Colossals Favorite Art Books of 2024December 4, 2024ColossalAs we get ready to say goodbye to 2024, were celebrating some of our favorite books shared on Colossal throughout the year. We published dozens of articles about spectacular new monographs, photography, architecture, painting, science, history, and more. Peruse our top 10 below, and find many more in the Colossal Shop and onBookshop.Shirin Neshat, Land of Dreams (2019), film still. Shirin Neshat, courtesy of the artist, Gladstone Gallery, and Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and LondonFrom bold black-and-white visages to masters of disguise, identity plays a vital role in many of the practices featured in The Women Who Changed Photography. The tome investigates the trailblazing practices of Lee Miller, Shirin Neshat, and many more, chronicling the individuals, aesthetics, and approaches that have shaped the field.Available in the Colossal ShopDetail of Astrolin Color Card, tablissement Georget Fils Peintures Laques et Vernis, Chantenay-Ls-Nantes (c. 1906). Image courtesy of Bibliothque Forney, ParisFrom chemists plant-derived dyes to consumer paint swatches displayed at the hardware store, the history of color charts reflects a varied relationship between pigments, science, culture, and commerce. Anne Varichon explores the entwined evolution of this categorization through nearly 200 vibrant samples from the 15th century to modern day.Available in the Colossal Shop Two decades ago, Phaidon published the first volume inThe Art Book for Childrenseries, which quickly became beloved by children and parents the world over. To share its legacy with a new generation of readers, this edition pairs a selection of best of artists from the original series with 30 brand-new contemporary entries.This year was a plentiful time for childrens art books, and we also enjoyed the informative narrative, I Am an Artist.Available in the Colossal ShopFrom ancient pyramids to subterranean labyrinths to mountaintop meccas, we have always been drawn to visiting or building sites that inspire reverence and awe. Sacred Sitescelebrates how we traverse and transform the world around us through ritual and art. Compiled by Jessica Hundley, the volume surveys a remarkable array of places and artworks through more than 400 images centered around pilgrimage, performance, and devotion.Available in the Colossal ShopBeth Moon, Heart of the Dragon (2010), archival pigment inks on cotton paper, 32 48 inches. Image Beth MoonSpanning 3,500 years of art, science, culture, and history,Tree: Exploring the Arboreal Worldsurveys the awe-inspiring beauty and romance of trees. The volume includes more than 300 illustrations ranging from ancient wall paintings and botanical illustrations to captivating photography and multimedia work by todays leading artists.Available in the Colossal ShopImage Ivan McClellanEight Secondscomprises 118 images byIvan McClellan, a Portland, Oregon-based photographer whos spent nearly a decade documenting the lives, wins, and losses of the Black rodeo community from Alabama to Los Angeles. He offers an insiders view, capturing the addictive energy of the sport and the rich sense of camaraderie it fosters.Available on BookshopCamois the first publication to chronicle the work of Thandiwe Muriu, celebrating her vibrant portraits that combine cultural textiles and beauty ideologies. Muriu takes us on a colorful, reflective journey through her world as a woman living in modern Kenya as she reinterprets contemporary African portraiture.Available in the Colossal ShopCover of Hidden Portraits: Old Masters Reimagined, featuring Hidden Jacometto (2019), from Portrait of a Young Man (1480s) by Jacometto VenezianoThis monograph gathers a quintessential selection of Volker Hermess works into one volume. Highlighting the artists wry commentary on luxury, social status, and fame, the selection delves into the history of portraiture through a humorous lens.Available on BookshopPresenting a more expansive and inclusive history of sculpture,Great Women Sculptorssurveys the work of more than 300 trailblazing artists from more than 60 countries, spanning 500 years from the Renaissance to the present day.Available in the Colossal ShopArtwork by Christina FongSpurred by the belief that art changes lives, Florence and Elias Katz foundedCreativity Exploredin 1983, a San Francisco-based nonprofit studio and gallery designed for disabled, neurodivergent artists. More than 135 people currently participate in its programming, learning techniques across painting, drawing, clay, textiles, and more. In Art Is Art, Ann Kappes, Creativity Exploreds director of artist partnerships, celebrates the organizations 40th anniversary through hundreds of artworks.Available on BookshopNext article