A Curated List of 12 Must-Read Art Books for This Fall

Autumn, with its crisp colors and shorter days, inspires many to delve into book reading. Art enthusiasts have several compelling new releases to consider adding to their collections. Here are some highlights:

1. **Okwui Enwezor’s Selected Writings**: This anthology captures Enwezor’s influential essays that reshaped the art discourse towards a more inclusive global perspective, decentering Western dominance.

2. **Frank S. Matsura: Iconoclast Photographer of the American West** by Michael Holloman: Discover the spirited community portraits by Frank S. Matsura, an early 20th-century Japanese photographer, which offer a fresh perspective on the American West.

3. **Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me** by Mimi Pond: Explore the lives of the Mitford sisters, brought anew with Mimi Pond’s playful visual style and storytelling flair.

4. **Robert Rauschenberg’s New York**: Delve into the Pop artist’s photo-based works and related paintings, showcasing his urban observations.

5. **Knife-Woman: The Life of Louise Bourgeois** by Marie-Laure Bernadac: A deep dive into the life of the iconic artist, enriched by her own writings and family photographs.

6. **The Once and Future Riot** by Joe Sacco: An immersive comics journalism piece that recounts the political violence in Uttar Pradesh, India, through interviews and visual storytelling.

7. **Transatlantic Disbelonging** by Bimbola Akinbola: A critical examination of Nigerian diasporic women’s art, highlighting their creative defiance against imposed norms.

8. **My Studio Is a Dungeon Is the Studio** by Nayland Blake: A collection of writings and interviews that offer insights into the artist’s exploration of queerness and transgression over four decades.

9. **Lessons in Drag** by Kareem Khubchandani: A dialogue-rich manual that blends research with performance, exploring the intersections of academia, art, and drag culture.

10. **Painting Writing Texting** by Chantal Joffe and Olivia Laing: An intimate look at artistic friendship, combining essays with evocative portraits.

11. **Grandma Moses: A Good Day’s Work**: A retrospective look at the pioneering American folk artist’s life and impact beyond traditional institutional narratives.

12. **Wifredo Lam: When I Don’t Sleep, I Dream**: Accompanying a major retrospective, this catalog highlights Lam’s work and his challenge to cultural stereotypes and artistic conventions.

These upcoming releases offer rich explorations across various facets of art, perfect for enhancing the reading piles of art lovers as autumn unfolds.