Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design

Brilliant! Vivid! Alive! An optical tease, each chapter, every trichromatic photograph, allures you sensually. Walls, kitchens and tiles blaze with vibrant colors. This isn't a book that you read as much as it is a book that you experience. You will find yourself slowly flipping through the book, not once , but many times. Each time your visual senses will be stimulated. If you are thinking of redecorating in pulsing colors then this book is a must buy.

Having travelled through most of the states of Mexico, witnessing the enchanting colorful culture firsthand I can say this book captures the essence and beauty of Mexico lindo. It reminds the viewer of the places and people of Mexico in all their colorful splendor. What traveler through Mexico can forget the mercado (outdoor maketplace)experiece with the aromas and color blending for an intoxicating mixture that stays with you for a lifetime? It is all captured here in this brilliantly colored book. An inspirational book for the artist as well, the splashes of color jump from the pages into one's imagination for new ideas based on centuries old traditions. Although the fantastic color photographs are the highlight of this magnificnet book, the text is equally as good and highly informative. Little known tidbits abound. Take for example the centuies old technique of hanging cactus upside down to attract cochineal bugs. The bugs are then crushed to extract a wonderful red dye for wool rugs. Nothing is wasted, the bugs are sun dried or toasted on a griddle and mixed with lime after being crushed to a powder. The 21 chapters cover all aspects of Mexican life and each deserves the utmost attention since the detail given to each is exquisite. Nearly half of the chapters are dedicated to some aspect of the home, whether the garden, renovated haciendas or charming homes away from home for the traveler, the peeks into the places of rest are magnificent. The section featuring four artists homes is fabulous. There is one particular chapter that I love most, it is simply entitled wood. Here one will find marvelous wood creations, including masks and furniture as well as the famous wood carvers from Oaxaca, who create whimsical, colorful animals that defy conventional conceptions. There are other places to find wood creations as they are featured throughout the book in one form or another. This book demands to viewed over and over. This is one not to be shelved but to be kept handy for reference or inspiration. I would highly recommened this book to anyone who loves the old world culture that is Mexico. It is one of my favorite books that I cherish, a special gift that I view often, colorful memories rekindled and brought to life again and again.

The reviews that follow say it all. To my way of thinking, the three greatest 'colorful' civilizations on this Earth are India, Mexico and Japan. Note that a Japanese photogropher puts her artistic sensibilities to work on this book about Mexico, thus combining two of the three best possible worlds for me. (That's not to disparage the efforts of the other contributors, of course!) This book is a real celebration of its subject. It is not possible to say enough good things about it.One slight complaint is that the print for captions is rather small for such a big book, but that's hair-splitting. If you have bad eyes, keep your reading glass handy.An enjoyment for everyone.

This book is jam packed with stunning photos. The colors are rich and vibrant. We are treated to textiles, handicrafts, architecture, landscapes and interiors all fairly jumping off the page in beautiful living color. Eye candy of the first order!

This is perhaps the most lavishly beautiful book of artifacts and design I've seen in recent years. It has 21 chapters, starting with "The Painted Wall". Chapter 2 is the simply awesome "Tiles", followed by "La Cocina", with more exquisite tiles and fabulous cookware. I love the kitchen sink with the retablos and crosses on the wall above it !Among the many chapters, there's one on "Textiles", "Folk Art", "Ceramics", "Wood" (masks that are works of art and the whimsical carvings from Oaxaca). "Metal": The loveliest door knockers you'll ever see, and my favorite of all (I have a small but glorious collection), the marvelous milagros.There are also chapters on inns, homes along the coasts, the homes of 4 artists (to die for !), etc., and one on patios and gardens.The photographs by Melba Levick are as good as it gets, a short (you wouldn't want any more...the focus is on the photography) but excellent text by Tony Cohan, which gives a brief history and description of the items shown, and the creative direction was done by Masako Takahashi. It's a good size soft cover at 10" x 9 1/2 and the quality is great.It's a book you can browse through over and over and discover new little details, and the beauty of it will gladden your heart and inspire you to add more color to your home, especially Mexican color, which is so full of life and soul.