100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders 🚀

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
    $7200
    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
    $5000
    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

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
    Available
    Ships in 1 week
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    New Release
    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
  • 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
  • They Bloom Because of You
    Bestselling author and Instagram sensation Jessica Urlichs returns with a new collection of beautifully observed poems about the ever-evolving journey of motherhood - the hard, the magic and the fleeting. ‘A raw and honest read that makes you feel seen and understood in a way that will bring you to tears.’ - Hilary Swank ‘A book to keep close and...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Elsewhere:
    $3600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Leaves of Grass
    A collectible new Penguin Classics series offers beautiful, slim, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets. In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first collection of poetry, Leaves of Grass. The volume received great praise from leading Transcendentalist poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. This encouragement led to what would become a lifelong project, as Whitman expanded and rewrote the volume until his death...
    Hardback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Great Writers and the Cats who Owned Them
    Throughout history, cats and writers have bonded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship and inspiration. The famous authors featured here range from Samuel Johnson, whose cat Hodge dined on oysters, and Edward Lear, whose charismatic cat Foss was missing half his tail, to Margaret Mitchell, L. M. Montgomery and Dorothy L. Sayers, who rescued her kitten Blitz from...
    Hardback
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Beautiful Chaos
    The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller Selected poems from bestselling author and Instagram poet, Jessica Urlichs. 'These words awaken the magic of life by celebrating the ordinary.' - Giovanna Fletcher Motherhood is messy and beautiful, and hard and humbling. We adore our children and sometimes we miss ourselves. Beautiful Chaos is a collection of raw, honest poems about motherhood, capturing everything...
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • To the Women - The New Collection of Wise Words Every Woman Needs
    THE COMPLETELY UPDATED COLLECTION WITH OVER 70 BRAND NEW POEMS, FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WILD HOPE AND WORDS TO LIVE BY 'Amazing . . . Donna's words speak to my heart' Davina McCall To the Women is a celebration of the beauty, strength, and joy of being a woman. A love letter to our deep capacity...
    Hardback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour
    The creative journey continues with Wreck This Journal: Now in Colour by Keri Smith, the latest and most vibrant edition of the groundbreaking series that redefined journaling. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this edition brings the playful destructiveness of the original to life in dazzling full colour, adding a dynamic new dimension to the beloved prompts. Whether you're a seasoned Wreck-er,...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • A Thousand Feasts
    THE INSTANT #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From award-winning writer Nigel Slater, comes a new and exquisitely written collection of notes, memoir, stories and small moments of joy. 'Nigel Slater’s prose is the rarest delicacy of all: exquisite yet effortless, filled with heart, tenderness, yearning and humour' ELIZABETH DAY For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, penned...
    Paperback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Odyssey
    The Odyssey by Homer is a monumental epic that has enthralled readers for centuries with its rich tapestry of adventure and human struggle. It chronicles the perilous journey of Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, as he strives to return home after the fall of Troy. During this ten-year odyssey, Odysseus confronts myriad dangers, both natural and supernatural, that test...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2499
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Deliver Me from Nowhere (Movie Tie-In)
    An updated movie tie-in edition of the fascinating story behind the making of Bruce Springsteen's most surprising album, Nebraska, and its pivotal role in the rock legend's career. The inspiration for the major motion picture starring Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong. The fascinating story behind the making of Bruce Springsteen's most surprising album, Nebraska, revealing its pivotal role in...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    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.