art of journey

The Art of Journey

Link: theartofjourney.com

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THE ART OF JOURNEY Hardcover – 1 Jan. 1821

• Language English
• Publication date 1 Jan. 1821
• ISBN-10 0985902213
• ISBN-13 978-0985902216
• See all details

Product details

• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0985902213
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0985902216

About the author

Matthew nava.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

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Matt Nava and the playable art of ‘Journey’

Despite these humble beginnings, the game went on to collect scads of awards, landing on almost every “best of” gaming list imaginable. It became the fastest-selling game on PlayStation Network in North America, and even landed a Grammy nomination for Best Score for a Visual Media category, the first video game to ever receive such an honor. The game was a hit, but beyond the commercial and critical reception, Journey was clearly a work of art. Roger Ebert be damned.

But with a project like this, developed by a small team of around 12, it needed to work on all levels to succeed. Austin Wintory’s soundtrack had to be memorable. Jenovah Chen’s direction needed to be perfect. Nicholas Clark, Bryan Singh, and Chris Bell’s design needed to be spot on. But before any of that could happen, the art design needed to be exceptional. It needed to convey the message and melancholy mood of the world, and it needed to do so in a way that made the full use of the PS3 hardware without costing the independent developer more than it could afford.

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Somehow, all the pieces came together. The look of the game borders in iconic, fitting seamlessly with a brilliant multiplayer mode that doesn’t allow you to speak with the other player or communicate with them beyond the most rudimentary ways. It also has several distinct visual areas that all come to life. It all worked out. Of course, that’s easy to say now that the game has been released.

As the art director of Journey , Matt Nava was responsible for much of the look and flair of the game that went on to receive such high esteem. He made it look easy, as if the game was always in his mind, begging to get out. The truth is far less poetic, and far more grueling.

“It was a real big, blank canvas,” Nava says, looking back. “We didn’t know what it was. All we had was this basic idea of making this multiplayer gamer where the point wasn’t to kill each other, but to work together and have this bonding experience with people online that you don’t even know. Beyond that, it was kind of an amorphous thing, and we had no idea if it was going to work, so there was this kind of ambiguity.”

During the design process of the game, Nava created hundreds of different designs for the character, the world, you name it. Only a small portion of the early concept art actually made it into the game, which recently prompted the release of the book, The Art of Journey .

Written by Nava with a foreword by author Chris Melissinos, it chronicles both the development of the game and Nava’s artwork. It is a must-own for any fan of the game, or anyone interested in one of the fastest growing – and most often overlooked – forms of art being produced today.

While nongamers may not grant Journey ’s art the same level of respect that they might a classical painter along the lines of Rembrandt or Van Gogh, the approach those masters of old took wasn’t that far removed from what game designers are doing today.

Regardless of the time period and medium, any artistic endeavor exists to tell a story. Sometimes that is derived from conveying an emotion, or simply by striving for beauty, but there is a story to be had, even if it is a very singular and personal one that the artists embed in the work, and the person experiencing it re-interprets to fit their own sensibilities. Modern audiences certainly take away a different message from Renaissance art commissioned by the Church than the people of that era did, but neither interpretation is right or wrong.

“Those classical masters were making art that had to communicate, it had to convey a message, it needed to tell a story,” Nava said. “A lot of it was for the Church, showing scenes from the Bible for people that couldn’t read and things like that. But because they needed to communicate, their art needed to be refined in a certain way and they developed these amazing techniques for doing that. Video games do the same thing.

“They need to convey a message, they tell a story or they communicate gameplay with visuals and audio. So that kind of tradition of having these art techniques and using these tricks to create depth or motion with imagery and poses of characters translates directly. So I think it is kind of this continuation in a way, of that same tradition, of creating imagery that has meaning and message.”

From an early age, the younger Nava was a student of art. American illustrators like Howard Pyle became influential as he developed his own style, and he took inspiration from all sources, including video games. Fumito Ueda, the designer of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico , was one influence for Nava, as was the relatively primitive art style of Nintendo 64 games, in all their polygon-drenched glory.

Following high school, Nava was accepted into Otis College of Art and Design, one of California’s most prestigious arts schools. With a list of alumni that reads like a who’s who of 20th century artists, fashion designers, and experimental designers, the school is well known for its ability to change with the times.

