Books
Books
Images of America: Sawtelle - West Los Angeles's Japantown
Softcover, 126 pages, 6.5 x 9/25 inches.
This book is full of high quality historical photos of Sawtelle Japantown, Giant Robot's home, paired with informative written captions for each image.
Written on the back cover:
A 1.48-square-mile piece of unincorporated Los Angeles County when it was annexed by the City of Los Angeles in 1922, tiny Sawtelle has lived very large in the hearts and minds of Japanese Americans. Their homes, livelihoods, religions, businesses, language, and other ethnocentric and social involvements are rooted in the area, with the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle as the cultural nexus. Bisected by Sawtelle Boulevard, this particular Japantown flourished through a close-knit network of immigrants who were denied citizenship until 1952 and were excluded by law from land ownership. Only through second-generation, American-born children could they buy real property. These vintage images--collected from local families, businesses, and organizations--provide rare glimpses into the Japanese immigrant experience in Los Angeles.
Eric Nakamura - Whatever Falls in Between 2 - Photo Zine
21 pages, measures 5.5 x 8.5 inches.
This modest and beautifully executed booklet is an affectionate glimpse into the people, places and pets that surround the daily life of Giant Robot's own Eric Nakamura. See such familiar faces such as Hellen Jo, Barry McGee, Mike Choi bound in alongside more intimate scenes of family life.
From the inside page:
"This is a collection of photos shot in early 2017. I re-started photography to capture my parents and it has since spread into things related to Giant Robot and beyond. My photos are often personal, yet with the context I've added, I hope they resonate."
-Eric Nakamura, 2019
Eric Nakamura - Whatever Falls in Between 1 - Photo Zine
24 pages, measures 5.5 x 8.5 inches.
This modest and beautifully executed booklet is an affectionate glimpse into the people, places and pets that surround the daily life of Giant Robot's own Eric Nakamura. See such familiar faces such as James Jean, Katsuya Terada, David Choe bound in alongside more intimate scenes of family life.
From the inside page:
"This is a collection of photos shot at the end of 2016 and early 2017. I have the need to say that it was shot on 35mm Tri-X film, and it is also a restart of my film photography work which began in 1986 until around 1996 when my entirety of camera gear was burglarized. Of course I used film for the earlier days of Giant Robot, but those were quick jobs and often not memorable. With digital photography and cellphones being so easy to use, I never thought I'd go back to film. My favorite subjects are starting to become evident, and there are days when I shoot a lot and then there are weeks in between touching the camera. I'll admit I've witnessed plenty of moments pass by and that's how it goes."
-Eric Nakamura, 2019
Multimatter (2024) - Defective Pudding - The Lil Acorn Book
Paperback, 6 x 6 inches, 30 pages front and back.
This sweet, spooky lil book is a collection of Defective Pudding's 2021-2022 acorn comics. From fall themes to woodland walks have a fun, sometimes sad, and silly time with this lil acorn!
This piece is a part of the group exhibition Multimatter: Prints, Sculpture and Things at GR2 Gallery running from April 6 to April 23rd, 2024.
Prints will ship out within regular fulfillment times.
Science Fiction Illustration: The Near Future and Fantasy Worlds Creators' Showcase
Softcover, 192 pages, 10.16 x 9.76 inches.
This book is a large-format anthology that introduces 32 contemporary artists and their works depicting near-future and imaginary worlds with a variety of illustration styles and outstanding techniques.
Inside you will find a devastated apocalyptic world, a society with advanced science, humans and cities that are a fusion of machines and advanced technology, characters traveling through an infinite universe, novel gadgets with huge potential, and the future that we may have dreamt of during childhood. Enjoy these highlights from the world of science fiction illustration printed in full color and with a beautiful binding. Also, at the end of the book, there is a feature on the method of Atsuya Uki, a visual artist and illustrator who creates unique worlds with his vivid colors and bold compositions.
Rashomon at the 70th Anniversary Book
Softcover, 128 pages, 9 x 11 inches.
Directed by the remarkable Akira Kurosawa (1910–1998), ‘Rashomon’ was the first Japanese film to receive significant international attention. It was released in 1950 and won several awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1951, while its visionary artistic ambitions became a symbol of Japan’s post-war reconstruction. Now, on the occasion of its 70th anniversary, this volume presents an in-depth look at what the film’s notable production staff accomplished. Filled with original storyboards, screenwriting fragments, production photographs, scripts, posters, and other ephemera, it is a fascinating tribute to one of the greatest, most impactful films ever made.
This book is printed in Japanese.
Takashi Murakami - Prints KaiKai KiKi Catalog - 2
New Retro Illustrations: Retro Reimagined by a New Generation
Softcover, 192 pages, 9.5 x 6.5 inches.
“New retro”, a combination of the word “New” and “Retrospective”, is a newly coined phrase meaning “appreciating and enjoying something old while reimagining it into something modern.” This book introduces 40 up-and-coming illustrators working in this “new retro” style. Through the 300 illustrations showcased in this one book, readers can appreciate and enjoy retro culture, items and motifs reimagined and transformed into something new.
Grow: The Art of Koyamori
Softcover, 192 pages, 7.5 x 7.7 inches.
Grow is artist's Koyamori's carefully curated and created collection of illustrations featuring their bright, colorful compositions and adorable characters and settings. This collection spans Koyamori's career including brand new pieces created just for this book! A reversible dust jacket includes the cover from the Japanese edition on the reverse side. Both covers are new illustrations exclusively drawn for this long-awaited book.
City of Darkness Revisited
Measures 11 x 11 inches, Hardcover, Color and Black & White images, 356 pages.
