Book of the Day Posted May 10, 2025

Book of the Day: "BTS" by Dave Naz

BTS is a substantial 2025 collection of color images of a who's who of recent adult film actresses shot behind the scenes by the noted Los Angeles-based erotic photographer Dave Naz. Featuring a brief introductory text by Eric Kroll, it includes unguarded, sometimes nude - but decidedly not hardcore - portraits of the likes of Gabbie Carter, Kylie Page, Lana Rhoades, Kyler Quinn, Lexi Belle, Jenna Haze, Sasha Gray, Faye Reagan, Abella Danger, Dakota Skye, Bree Olson, Hannah Hays, Chloe Cherry, Tali Dova, Stella Cox, and scores more. A brand new, most handsome example of this brand new, soon to be be out of print publication from Friend Editions limited to one hundred and fifty copies additionally SIGNED AND DATED "Dave Naz 2025" in black ink on the inside front cover. Book of the day, and available from us here.
Book of the Day Posted May 09, 2025

Book of the Day: The Virgin Suicides

From the publisher: "For her first feature film, The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola commissioned British fashion photographer Corinne Day to join her on set. Renowned for her unadorned, grungy photographs of iconic models of the 1990s, Day’s representation of female beauty met its match in Coppola, whose debut marked the first of her unaffected, empathetic depictions of womanhood. Edited from Day’s original negatives, this volume, which launches alongside The Virgin Suicides' twenty-fifth anniversary, gives mesmerising and unprecedented insight into Coppola’s enigmatic staging of the Lisbon sisters and their suburban trappings. In Day’s photographs, the lush mystique of Coppola’s set runs through images of the young actors at work and between takes, their candid posturing and pensive expressions reflecting the intimate and collaborative environment of the shoot. Fragments of the set and costume design appear suggestively – crucifixes, pink lace bras, homecoming dresses, beauty products, and toffee apples – all playing their part in Coppola’s depiction of the yearning and repression of adolescence. Completed with new texts by Sofia Coppola and Jeffrey Eugenides, this volume opens a fascinating dialogue between Eugenides’s original text and Coppola’s cult adaptation." Book of the day.
Book of the Day Posted May 02, 2025

Book of the Day: "Orion" by Brendan Donnelly

Hail Satan! Hail Astaroth! Hail… I don’t know… Baphomet! Artist and archivist Brendan Donnelly has crafted an unholy mix of heavy metal and BDSM imagery in this new hell-bound tome Orion. And it even comes with a foreword by yours truly, Arcana manager Jesse “Abaddon” Pearson. Death to false metal! Book of the day! Chaos reigns! (Friend Editions, 2025)
Book of the Day Posted May 01, 2025

Book of the Day: Parks 2

Parks 2, the second volume in the publisher Standards Manual's Parks series, is a brand new collection of over 300 United States National Park maps and brochures documented by photographer Brian Kelley. Outdoorsy nostalgia overload; book of the day. (Standards Manual, 2025)
Book of the Day Posted Apr 25, 2025

Book of the Day: McAtlas by Gary He

An exhaustive investigation into the global ubiquity of McDonald's. From the author: "Like many people, I often visited McDonald's while overseas because it was reliable and comfortable. But it was an iftar meal during Ramadan in 2018 that made me consider that perhaps the more interesting thing was not the consistency of the fries from country to country, but what the multinational had to add to the local menus to survive and thrive. The project was completed without the input or support from McDonald's corporate. This required years of travel to over 50 countries across six continents to tell the story with photos and field work, in lieu of PR-managed interviews and handouts. The result is a refreshingly real take on one of the most recognizable brands in history, with visuals that showcase the wildly successful independent spirit of local entrepreneurship that powers the global icon. McDonald's localized menu items are the project's raison d'être—and why the chain has dominated around the world. Each item that I photographed was purchased from a McDonald's restaurant and presented as it would appear to a customer: no photo studio food styling tricks like using fake ingredients, and no avocados or cutting boards on the side to give the scene extra vibes. Just the items on a clean background. The end result? A collection of hundreds of photographs from over fifty countries documenting McDonald's localizations that allowed it to rise to the top of the global food chain." Book of the day.
Book of the Day Posted Apr 23, 2025

Book of the Day: Daniel Johnston - I'm Afraid of What I Might Draw

From the publisher: "A significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative scenes, Daniel Johnston inspired musicians and listeners for decades. From his origins in the Austin scene in the mid-1980s, where he performed at local venues while working at McDonald’s, to his appearance on MTV and championing by Kurt Cobain, to eventual world fame, Johnston’s singular compositions and raw lyrics earned him lifelong fans. Predating his interest in music and continuing alongside it, art was Johnston’s longest-running passion. This publication presents drawings spanning four decades of Johnston’s production, including many rare and previously unseen pieces. The artist’s brightly colored illustrations, incorporating figures from pop culture, devils, and heroes, blended with his own original characters, range from his iconic 'Jeremiah the Innocent Frog' to surrealist landscapes. With the support of Johnston’s family and estate, the first comprehensive project since his passing includes remembrances from his brother, musicians, and artists, and benefits the Hi, How Are You Project, a non-profit named after Johnston's most famous album, that educates young adults worldwide on mental health through creative content, events, and community programs."
Book of the Day Posted Apr 18, 2025

