Vision: 50 Years of British Creativity, a Celebration of Art, Architecture and Design (Cutting Edge) Book

This lavish book features half a century of the best of British art, architecture and design. Christopher Frayling, in his suitably upbeat forward, notes that "some analysts reckon that Britain's future, in the post-industrial world, may depend on our creativity and visual flair". This book shows where it comes from. The essays from David Sylvester, David Hockney, Melvyn Bragg and Nick Serota ensure that the artistic and cultural background is thoroughly covered, but it is the splendidly reproduced pictures that really make this book sing. Paintings from Francis Bacon through to Chris Ofilli, architecture from London County Council flats through to the Millennium Dome, design from David Mellor cutlery through to the Dyson vacuum cleaner. All this as well as video, photography, advertisements, fashion and technology (the Apple iMac computer was designed by a Brit). The importance of television gets appropriate weighting--Bragg rightly pointing out that the marriage between art and the small screen "is happier than anyone could have dreamed of"--and the role of art education, particularly at art schools, is properly praised. All in all a terrific project and a thrilling book that gives national pride a good name.Read More