SUMMER READING LISTS 2015: RUBY WOODHOUSE
June 1, 2015
1- Times - The Puzzling Almanac by Colorado House Really interesting book by a small publishing company in Berlin. The ethos behind the company is a very inspiring saying "We believe in advancing small, unlikely ideas that are in ongoing danger of being lost, forgotten or ruled out." Best described in their own words Times "is an annual publication concerned with memory and representation." This particular one, The puzzling Almanac, consists of "365 photographs from the early 19th to the early 20th century were assembled to a book, enabling the reader to embark on time travels through unlikely associations." Each reader would no doubt look at the photos differently and create their own links and stories.
2- John Berger and Jean Mohr- Another way of Telling Another book that leaves the stories and meaning to the reader/looker. The book is a collection of essays amongst photographs, not so much as analysing the photographs but how we look at them - without actually instructing us on how. The ways in which we put our ideas onto images. This was written in the 80s but is still relevant and interesting as images, now, are taken out of their original context a lot more. As Anais Nin puts it so well: "we don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."
3- Shoji Ueda - Process and Creation I came across this book when I was in Japan. I hadn't heard of Shoji Ueda before, but his photographs spoke to me immediately. I can't read Japanese but I think the images speak for themselves! Something very reminiscent of contemporary fashion photography in his use of perspective and cropping.
4- Sonia Delauney- Fashion and Fabrics (by Jacques Damase) Tate Modern (London) is currently holding an exhibition of Sonia Delauney's work, which is exciting because more people can discover about her. Textiles were left up to women, at the time, and probably seen as a lesser art form, but Delaney used this to her advantage and inspired the male painters around her. The book presents colour scans of her textile prints next to black and white promotional photographs of the time - bobbed women in bold-print swimsuits!
5- Carson McCullers - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Prior to reading 'The Heart is A Lonely Hunter' I hadn't read any of McCullers novels. Now I've read them all.Another favourite of mine is 'The Member of The Wedding', which I'm also going to revisit this summer.
6- Eileen Gray (by Caroline Constant) I discovered Eileen Gray after seeing an interior featuring one of her sofas. I didn't know much about her, other that that she worked alongside Le Corbusier, so I wanted to learn more. It's incredibly interesting to read about her beginnings, eventually designing furniture and architecture. It's easy to see why she was overshadowed by characters such as Le Corbusier, in the male-dominated industry. She wasn't a very loud person, so it is said, but now her work is as revered as her contemporaries - and rightfully so!
7- Richard Brautigan- Revenge of the Lawn Couldn't have a book list without Brautigan. Really good short stories, putting into words how people can feel, in a really abstract way, but that completely makes sense.
Ruby Woodhouse is a UK-based designer/photographer who works across several disciplines. Fashion styling, interiors work (including work with the impeccable furniture project 1 9 3 4), and vintage clothing collections are just the beginning of her creative métier. We were thrilled when Ruby brought aspects of these pursuits to her gorgeous list, one of the most beautiful we've ever received. Thanks, Ruby!
Click images for more information on books/authors. All images belong to Ruby Woodhouse.