Six New Art Books: Tina Modotti, Sissi, Gianni Arnaudo and More

Artribune highlights six recent art book releases. Sissi's artist book "Abitolario" (Il Poligrafo, €21.85) is a fashion dictionary with poetic definitions and neologisms, curated by Francesca Zanella and Valentina Rossi, part of the CSAC University of Parma's "Storie di fili" project. It includes 80 illustrations from the series "Vestirsi con il tempo" covering costume history from ancient Egypt to Alexander McQueen's 2010 show, and documents the exhibition "Design! Oggetti, processi, esperienze" at Palazzo Pigorini (closed due to COVID-19) for Parma Capitale Italiana della Cultura 2021. Skira published a monograph on Gianni Arnaudo (€40), co-founder of Studio 65, known for designs like the Maina factory and Dromont in Langhe. Franca Rizzi Martini's "Diciotto sculture per Torino" (Neos Edizioni, €16) gives voice to 18 sculptures in Turin, from the Fontana dei Dodici Mesi to works by Merz, Penone, Cragg, and Armando Testa. A monograph on Antonio Barrese (Manfredi Edizioni, €80) covers his kinetic art from 1965 to 2020, merging art, design, technology, and science. Roberto Nadalin's "I Sassi di Matera ieri e oggi" (Edigrafema, €25) compares historical photos from the Fondo Viggiano with contemporary shots, highlighting changes in the UNESCO World Heritage site. Biba Giacchetti's "Tina Modotti. Donne, Messico e libertà" (24 ORE Cultura, €25) precedes an exhibition at MUDEC PHOTO, exploring the photographer's life across Europe, US, Russia, and Mexico.