There Nava met Jenova Chen, co-founder of thatgamecompany, which had recently released the game Flow . Chen developed Flow with Nicholas Clark as part of his master’s thesis. It was as much a concept as a game, but it quickly went on to be the most downloaded game on the PlayStation Network in 2007 and won several awards for best downloadable game.

The two remained in contact following Nava’s graduation, and after a few animation gigs, Nava was invited to join thatgamecompany as the art director for the studio’s second title, Flower .

“ Flower was starting to get some really good reviews – there was a lot of hype about it, and it was kind of casting this big shadow on us,” Nava recalls. “Could we make something bigger than Flower – better than Flower – that would satisfy the people who enjoyed [it]? And how could we make something even more meaningful, or different. How could we make something that would feel like it was part of the TGC franchise, but also new and exciting? It was a big challenge.”

For TGC, when approaching a game, before they even begin to consider things like gameplay or story, the first step is deciding what it wants the gamer to feel.  Everything then comes from that genesis.

“The main thing that we want is to convey a message, or to convey a mood or a feeling to the player,” Nava said. “I think that is the most important thing to begin with.”

Once the main themes and goals for Journey  were established, the work fell to Nava, who was responsible for all the concept art, as well as all the texturing. Working closely with the team from the start, Nava and TGC came up with the general idea, and then he went to the drawing board – quite literally. From there he created dozens of conceptual pieces by hand. Most were sent back, but little by little, piece by piece, the game began to take shape.

“We found what the limitations were, and we designed the game around them and spent our time working on the things we could do really well,” Nava said.

Of course, those that have played Journey will know that the game is very much left open to interpretation. There were certain guideposts to help you along and to give you a few ideas as to the nature of the world, the character, and what your quest is, but the game – like any good art – allows you to fill in certain blanks and inject your own interpretation of what it is. This was very much intentional, and solidifies the reputation that TGC has earned.

This concept was so ingrained in the making of Journey that it even infected the developers themselves, and led to several spirited debate.

“Even on the development team itself there were different interpretations about the game, and that was something we were OK with. That is what we wanted our players to experience.”

After three years of development, Journey was released on March 13. It was immediately greeted with near universal acclaim, further increasing the reputation of thatgamecompany, enough so that Sony even released the  Journey Collector’s Edition , a collection of the developer’s three games on a single disk, as well as a handful of games designed as part of a competition. The collection even features commentary tracks for the games.

Nava hopes to continue in games and further expand into animation as well. At some point in the future, he’d like to create his own IP with friends. For now though his focus on gaming, even as the industry seems to be pushing away from artistic design and more towards photo-realism.

In a way, the photo-realistic approach is almost easier. The more realistic something is meant to look, the more it can be judged as a success or failure on a technical level. Building a world based on a creative, abstract vision requires an intense amount of teamwork, as well as a group all working on the same page. Striving for photo-realism in a game is something that can be measured by anyone working on the game, but to create a world based on creativity and imagination requires trust throughout the team.

Hyper-realistic titles remain the lifeblood of the industry, and the driving force that continues to challenge developers. But on the fringes, away from the traditional gameplay, there are games like Journey that point to new possibilities, new ways to play, and even new ways to think about gaming.

Journey is potent ammunition in the battle to establish games as legitimate art. It may be one of the best examples that video gaming has potential as a medium for artistic expression, not just thrills.

The success of Journey has shown that there is an audience for games like this. They enrich us as gamers and improve the overall industry. They may also be some of the most compelling art being created in any medium today.

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The Art of Journey Hardcover – Jan. 1 2013

• Print length 188 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Bluecanvas
• Publication date Jan. 1 2013
• ISBN-10 0985902213
• ISBN-13 978-0985902216
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bluecanvas; 2 edition (Jan. 1 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 188 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0985902213
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0985902216
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.34 kg
• #128,748 in Arts & Photography (Books)

About the author

Matthew nava.

