Top Art Books Recommended for 2025
**While 2025 might be drawing to a close, the art books we read this year will stay with us for a long time to come.**
In 2025, the art book landscape was vibrantly diverse, expanding beyond the conventional boundaries of monographs and catalogs. Readers indulged in biographies, academic titles, memoirs, zine re-issues, and art novels. Among the standout titles was Imani Perry’s “Black in Blues,” a thought-provoking addition that defies traditional categorization. Editor-in-Chief Hakim Bishara endorsed Hew Locke’s latest catalog, while Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian recommended a range of compelling works, including Tamara Lanier’s poignant narrative about reclaiming daguerreotypes of her enslaved ancestors.
**Art History**
One notable publication is “Speculative Light: The Arts of Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin,” edited by Amy J. Elias. This volume explores the profound influence of Delaney on Baldwin’s perception and literary journey, highlighting their enduring connection as queer, Black men. Meanwhile, “Women Artists in Denmark 1880-1910: In Search of the Modern,” edited by Inge Lise Mogensen Bech and Lene Bøgh Rønberg, sheds light on Nordic women artists and their revolutionary contributions to 19th-century naturalism. Jordan Troeller’s “Ruth Asawa and the Artist-Mother at Midcentury” redefines the archetype of the artist, focusing on community-oriented creativity alongside family life. Erica Moiah James’s “After Caliban: Caribbean Art in a Global Imaginary” delves into decolonial aesthetics, examining how Caribbean artists challenge interpretive shortcuts. Edited by Candice Hopkins, “Native Visual Sovereignty: A Reader on Art and Performance” provides a profound exploration of Native performance art, emphasizing the pivotal moments that have shaped its history.
**Biography and Memoir**
In the realm of biography and memoir, Ruth E. Iskin’s “Mary Cassatt Between Paris and New York: The Making of a Transatlantic Legacy” offers a refreshing perspective on Cassatt’s role in the women’s suffrage movement, while Tamara Lanier’s “From These Roots: My Fight with Harvard to Reclaim My Legacy” tells a compelling tale of resilience and justice. Imani Perry’s “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People” intricately weaves together history, visual studies, and memoir, unraveling the narrative of Blackness through the lens of the color blue. Michelle Young’s “The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland” captivates with the story of a courageous art historian, and Tourmaline’s “Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson” pays tribute to an iconic figure in LGBTQ+ history.
**Art-World Fiction**
In the domain of art-world fiction, Karen Russell’s “The Antidote” transports readers to the Great Depression, weaving a tale of enchantment and hope through the perspectives of diverse characters. In Berlin, Vincenzo Latronico’s “Perfection,” translated by Sophie Hughes, dissects the complexities of aesthetics and social environments within an artistic couple’s life. Stephanie Wambugu’s “Lonely Crowds” reflects the consuming passion of art-making, exploring the dynamics of muse and creator.
**Monographs and Catalogs**
Monographs and catalogs have also made significant contributions this year. Erin Christovale’s “Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal” celebrates the legacy of the renowned musician and spiritual guru. “Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors,” edited by John P. Lukavic and Léuli Eshrāghi, skillfully intertwines First Nations narratives into historically exclusive spaces. “Hew Locke: Passages,” edited by Martina Droth and Allie Biswas, showcases the evocative work of Guyanese-British artist Hew Locke. Elisa Wouk Almino’s “Emily Mason: Unknown to Possibility” presents a poignant examination of the late abstract painter’s artistic impact, while “Coreen Simpson: A Monograph,” edited by Sarah Lewis, Deborah Willis, and Leigh Raiford, celebrates the vibrant and multifaceted world captured in Simpson’s photographs.
**Artist Book and Archival Edition**
In the realm of artist books, “THING,” edited by Robert Ford, Trent Adkins, and Lawrence Warren, revitalizes the legacy of the influential Black, queer publication, while Harmonia Rosales’s “Chronicles of Ori: An African Epic” intertwines Afro-diasporic narratives with captivating artistry.
The year 2025 saw a flourishing of art books that expand our understanding of history, culture, and identity, offering valuable insights and inspiration for artists and art enthusiasts alike.