1 The store's interior is colorful and vibrant -- much like the pages of their wonderful books.
2 Many of Taschen's coffee table books weigh well over 10 lbs! But they always have a few on display for easy browsing.
3 So many choices -- it's hard to leave.
4 I love the raw industrial look of the Taschen gallery, located below the store.
5 TASCHEN 1998 BUMA 84
As you can see from my office, I love books! I will be sharing with you some of my favorite bookstores all over the world, but today I am going to start right here in NYC with Taschen books in SoHo. Taschen is an art-book publisher started in 1980 by a then 18-year-old Benedikt Taschen. His first publications were comics. Taschen now publishes art, photography, painting, design, fashion, advertising, history, film, and architecture books, to name a few. They have stores all over the world and a website that lets you buy from anywhere -- but there is nothing like being at the store, flipping through all of the books, and finding inspiration in the unexpected.
1 Walton Ford's "Pancha Tantra" is #1 on my wish-list.
2 Ford's watercolors are exquisite.
3 The book includes several fold-outs to accommodate Ford's large-scale animals.
I have included in this post some of my favorite titles, but I am currently obsessed with the Walton Ford's Pancha Tantra book and its “meticulous depictions of the wild and mysterious animals.” It is the ultimate coffee-table book, and as soon as I'm done with my apartment renovations it will be my first big splurge!
Do you have a book that has inspired you?
1 Photographer Julius Shulman's "Modernism Rediscovered."
2 Rodin: Sculptures and Drawings
3 Vermeer: The Complete Paintings
4 The ever-so-playful Marcel Duchamp.
5 Valentino -- a living legend.
6 Brooklyn-born Basquiat.
7 Architect Richard Neutra had an uncanny knack for connecting the indoors with the outdoors.
8 American architect John Lautner's buildings were known for their "combination of fantasy and minimalism."
9 "The sense for the perception of architecture is not the eyes -- but living." R.M. Schindler
10 French architect Jean Prouvé.
11 Taschen's collection of Tadao Ando's work "provides the perfect introduction to Ando`s work, including private homes, churches, museums, apartment complexes, and cultural spaces."
12 British sculptor Henry Moore's creations "often depict human or human-like forms -- especially female."
13 "Photographer, collector, diarist, and writer of books Peter Beard has fashioned his life into a work of art."
14 Friedensreich Hundertwasser was a man of many hats, including "architect, ecologist, painter, designer, writer, innovator..."
15 Renaissance artist Titian.
16 Trailblazing artist Man Ray, who started his career in New York before becoming a wild success overseas in Paris.
17 A collection of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's bold paintings.
18 The infamous Jackson Pollock.
19 A collection of surfing nostalgia from the 1920s to the 1960s.
20 I love the style series -- starting with New York, of course...
21 Popping over to London...
22 Absorbing the colors and culture of Indian style...
23 Who doesn't love the casual style of a Mexican retreat?
24 I love this bed!
25 Seaside Style -- chic and effortless. At least it looks effortless!
26 Tuscany Style
27 Provence -- one of my favorite places.
28 On one of my latest trips to France, I took a helicopter ride over an enormous lavender field -- it was breathtaking.
TASCHEN Store New York
107 Greene Street, NY 10012
Tel: +1-212-226 2212
Fax: +1-212-226 2218
store-ny@taschen.com
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sundays 12:00 to 7:00 pm
Kevin Sharkey 
From: MMC in San Diego | 8/11/09 at 3:46 pm
My favorite book:
"Colors of the World--a Geography of Color" Jean-Philippe Lencos and Dominique Lenclos. This book speaks to the visual impact of the man made environment.
(Beautiful new blog! Bookmarked for future visits!)
From: Andrew Ritchie | 8/12/09 at 12:01 am
I won't say I collect Taschen books, but I've got several dozen. My latest purchase was the beautiful Temple of Flora. I also love the continuing series of big, boastful travel guides buy Angelika Taschen: Taschen's Paris, Taschen's New York, Taschen's London. No one does fabulous coffee table books quite like Taschen. Well, Clarkson Potter comes close!