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The Art of Journey

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thatgamecompany

The Art of Journey Releases in September

in the News

August 27, 2012

Seeing how Journey has resonated with players across the world, we wanted to work with the Santa Monica Studio to provide a deeper look into the visual development behind this critically acclaimed hit. So, we’re excited to let everyone know that we will be presenting you with a wonderful first-time look at the extensive artwork that went into bringing Journey to life. It’s the first book directly inspired by one of our games and is titled The Art of Journey and will be available for purchase in September.

This book, designed and written by Matt Nava, art director on Journey, provides an insider’s view into the stylistic influences, narrative functions, and game design goals that shaped the final look of the game. Readers will discover how Journey’s landscapes, cut-scenes, and much-loved robed traveler came to be. For your enjoyment, The Art of Journey will come bound as an embossed hardcover book filled with gorgeous concept art, intricate pencil drawings, and 3D models printed in full color on art-quality paper.

In addition, the book has an innovative “augmented reality” feature powered by the Daqri 4D platform. By downloading a free companion app, readers will be able to point their smartphone or tablet’s camera at special images and see animated 3D models appear straight from the game. It’s a truly unique and innovative way to more fully experience the artwork of Journey.

We are especially proud to include a tribute in the book to the game’s players. Journey’s touching experience and memorable visuals have inspired many players to create their own artwork. Matt has collected some of the team’s favorites in a special fan art section which I hope will speak to those of you who have been moved by the Journey experience.

The Art of Journey will be accompanied by a voucher that will allow readers to download a free copy of the game’s soundtrack to their PS3.

Please continue to stay tuned for updates and sneak peeks for The Art of Journey. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out the Journey Collector’s Edition , which will be available on store shelves this coming Tuesday, August 28.

in the Blog

Kevin Williams says

August 27, 2012 at 5:35 pm

Is the book available for pre-order anywhere yet?

DreamsCreator Shuen says

August 27, 2012 at 6:18 pm

I hope it can be available in Hong Kong, if not, Can I pre-order it in your store?

August 27, 2012 at 8:41 pm

Can you put this on amazon or something, so its easy for everyone around the world to order(I’m from Australia).

August 27, 2012 at 9:20 pm

Are you possibly accepting fan art submissions for this book? http://zoroko.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4vyqhl

Jonathan Tiong says

August 27, 2012 at 9:24 pm

I’m so excited for you! Your video was sending chills in waves.

Johnno says

August 27, 2012 at 10:35 pm

Will the augmented reality app also be available for PS3 users using PSEye or a webcam attachment, or the Vita, or how about the PC using a webcam? Or all three? I don’t have any of the fancy cellphones or tablets, spreading out the options would be nice!

Seeker says

August 28, 2012 at 12:10 am

Renee, the book is bring released next month and is already well in its print production. You’re a little late on that one.

Amish Gramish says

August 28, 2012 at 2:46 am

@Kevin: The book isn’t open for pre-orders yet. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages to see when it does open up for pre-orders somewhere.

@DreamsCreator: I’ll try to see if we can get it up on the TGC store. There has been a huge amount of support for us selling it, so I’ll see what we can do.

August 28, 2012 at 2:49 am

@Renee: We aren’t accepting fan art and we never solicited any fan art for the book. Matt and Sony asked specific people to use their fan art. (I helped with translating for Japanese people.) Thanks for sharing your art, by the way!

@Johnno: From what we know at this point, it will only be available on iOS and Android products. If they bring it to the PC, Vita, or PS3, we’ll update it on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Michelle says

August 28, 2012 at 4:31 am

Seeing my photographies in this book makes me so, so happy. Thank you very much TGC for making this possible 🙂

Corky McButterpants says

August 28, 2012 at 4:59 am

‘Seeing how Journey has resonated with players across the world,’

…means that this book HAS to be available to ‘players across the world’. It would be a huge slap in the face if you restricted distribution to the US alone.

I would definitely pay a premium to own this. Please make it happen. >_<

August 28, 2012 at 6:09 am

Wow! I’m very excited to see this! Any idea how much it will be on release? I will be watching for the pre-order!

August 28, 2012 at 2:42 pm

Will Journey be re-released to support the Oculus Rift?

August 28, 2012 at 4:08 pm

Amazing! I am excited for this book even more after watching the video, the printer/book design studio you are working with sounds like they care about how they craft their books which I feel will really do Journey the justice and care it is due. It’s going to be special! I know it!

