Empire: Nozone IX by Nicholas Blechman, Nicholas Blechman (Editor)

Product Details

Synopsis

Welcome to EMPIRE. Billions drink its sodas, listen to its music, breathe its air, drive its cars, smoke its tobacco, practice its religions, watch its movies, ingest its pharmaceuticals, and benefit or suffer from its policies. Every person, animal, and insect on this planet is affected. From the melting ice caps in Antarctica to the defoliated wastelands of Africa, its relentless expansion goes unchecked. But EMPIRE is more than a political reality. It has, in its often elusive way, imbedded itself beneath our skins. It is an aesthetic, a conditioning, a psychology, and a lifestyle. Where does our individuality end, and the EMPIRE begin?
At a time of global crisis, Empire rallies a coalition of artists, designers, writers, and photographers to protest the mysterious, all-powerful phenomenon that dominates our civilization.
Empire is the first book based on the award-winning alternative political graphic magazine, Nozone. Featuring the best known and freshest unknown designers and cartoonists, this issue includes new work from Charles S. Anderson, Michael Bierut, Art Chantry, Seymour Chwast, Luba, Lukova, Christoph Niemann, Stefan Sagmeister, Paul Sahre, and Ward Sutton.

Publishers Weekly

After a few years' hiatus, Blechman's anthology of politically tinged comics has returned with a strong sampling of work from an international group of over two dozen artists, designers, illustrators and cartoonists. This book is Blechman's response to the world, viewed from New York City. Contributors including Art Chantry, Stefan Sagmeister, Ed Sorel and Michael Bierut contribute graphic takes on the topic of "Empire." The result-besides being solid, often cathartic, political criticism and satire-is a glance at what today's designers and illustrators can do outside the bounds of commercial gigs. It's a strong statement, and true to its nature, it offers a wide array of visions. Henning Wagenbreth's 23-page, full-color picture story about Napoleon is a masterpiece; George Hardie's single image illustration of the clash of civilization is a model of elegantly articulate and efficient illustration. Blechman's father, famed illustrator R.O. Blechman, contributes a ruefully witty take on the topic with a tale about a bakery; while Christoph Niemann's concise interpretation of politics on the inside covers is a jolt even before readers have begun. A few text pieces are intermixed for good measure, including a solid interview with Harper's editor Lewis Lapham and an amusing take on world villainy, both real and imagined. This volume exists somewhere between comics and illustration, which makes the sampling fresh in a way few other anthologies have achieved. It feels genuinely surprising, and its strong editorial vision delivers a much-needed dose of articulate political art. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Biography

Nicholas Blechman is principal of Knickerbocker Design, an illustration and graphic design studio in the meatpacking district of Manhattan. He is publisher of Nozone and former art director of the New York Times op-ed page. His work has garnered awards fro