• Carlo Scarpa: Architectureand DesignBy Guido BeltraminiEdited by Italo ZannierPhotographs by GianantonioBattistella and Vaclav SedyThe 20th century Italian masterCarlo Scarpa (1906–1978) emergedfrom a Venetian tradition thatmerged art, craft, intellect, and,especially in his case, architecture.Over his varied career, which isthe subject of this book on thecentenary of his birth, Scarpadesigned 58 structures, furniture,and Murano glass for the elitehouse of Venini. Scarpa’s respectfor craft, materials, and decoration,which played out in iron, marble,wood, and copper, may inspirearchitects seeking to do the sametoday. A preoccupation with light and detail found lyrical expression in concrete.Scarpa’s fascination with the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright is well known.Ultimately, the Italian expressed his own instincts in such iconoclastic buildings asthe 1973 Banca Populare di Verona, with a concrete façade punctuated with portholes.Among the works detailed in exceptional and unusual photographs is the CastelvecchioMuseum in Verona, which Scarpa worked on intermittently from 1958 to 1975. Of hisiconic Brion-Vega Cemetery tomb, a monument to post-modern eclecticism, Scarpawrote that the austere work “will get better over time,” providing a garden for thedeceased, rather than “shoe boxes.” Scarpa, who died in 1978 after a fall along astairway in a Japanese temple, is buried in the cemetery. Photos in the book make clearthat Scarpa’s works may need reviving, lest they too pass away. Rizzoli; $65

    Carlo Scarpa: Architecture

    and Design

    By Guido Beltramini

    Edited by Italo Zannier

    Photographs by Gianantonio

    Battistella and Vaclav Sedy

    The 20th century Italian master

    Carlo Scarpa (1906–1978) emerged

    from a Venetian tradition that

    merged art, craft, intellect, and,

    especially in his case, architecture.

    Over his varied career, which is

    the subject of this book on the

    centenary of his birth, Scarpa

    designed 58 structures, furniture,

    and Murano glass for the elite

    house of Venini. Scarpa’s respect

    for craft, materials, and decoration,

    which played out in iron, marble,

    wood, and copper, may inspire

    architects seeking to do the same

    today. A preoccupation with light and detail found lyrical expression in concrete.

    Scarpa’s fascination with the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright is well known.

    Ultimately, the Italian expressed his own instincts in such iconoclastic buildings as

    the 1973 Banca Populare di Verona, with a concrete façade punctuated with portholes.

    Among the works detailed in exceptional and unusual photographs is the Castelvecchio

    Museum in Verona, which Scarpa worked on intermittently from 1958 to 1975. Of his

    iconic Brion-Vega Cemetery tomb, a monument to post-modern eclecticism, Scarpa

    wrote that the austere work “will get better over time,” providing a garden for the

    deceased, rather than “shoe boxes.” Scarpa, who died in 1978 after a fall along a

    stairway in a Japanese temple, is buried in the cemetery. Photos in the book make clear

    that Scarpa’s works may need reviving, lest they too pass away. Rizzoli; $65

  • Gordon Matta-Clark:You Are the MeasureEdited by Elisabeth SussmanEssays by Briony Fer, Tina Kukielski,Gwendolyn Owens, SpyrosPapapetros, Christian Scheidemann,Joan Simon, and Elisabeth SussmanThe artist Gordon Matta-Clark(1943–1978) trained as an architect,which may be why he was soskillful at turning crumbling urbanlandscapes into political and socialindictments. The book, whichaccompanies a retrospective at theWhitney Museum of American Artin New York, traces his too-briefcareer as a radical “anarchitect.” Theson of Chilean Surrealist painterRoberto Matta and godson of MarcelDuchamp, Matta-Clark createdpointed commentaries on theunsatisfying drift of the Americandream. A 1970s series of black-and-white photos of the devastated Bronx mocked theemerging neocons of design, who were heading deep into classicism. Matta-Clarkbought and photographed forlorn plots of land for a commentary called “Fake Estates.”Temporary projects were created with a power saw and then demolished. The artist’slife was also short: He died from cancer at the age of 35. His work remains a call toconscience. Yale University Press; $50

    Gordon Matta-Clark:

    You Are the Measure

    Edited by Elisabeth Sussman

    Essays by Briony Fer, Tina Kukielski,

    Gwendolyn Owens, Spyros

    Papapetros, Christian Scheidemann,

    Joan Simon, and Elisabeth Sussman

    The artist Gordon Matta-Clark

    (1943–1978) trained as an architect,

    which may be why he was so

    skillful at turning crumbling urban

    landscapes into political and social

    indictments. The book, which

    accompanies a retrospective at the

    Whitney Museum of American Art

    in New York, traces his too-brief

    career as a radical “anarchitect.” The

    son of Chilean Surrealist painter

    Roberto Matta and godson of Marcel

    Duchamp, Matta-Clark created

    pointed commentaries on the

    unsatisfying drift of the American

    dream. A 1970s series of black-and-white photos of the devastated Bronx mocked the

    emerging neocons of design, who were heading deep into classicism. Matta-Clark

    bought and photographed forlorn plots of land for a commentary called “Fake Estates.”

    Temporary projects were created with a power saw and then demolished. The artist’s

    life was also short: He died from cancer at the age of 35. His work remains a call to

    conscience. Yale University Press; $50