August 28, 2012 at 8:05 pm

@Corky McButterpants: (Love the name) If Sony restricts the sale from Europeans on sites like Amazon.com, it means that they’re trying to get it released. We don’t know what Sony’s specific plans are for regions or pricing at this point, but we’ll update our Facebook and Twitter pages with info when it comes up.

August 28, 2012 at 8:06 pm

@Haley: Currently we only know that it’ll be released in September.

@Rags: No, it won’t be updated to support the Oculus Rift. We’re hard at work on our next game, so we can’t really spend the time and retroactively update our games for it, even though it sounds cool. 🙂

August 29, 2012 at 12:09 am

Can’t wait till it’s here..

Quite literally.. can’t wait..

August 30, 2012 at 8:48 pm

Christian says

September 1, 2012 at 5:57 am

any chance for a collectors edition with the physical soundtrack?

kcwside says

September 1, 2012 at 9:45 am

Hi I am graphic designer in Korea. Journey to the amazing was impressed. Emotional, and that is fantastic.

Journey art book, I want to have. When can I buy art book, is it?

Anywhere Web site that you can purchase Please let me know.

September 1, 2012 at 3:10 pm

@Christian: There won’t be a bundle of both, so the best thing you can do is just buy the CE and the CD.

@kcwside: We might have the art book up on our store, http://store.thatgamecompany.com , but we do know too much about availability at this time. You can follow @TGCStore on Twitter or keep an eye out on our store to see if you can get it.

September 2, 2012 at 12:13 pm

Any details on the size of the book or number of pages?

Hopefully it’s bigger than the artbooks included in most CE of games.

Online Games says

September 3, 2012 at 7:25 am

Fine way of explaining, and fastidious piece of writing to obtain facts regarding my presentation subject, which i am going to deliver in institution of higher education.

September 5, 2012 at 3:33 pm

@Mike this is a full-fledged art book, at almost 200 pages. I just saw and held the actual final book for the first time myself, it’s very pretty. 🙂

The book is 9 inches x 12 inches across, with a special gold embossed logo on the front cover.

September 5, 2012 at 7:56 pm

I want to buy this… Do you know when and where I can buy this book?

luffeN says

September 6, 2012 at 12:31 am

it is out at http://shop.bluecanvas.com/merchandise/journey-art-book

September 8, 2012 at 9:32 am

I sincerely hope that you make this available worldwide, or at the very least to Europe. Europe have already been disappointed with the lack of the Collector’s Edition in their region and a lack of this in-addition would be truly sad. Please please please consider other regions with this release.

thehitman1398 says

September 9, 2012 at 12:01 am

I just pre-ordered my art-book. I would love to know if I’m with-in the 750. Not to sell, but to have great art-work, singed by great people. I’m almost biting my nails of to see if it is. Is there anyway to find out if I am?

Daniel says

September 9, 2012 at 6:32 am

I am from Australia and i am trying to pre-order the book from http://shop.bluecanvas.com/merchandise/journey-art-book

And every time i submit i get “Transaction Declined” are you blocking people from overseas from pre-ordering the book?

September 10, 2012 at 4:19 pm

From the official bluecanvas page: INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: The Art of Journey will be available on Amazon at the beginning of October. We suggest you hold your order till then to receive the best shipping rates.

September 10, 2012 at 11:13 pm

Thanks for that Sunni, i did not see it on their page.

Still a shame though would have loved to get one of those singed copies while they were still available. 🙁

Justin says

October 4, 2012 at 4:04 am

I hope this book becomaes available in South Africa. I have played this game so many times and loved everytime I play it. It moves me like never before. Thank you TGC you really made my year with this game.

NEETproxy says

October 5, 2012 at 2:05 am

Is this still coming out? It says the release was mid to late September and now were going on mid October and I haven’t heard anything. Anyone know what’s up?

WazWii says

December 18, 2012 at 10:51 am

Does anyone know if this is still scheduled to arrive in the UK?

I can then decide whether or not to import one.

I hope someone can help.