Book of the Day: Ruth Asawa Retrospective

From the publisher: "Best known for her sinuous looped-wire sculptures, Ruth Asawa (1926–2013) used everyday materials to create endlessly innovative works in a variety of media over her more than six-decade-long career, from her student days at the experimental Black Mountain College in the 1940s through her mature years in her adopted home city of San Francisco. This extensively illustrated volume explores the astonishing expansiveness of Asawa’s work, from the abstract looped-wire sculptures for which she garnered national attention in the 1950s to her nature-inspired tied-wire pieces, clay and bronze casts, paperfolds, paintings, drawings, sketchbooks, and prints. The book explores the ways in which her longtime San Francisco home and garden served as the epicenter of her creative practice, and highlights the ethos of collaboration and inclusivity that informed her numerous public sculpture commissions and unwavering dedication to arts advocacy. Essays and other writings consider Asawa and her work within the context of modern abstract sculpture, through the lens of craft and the materiality of wire, and in relation to her Asian American identity and her personal history as a Japanese American who was incarcerated with her family during World War II. Focus texts illuminate the connections between Asawa and key artistic figures such as Josef Albers, Imogen Cunningham, and R. Buckminster Fuller, with whom she maintained enduring relationships. Published in association with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art." Book of the day.
Book of the Day Posted Apr 17, 2025

Book of the Day: The Face Magazine - Culture Shift

From the distributor: "Groundbreaking British youth culture and style magazine The Face established the careers of generations of photographers, journalists, designers and models. Founded in 1980 in London by English journalist Nick Logan, it is known for its distinctive, radical and of-the-minute design and its unflinching attitude. The magazine originally focused on music but branched into fashion and culture more widely, as well as encompassing political and social commentary. Initially running from 1980 to 2004, its strong inclusive stance, bold design and experimental approaches to photography still feel fresh and relevant today. In 2019, the magazine was relaunched for a new generation, while staying true to Logan’s original vision. This volume celebrates the ongoing legacy of The Face in British art, design and culture through some of the most iconic portraits from the magazine’s first 25 years. It showcases striking portraits taken by the likes of Miles Aldridge, Elaine Constantine, Corinne Day, David LaChapelle and Juergen Teller. The photographs feature such iconic figures as Kate Moss, Annie Lennox, Kurt Cobain, Iggy Pop, Snoop Dogg, David Bowie, Ewan McGregor, Madness, The Clash and Kylie Minogue. The book also includes selected covers and spreads from the original print magazine, complemented by words from key contributors to the original magazine. Published to accompany the eponymous exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, this volume is a critical tool in understanding the astounding influence of The Face on style photography as well as the magazine’s enduring impact on visual culture in Britain and beyond." Book of the day. (National Portrait Gallery, 2025)
Events Posted Apr 17, 2025

Luisa Opalesky Book Signing 4/26, 4-6!

EVENT ALERT! On Saturday, April 26th from 4 until 6 PM, Arcana will proudly host the photographer Luisa Opalesky in conversation with director Luke Gilford to celebrate her new book “Big City Nobody.” The talk will be followed by the chance to get your copy signed by Luisa herself!
Luisa Opalesky (b. 1987) is an artist whose practice seeks to connect with all walks of life through photography, dance, and film. Originally from Philadelphia, she earned a BFA in photography under the mentorship of George Pitts at Parsons New School for Design. She draws inspiration from her elders, multicultural background, glamour, squalor, going to the cinema three times a week, and her home downtown in New York City. Her work is consistently characterized by its vibrant color, hazard, and comedic relief.
“Big City Nobody” is Opalesky’s debut photography book. Published by Spotz Studios and featuring work created between 2020 and 2024, the photographs in the book reveal glimpses of daily life, vibrancy of nightlife, and outtakes from assignments commissioned by the New York Times and Interview magazine. The collection unfolds with a flow reminiscent of walking crosstown caffeinated and immersed in the pulse of the city. The book includes writings by Alissa Bennett, Susie Essman, Daniel Arnold, and Teardrop.
If you can’t make it IRL (bummer!), you can still purchase the book for signing and shipping here. 
Join us on April 26th for good talk, good books, and free libations. All are welcome!
Book of the Day Posted Apr 12, 2025

Book of the Day: Art of Dancehall - Flyer and Poster Designs of Jamaican Dancehall Culture

From the publisher: "Combining the energy and vibrancy of vernacular Jamaican art with the cultural insight that only original ephemera can bring, the flyers and posters collected in this book are testament to the creativity and spirit behind one of the most influential and enduring cultures in contemporary music. Originating in Jamaica in the late 1970s, dancehall music is a club-friendly offshoot of reggae. The genre initially found particular resonance in the Jamaican diaspora and defined the soundsystem cultures that rose to prominence in New York and London in the 1980s and 1990s, which would influence the origins of hip hop. In much the same way that graffiti and paste-ups would for hip hop, the unique style of the artwork, coloring, and lettering of handmade flyers for dancehall nights became a visual language of the culture. Drawing on unrivaled private collections from Jamaica, London, New York, and Tokyo, this book is a window onto the colorful and effervescent world of dancehall—at once celebrating the ingenuity and beauty of the DIY flyers themselves, and chronicling the evolution of DJs, records, and venues that made the genre into the musical and cultural phenomenon that continues to captivate audiences to this day." Book of the day. (Rizzoli, 2025)
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