After several failed attempts, Kowloon Walled City was finally demolished 20 years ago, leaving behind a legacy of fascination that continues to grow, fuelled in part by the extraordinary community’s many urban legends. Designed and edited by Greg Girard and Ian Lambot, the team behind ‘City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City’, this new publication questions those myths and explores the reality behind the Walled City’s extraordinary architecture and development. Through photographs, drawings and documents, many previously unpublished, plus an extended article by Hong Kong-based writer and journalist Fionnuala McHugh, the full story is revealed.
James Jean - Pareidolia: A Retrospective of Beloved and New Works by James Jean
Softcover, 288 pages, measures 9 x 12 inches.
Pareidolia is a long-awaited collection of the art of James Jean, featuring works that span the majority of his career.
Born in 1978, Taiwanese-American James Jean became one of the most prolific artists/illustrators in commercial and fine art. He created numerous covers for American Comics and also collaborated on special projects with PRADA in 2007.
As much of his art has previously only been available for consideration formatted as album covers or other specialized commercial art, this book holds many visual treats for fans across the globe. Bilingual introductions by contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and film director Guillermo del Toro! Includes supplementary poster. Text in Japanese and English.
Let's Not Talk Anymore by Weng Pixin
Let’s Not Talk Anymore weaves together five generations of women from Weng Pixin’s family, each at age 15. Her lineage is full of breakages–her great grandmother Kuān is sent away from her family in South China, her grandmother Mèi is adopted by a neighbor to help with housework, and her mother Bīng is heartbroken by her father’s estrangement. Pixin’s own story centers on her feelings of isolation and her rebellion from her mother. She extends the line by envisioning a fictional future daughter, Rita, who questions her family’s legacy. While spanning 100 years, Pixin moves back and forth in time seamlessly, as each woman experiences loneliness and kinship, hope and longing.
As each story develops, generational traumas are revealed and fraught relationships passed on from mother to daughter. Creative impulses are stifled or nurtured. They struggle with poverty and neglect. And at some point each woman begins to separate herself from her situation and understand the woman she will become.
Pixin’s bold, vibrant paintings fill the aching silences between generations with beauty and emotion. Her paintings conjure complete worlds which these women inhabit. Let’s Not Talk Anymore is a family history filled with tender moments as these women find connection with plants, animals, and their own creative pursuits, while struggling to connect with each other.
Fashion Illustration: Outfit of the Day
Softcover, 192 pages, 9.5 x 6.5 inches.
This is the ultimate art collection book of illustrated Japanese fashion, featuring 40 different up and coming Japanese artists. Such fun usage of color and composition, with all different styles, this book is an endless source of inspiration and creativity.
Written in Japanese.
Polaris: The Art of Meyoco
Softcover, 192 pages, 7.5 x 7.7 inches.
Polaris is artist's Meyoco carefully curated and created collection of illustrations featuring their bright, colorful compositions and adorable characters and settings. This collection spans Meyoco's career including brand new pieces created just for this book!
Junji Ito - Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection
408 pages, 5.75 x 8.25 inches. Hardcover Graphic Novel Collection.
A must have for horror lovers and manga fans, this collection of 10 chilling, nightmare-inducing tales by Junji Ito will entice any reader.
Stories include: The Beautiful Boy at the Crossroads, A Woman in Distress, Shadow, Screams in the Night, The Boy in White, Narumi's Boyfriend, The Séance, The Mansion of Phantom Pain, The Rib Woman, and Memories of Real Poop.
Andrew Hem - Phase Four
Hardcover, 160 pages, 157 gsm matte art paper. Measures 10 x 7.5 inches.
This collection from Andrew Hem includes over 120 drawings, sketches, and small paintings, beautifully curated into a book.
The Art of Heikala - Works and Thoughts
Hardcover, 152 pages, measures approximately 10.6 x 9 inches.
The Art of Heikala: Works and Thoughts is artist Heikala's first published artbook. Known for their exquisitely detailed and ethereal works, Heikala has garnered a large following of admirers for obvious reasons. The Art of Heikala is a comprehensive collection of artworks, including exclusive never-before-seen art pieces and works in progress. This beautifully presented hardback book also features step-by-step tutorials on watercolor painting and product design.
Multimatter (2024) - Nikki Longfish - Sketches, Comps & Acrylic Paintings
Art book, softcover, full color. 38 pages.
Book measures 7 x 8.5 inches.
This piece is a part of the group exhibition Multimatter: Prints, Sculpture and Things at GR2 Gallery running from April 6 to April 23rd, 2024.
Prints will ship out within regular fulfillment times.
KAWS: He Eats Alone
Hardcover, measures 8.20 x 10.10 x 1.20 inches, 322 pages.
This publication documents the artist’s first exhibit in the Middle East, with more than 40 key pieces in sculpture and painting from the last two decades. The exhibit in Doha, Qatar, and its accompanying catalog also feature a number of KAWS’ commercial collaborations alongside his 5-meter-tall sculpture Companion (Passing Through) and his inflatable 40-meter-tall piece Holiday. Bound in cloth, this volume is a gorgeous collection of KAWS’ most exciting work.
Brian Donnelly (born 1974), known professionally by his graffiti tag KAWS, is the mastermind behind one of today’s most recognizable artistic brands. A graffiti artist since adolescence, Donnelly received his BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in 1996. He then worked as a background artist for animated TV programs before becoming an independent designer. He has worked with artists like Kanye West and collaborated with brands such as Supreme, Nike and Comme des Garçons. He is currently represented by Skarstedt Gallery in New York.