December 18, 2012 at 7:54 pm

International customers can find more information about purchasing The Art of Journey here: http://shop.bluecanvas.com/merchandise/journey-art-book . The best option is to purchase through Amazon. I hope this helps!

amelie says

February 23, 2013 at 1:43 pm

I just bought this book and it’s just the best book i ever had, there are so many artworks inside, it’s rare to see art books with that amount of pictures!

If you have the occasion to have this book in your hands, look at under the paper cover there are a wonderful red cover.

Hope the best for the people of That game company, they are doing a great job 🙂

Rachel says

March 5, 2013 at 8:04 am

Is the book available in the uk yet? If not, when will it be available? How can I get it if its not available?

Zakiya says

May 27, 2013 at 5:03 pm

will the art of journey be re-available for purchase any time soon, by any chance?

June 13, 2013 at 5:24 am

Will the book be re-published any time soon? Out of the US, even? I live in Europe and I’m dying to get my hands on this!! Importing it through Amazon.com made this book uncredibly expensive due to Amazon’s ridiculous shipping fee policy, there’s no way I could’ve afforded it! Please have a heart for your non-US-American fans!

June 13, 2013 at 11:57 am

Please re-publish the art book, im dying to buy it!

/ A big fan from Sweden

Tesume says

June 15, 2013 at 12:05 pm

Please re-publish the book again!! I rented a ps3 exclusively to play Journey and now I’m dying to have the artbook!

June 18, 2013 at 10:32 pm

@Zakiya, Yossi, Sasha, & Tesume: We didn’t make the book, Bluecanvas Inc. produced and published it. They currently don’t have any plans to republish the book, but if they change their minds, you’ll have to look at their social media pages to see if they decide to make more.

Airflow says

October 22, 2013 at 9:34 pm

Please re-publish the book again!!

October 25, 2013 at 6:07 am

@Airflow: Bluecanvas is reprinting the book. You can get a signed pre-order of the book here: http://shop.bluecanvas.com/merchandise/edit-cart-item/24141/journey-2-signed

If you are an international purchaser, you should wait until it is sold on Amazon.com, which will have $8-12 shipping, much less than the $40 offered.

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• Publisher Bluecanvas, Inc.
• Publication date 2012
• ISBN 10  0985902213
• ISBN 13  9780985902216
• Binding Hardcover
• Edition number 1
• Number of pages 188
• Illustrator Matthew Nava

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‘The Art of Journey’ now available for pre-order

The $60 book can now be pre-ordered from Bluecanvas.

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thatgamecompany is releasing a book of concept and production artwork from Journey , its latest indie endeavor on the PlayStation Network and PlayStation 3.

thatgamecompany is releasing a book of concept and production artwork from Journey , its latest endeavor on the PlayStation Network and PlayStation 3. The $60 book can now be pre-ordered from Bluecanvas .

The Art of Journey is a hardcover book written by the game's art director, Matt Nava. In addition to images from the game and artwork, it delves into the game's influences and developmental direction. It also includes an "augmented reality" feature; by downloading a free app, readers can use their Smartphones to see 3D models of special pictures.

The first 750 people to pre-order the book will receive a copy autographed by Nava and creative director Jenova Chen. All orders will include a voucher for a free copy of the game's soundtrack. The book is expected to release in late September, and those who pre-order in the lower 48 states will receive free shipping.

Journey released on the PSN in March, followed by a retail package release with Flower and Flow on August 28th. Players wander through a vast desert as a mysterious, robed figure.

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The Art of Journey Hardcover

• Print length 188 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Bluecanvas, Inc.
• ISBN-10 0985902213
• ISBN-13 978-0985902216
• See all details

Product details

• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 188 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0985902213
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0985902216

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GDC 2013: Matt Nava - "The Art of Journey"

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The Art of Journey

In this talk, art director Matt Nava will present the artwork he created during the development of the game Journey by thatgamecompany. The audience will learn about the creative processes, inspirations, challenges, and constraints that were encountered while designing the art direction for this critically acclaimed and award-winning PS3 title. Based on the book "The Art of Journey" which Nava recently wrote, the lecture will cover the design of the character, creatures, landscapes, architecture, and sequences in the game.

