The gardens of Mexico are some of the most extraordinary in the world, and the people of Mexico have cultivated a deeply spiritual connection and reverence for their land. Through generations of toil and inventiveness, they found ways to tame the soil, using bold combinations of plants. As Alfonso Alfaro writes in his introduction, the “culture was synonymous with plant life, and plant life was transformed into art.” That heritage is still alive today in Mexico, and Paraíso Mexicano beautifully renders and celebrates this legacy in the country’s exceptional gardens and landscapes. There are more than 280 photographs of radiant flora, emerald gardens that seem to levitate over manmade lagoons, modern creations of concrete and sand, and public squares, centuries in the making, that will dazzle with their brilliant and elegant composition. Many of the spaces produce fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal herbs alongside vibrant floral strokes of crimson bougainvillea, blue agave, wild lupine, and dahlias--the national flower of Mexico. Even structures play an aesthetic role, as world-renowned architect Luis Barragán demonstrates in one of his gardens by planting a pepper tree so its shadow would fall singly against the face of a luminous yellow wall. Marie-Pierre Colle has filled the book with gardens from the tranquil seacoast to the hurried metropolis, from the hidden patios of colonial homes to public landscapes. The builders and keepers, farmers, laborers, and artists such as Octavio Paz, Diego Rivera, and Mexican film legend María Felix--her garden has never before been open to the public-help illuminate this mystical world that so symbolizes the rich and complex culture of Mexico. With breathtaking photography, Paraíso Mexicano is a sensational and provocative collection that captures these fleeting glimpses of paradise.

Paraiso Mexicano: Gardens, Landscapes, and Mexican Soul

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Colle, Marie-Pierre

Gardening & Landscape Design

Clarkson/Potter

A collection of more than 125 vivid color photographs features numerous manifestations of the Virgin of Guadalupe, from a contemporary artist's pink neon altar to sequined banners prepared for the Virgin's Feast Day, in a volume complemented by the text of the famous poetic work inspired by her apparition, "Nican Mopohua." 15,000 first printing.

Guadalupe: Body and Soul

Arts & Photography

Religious

Vendome Press

Latin American Artists in their Studios is a fascinating introduction to the magical and mysterious world of fifteen giants of Latin American art in the second half of the twentieth century: Jacobo Borges, Fernando Botero, Claudio Bravo, Augustin Cardenas, Leonora Carrington, Sergio de Castro, Gunther Gerzso, Matta, Armando Morales, Antonio Segui, Jesus Rafael Soto, Fernando de Szyszlo, Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Toledo, and Cordelia Urueta. Many of these artists have remained in Latin America, others are scattered throughout the world. Some are in Paris, Claudio Bravo lives in a magnificent villa in Tangiers, Botero shuttles between houses and studios in New York, Paris, Pietrasanta and Bogota. What they all have in common, as Carlos Fuentes points out in his brilliant introduction, is a shared culture descended from Indian, African and European sources, a culture that extends from the Rio Grande to Patagonia, but that now spills over to the United States and also sails back to recognize Spain. Even if these painters and sculptors have attempted to remove themselves from the nationalist boundaries often imposed on the Latin American creator, they all share a way of looking at Western culture. They also all yearn for a universality that embraces their Mediterranean, Greek and Roman, Jewish and Arab heritages, enriching these with the Indian, Black African, and mulatto experiences of form and color, light and shadow, the bliss and horror of the Americas. Marie-Pierre Colle travelled wherever these artists have their studios and, with a particularly discerning eye, inspired a team of photographers to search out the most telling details of their life and work. Her text is based on astonishingly revealing interviews that substitute art criticism with explanations from the artists themselves. Her questions are as sharp as her eye; the result is a priceless record of the creative process and of a highly respected segment of contemporary art history.

Latin American Artists in Their Studios

Individual Artists

Vendome Pr

Puebla, perhaps the most enchanting colonial city of Mexico, was proclaimed a "heritage of humankind" by UNESCO in 1988, in view of its historical importance and architectural splendor. Puebla's houses have a rich past, blending pre-Hispanic and historical roots with early Mujedar and later 19th-century French influence into a highly distinctive style. This book brings the reader into the typical houses of Mexico's Mixteca region--into haciendas, quaint kitchens of old convents, Viceregal houses, and homes built during the reign of Porfirio Diaz. It will delight travelers, architects, and designers alike.

Houses of Puebla: The Cradle of Mexican Architecture

Architecture

Luxury coasatal homes. Magnificent interior/exterior designs, abundant color and imagination.

Mexico: Houses of the Pacific

Alti Pub

Artistas Latinoamericanos en su estudio / Latin American Artists in Their Studio (Spanish Edition)

History & Criticism

Editorial Limusa S.A. De C.V.

Sordo Madaleno. Arquitectura en cuatro elementos

Photography & Video

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Books by Colle, Marie-Pierre