts and Crafts Movement to the radical thinking of today's "DIY" movement, from theoretical writings on the position of craft in distinction to Art and Design to how-to texts from renowned practitioners, from feminist histories of textiles to descriptions of the innovation born of necessity in Soviet factories and African auto-repair shops...The Craft Reader...
    Paperback
    $9399
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Thinking through Craft
    Co-published in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. This book is a timely and engaging introduction to the way that artists working in all media think about craft. Workmanship is key to today's visual arts, when high ‘production values’ are becoming increasingly commonplace. Yet craft’s centrality to contemporary art has received little serious attention from critics and historians....
    Paperback
    $6099
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Invention of Craft
    Glenn Adamson's last book, Thinking Through Craft, offered an influential account of craft's position within modern and contemporary art. Now, in his engaging sequel, The Invention of Craft, his theoretical discussion of skilled work is extended back in time and across numerous disciplines. Adamson searches out the origins of modern craft, locating its emergence in the period of the industrial...
    Paperback
    $20499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Art in the Making
    From painting to digital technologies to crowdsourcing, over the last few decades, the means of making artworks have become more extraordinary and diverse. Yet we rarely consider the implications of how art is made. In this wide-ranging exploration of methods and media in art since the 1950s, Glenn Adamson and Julia Bryan-Wilson take the reader behind the scenes of the...
    Hardback
    $6099
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    I’ll Believe in Anything
    From Jacob Tierney, the creator of Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, comes I’ll Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 and immediately took the world by storm. I’ll...
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Birdlands Birdlands
    New Release
    Birdlands
    A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017—revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)—critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    Hardback
    $4499
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Split Enz
    New Release
    Split Enz
    'My favourite band. Ever! And certainly the best dressed.' Sam Neill Split Enz were never designed to fit. Emerging from art school mischief in early-1970s New Zealand, they turned pop into surreal theatre: costume, character and melody colliding in a rock band that refused to behave like one. At the centre of that vision was Noel Crombie—percussionist, performer and the...
    Hardback
    $5199
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    Pre-order
    Out
  • Starside
    Enter the enchanting and deadly world of Starside, where swords have magic and power isn’t inherited – it’s claimed, from No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster.Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals – the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Did I Ever Tell You This?
    In this unexpected memoir, written in a creative burst of just a few months in 2022, Sam Neill tells the story of how he became one of the world’s most celebrated actors, who has worked with everyone from Meryl Streep to Isabel Adjani, from Jeff Goldblum to Sean Connery, from Steven Spielberg to Jane Campion. By his own account, his...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.