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Product Key Features

• Book Title Art of Journey
• Author Matthew Nava
• Format Hardcover
• Language English
• Topic General
• Intended Audience Young Adults
• Publication Year 2012

Additional Product Features

• Copyright Date 2012
• Target Audience Young Adult Audience

Matthew Inman Hardcover Illustrated Nonfiction Books

Matthew inman collectibles hardcover illustrated nonfiction books, art hardcover textbooks, matthew inman animals & pets hardcover illustrated nonfiction books, nonfiction books fiction & nava atlas, art & culture nonfiction books hardcover books.

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Book Review: The Art of Journey

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on November 19, 2012 - 8:32pm

Journey is one of the most beautiful games this year, one that I really enjoyed playing. It's quite an experience journeying through the haunting landscape, ancient ruins while listening to the enchanting soundtrack.

This artbook is a great companion for the game. It's a 188-page hardcover with nice paper. The art and illustrations are created by Matthew Nava who's the art director at thatgamecompany . He's also the one who art directed the earlier game Flower .

Collected within the book are the concept art for the game with character and creature designs, environment paintings, architecture designs, and even a section on fan art. There's lots of commentary throughout.

The art is as beautiful as the game itself, of course. But with the book you get to see more such as the discarded concepts, e.g. the evolution of the main character design from a more realistic to a stylistic one, unused buildings, locations, etc. The architecture designs are wonderful, with influence from Greek, Islamic and Japanese blended with mystery and an otherworldly feeling. It's interesting to study the use of colours in the game which has a very limited palette and yet can look so good.

One unique feature of the book is its use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology. It's one where you scan the pages with your mobile phone or tablet camera and a virtual reality 3D image pops up into space. It's used to good effect here. For example, for the AR version of one tower in the game, you can turn your camera around it to see it from different perspective, and if you look closely through the windows you can see things moving inside. Very cool. Same with the page on the character designs where the characters will pop up and you can see them move. There are only four AR models in the book.

Also included in the book is a coupon code to download the soundtrack of the game via the PlayStation Network. Journey: Official Game Soundtrack cost over ten dollars by itself.

This is a marvelous artbook, even if it is rather pricey.

The Art of Journey is available on Amazon.com .

Visit Amazon to check out more reviews.

The links below are affiliate links, which means I earn some commission from each purchase, but at no extra cost to you.

Here are direct links to the book: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk

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• art book reviews
• matthew nava
• thatgamecompany
• 2012 favourite

I am really thinking about

I am really thinking about buying this book! But the price is really high! I the price worth? I heard that the paper and print quality is really good! Sorry for bad English.. I am from Austria :D Greats Bernhard

It's a good book, but

It's a good book, but slightly overpriced.

Wooooaahhhhh, it's AWESOME!!!

Wooooaahhhhh, it's AWESOME!!!! Too bad i don't have any tablets!! Thank you for the video it's stunning I wasn't expected something like that. I hope in the future that there will be more book with this kind of thing!!

A simply incredible quality

A simply incredible quality art book to, in my mind, the most perfect game ever created (besides the Team Ico titles that is..) thatgamecompany needs our full support more than any other, so we can continue to be gifted with these kinds of amazing creations. I've already downloaded the title, bought the physical Collector's Edition, art book, & the flOw Flower & Journey trilogy prints. & by the way, the incredibly composed score by Austin Wintory is fully worth the purchase itself..

This is an amazing book. It

This is an amazing book. It gives you an insight into what went on behind the scenes in making the stunning art work of Journey.

As mentioned, the AR viewer is an added bonus. It's a very unique feature that I've not seen implemented before. Also the soundtrack (Composed by Austin Wintory) that comes with this as a download is just as breathtaking. You will not be disappointed!

I was one of the lucky few to get a signed copy by the art director Matt Nava and Creative director Jenova Chen which made the deal even sweeter. : )

Would love to have purchased

Would love to have purchased this book - unfortunately it's out of print now and unlikely to be available again.

Bluecanvas has released the

Bluecanvas has released the 2nd edition.

Hey ! i'm looking for one of

Hey ! i'm looking for one of these artbook ! i'm studying animation 2d and it can be really helpfull for my project!! So if someone is selling this artbook i'll be really happy to buy it :D

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Student Resource

Journeys Coursework Guide

From physical journeys and migration to journeys of self-discovery, get ideas and inspiration about journeys in art

Journeys in art

Explore art terms related to journeys, more for students and teachers.

