powerHouse Books – Art of Sneakers and Art on Deck
powerHouse Books is one of the more interesting publishing houses as with its diverse portfolio, it covers a range of areas from pop cultural phenomena via books zeroing in on celebrities to fine art, with the common denominator being the endeavour to break through the stasis of the publishing industry and to challenge notions and perceptions.
With over twenty-five years and an array of fantastic release under its belt, powerHouse Books has firmly established itself on the firmament of quality publishers in the realm of illustrated books on culture.
One of the areas that powerHouse has been covering since 2002 are sneakers and by partnering directly with the respective brands, has been key to the success of their emissions, with specifically taking things to the next level when it comes to visual appeal and aesthetics. In essence, it felt like powerHouse was closer to the core than other publishers that were merely documenting what was already out there.
An example par excellence for the craft powerHouse Books channels its alchemy in is the Art of Sneakers, which is in essence an homage to the creative minds of sneaker creators, who took cues from the Jordan generation to push the envelope further. What makes Art of Sneakers interesting is that it tackles the sujet not only from a fashionist viewpoint but elaborates from angles such diverse as sports, music and art and how the design and influences of sneakers have been informed and influenced by other art forms like e.g. sculpting and origami.
A two way street really, as The Art of Sneakers showcases how sneaker art is in turn influencing other art forms and by that not only makes for colourful eye candy on your coffee table, but serves as a source of inspiration not merely for sneaker heads but for anyone remotely interested in art at large.
Art on Deck is another excellent powerHouse Books, which exemplifies their strengths when it comes to brand collaborations. The focus in this case is on Supreme and how their approach to the creation of their unique skateboard range created a new genre. Art on Deck not only documents all the rare decks, but also shows them in action in their natural habitats.
Supreme’s collaboration are being shed light on via interviews with artists including names like Kaws, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons, and Raymond Pettibon, framed by contextualised essays and photography.