Ford Madox Brown The Last of England (1864–6) Tate

Mark Wallinger Threshold to the Kingdom (2000) Tate

© Mark Wallinger

Lubaina Himid CBE RA Between the Two my Heart is Balanced (1991) Tate

© Lubaina Himid, courtesy the artist and Hollybush Gardens, London

Kara Walker Grub for Sharks: A Concession to the Negro Populace (2004) Tate

© Kara Walker

Ellen Gallagher Bird in Hand (2006) Tate

© Ellen Gallagher

Simon Starling Five-Man Pedersen (Prototype No.1) (2003) Tate

© Simon Starling

Carl Plackman The Immigrant (1985–7) Tate

© The estate of Carl Plackman

Whether documenting a journey from A to B; exploring and responding to places; or using historical or personal journeys in order to better understand identity, artists have used different kinds of journeys to inspire their art over centuries.

Journey can refer to an actual physical journey – travelling from one place to another; wandering around a particular urban or landscape location in order to explore it; or enforced migration such as the journeys made by slaves or refugees. However journeys don’t always have to involve physical travel. The term ‘journey’ is often used to describe the journeys we make in life: such as personal experiences that involve an element of self-discovery or more generally the journey through life – growing up or getting old. Journey might also be used in relation to formal processes in art making, for example in the work of artists whose process dictates the end result of the work.

Land art and urban mapping

Hamish Fulton Wind through the Pines (1985, 1991) Tate

© Hamish Fulton

Land artists such as Hamish Fulton and Richard Long use walking as a way of exploring landscapes. Hamish Fulton records his experience of the walks he makes in poetic texts. In Wind through the Pines 1981 the things he sees, hears and experiences are transformed into descriptive sentences or single words which together evoke the sense of journeying through a landscape. Richard Long’s A Line Made by Walking creates a temporary sculptural intervention in the landscape as the route he takes across a field flattens the grass and becomes a trace of his journey.

Edward Ruscha Filthy McNasty’s (Sunset Strip Portfolio) (1976, printed 1995) ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. Lent by Artist Rooms Foundation 2011

© Edward Ruscha

Ed Ruscha journeys through the urban spaces of Los Angeles in order to create a portrait of the city, often collecting these photographs together to form photobooks . For his Sunset Strip Portfolio he photographed every single building on the Hollywood Strip in LA, a mile-and-a-half strip of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. In doing so he not only gave a sense of moving from a point at one end of the strip to the other, but also captures the history of the city, and provides a snapshot of its socio-economy as reflected in the changing nature of the buildings and businesses.

Psychogeography: The politics and poetics of locations

The term psychogeography refers to an approach to geography that emphasizes drifting around urban environments in order to explore the effect of particular locations on emotions and behaviour. Ruth Ewan’s The Darks is an alternative audio guide to Tate Briatin which invites visitors to navigate the area around the building where the notorious Millbank Prison once stood.

This film file is broken and is being removed. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

Patrick Keiller’s films record the exploratory journeys around England of a fictional, unseen character called Robinson. Robinson’s chance encounters with various locations cause him to reflect on the significance of places and what he sees there in relation to greater global themes – such as the economy or politics. For his installation The Robinson Institute at Tate Britain in 2012 Keiller selected images of landmarks and locations in the English landscape from Tate’s collection, to illustrate the development of capitalism.

Susan Philipsz uses her own voice to create uniquely evocative sound installations that play upon and extend the poetics of specific, often out-of-the-way spaces. For Lowlands , she uses an old Scottish folk song to explore the spaces around and under three bridges along the River Clyde in Glasgow.

Willie Doherty’s photographic work The Bridge is made up of two views from either end of Craigavon Bridge which crosses the River Foyle in Belfast, marking a point of connection between the Protestant and Catholic communities in the city. The photographs demonstrate that the perspective may be different but the view is almost identical. The bridge divides the two communities but also links them and has the capacity to be a point of meeting and exchange.

Willie Doherty The Bridge (1992) Tate

© Willie Doherty

Artist Francis Alÿs journeys along borders and boundaries in order to raise awareness of political issues. For The Green Line 2004 Alÿs walked around Jerusalem, trailing a ribbon of green paint behind him. He was following the so-called green line, which was drawn on a map by the Israeli Minister of Defence Moshe Dayan at the end of the Arab-Israeli war of 1948–9 and has become one of the most contestded boundaries in the world. It marked the respective positions of Israeli and Arab forces in the final ceasefire, and it has served as a boundary between Israel and the West Bank ever since.

Migration – whether enforced through slavery, through escaping war or disaster, or triggered by economic needs – has played an important role in the lives and histories of many people and is a theme that has been widely explored in art. Ellen Gallagher’s Irish and African American origins have shaped the texture and subject matter of her practice. Bird in Hand refers to the experience of slaves of the Cape Verde islands off the West Coast of Africa, the birthplace of the artist’s father, a region that was for three centuries a hub of the transatlantic slave trade. Kara Walker’s room-sized installations of silhouette cut-outs explore the narratives and journeys of Black history, its telling and re-telling, and the effect this has on African-Americans today.

Lubaina Himid was born in Zanzibar in Tanzania but moved to England with her parents shortly afterwards. One of the founding members of the Blk Art Group – formed by British artists whose parents were Caribbean and African migrants – her paintings, woodcuts, installations, works on paper and curatorial projects emphasise the contribution of African migrants to the development of European culture. Between the Two My Heart is Balanced 1991 is a large painting depicting two black women dressed in African-style clothing at sea in a small grey boat. The title of the work suggests the struggles for identity and belonging faced by migrants.

Cuban performance and installation artist Tania Bruguera’s ongoing art project, Immigrant Movement International is an artist-initiated socio-political movement which aims to explore who is defined as an immigrant and the values they share, focusing on the question of what it means to be a citizen of the world. For her 2012 work Surplus Value at Tate Modern, visitors to the gallery were given a taste of some of the experiences immigrants have to face.

Personal journeys: Identity and life journeys

Bill Viola Nantes Triptych (1992) Tate

© Bill Viola Studio

Although all the journeys referenced so far in this resource have included personal experience as well as referencing a geographical journey, there are some journeys that do not involve geographic travel but soley relate to life, personal experience and exploring identity. Bill Viola’s Nantes Triptych is a three panel video installation with video footage of birth (on the left), death (on the right) and a metaphorical journey between the two represented by a body floating in water (in the centre). Viola uses his personal experience of birth and death (the birth of his son and his Mother’s death) to exlore the universal experience of the journey of life, but in doing so also expresses his own personal response to these two momentous events.

Tracey Emin’s Exploration of the Soul 1994 also explores the journey of life. It is comprised of thirty-two framed sheets of blue A4 notepaper on which Emin has written a poetic text recounting significant moments in her life from birth up until the age of thirteen.

Donald Rodney In the House of My Father (1996–7) Tate

© The estate of Donald Rodney

Facing up to and coping with big things that effect our life such as the break up of a relationship or suffering from an illness can become a journey of self-discovery. Artist Jo Spence was diagnosed with cancer in 1982 and much of her subsequent work was a response to her treatment by the medical establishment and her attempt to navigate its authority through alternative therapies. As well as addressing ideas of identity, family, home and Britishness – particularly with respect to a British, Afro-Caribbean diaspora – Donald Rodney’s work explores themes of mortality and his own illness. Rodney suffered from sickle cell anaemia, an inherited disease that affects people of African, Caribbean, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian ancestry. In the House of My Father is a photograph of the artist’s hand holding a small fragile house constructed from pieces of his own skin removed during one of the many operations he underwent to combat his disease. The artwork symbolizes his illness but also the journey the illness has taken him through, in relation to his identity and his relationship with his father.

Process: Journeys in art making

Journeys in art can also be those that relate to the formal processes of art making. Artist Paul Klee famously described the process of drawing as ‘taking a line for a walk’. Some artists create work using systems that dictate the journeys they will make in their creative process. For his Chance and Order Group VII, Drawing 6 1971 Kenneth Martin used number permutations which established systems outside his choice to dictate the journey his drawing would go on and the end result. For his sound installation Raw Materials in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, Bruce Nauman used the placement of recorded voices to manoeuvre people’s journeys through the space.

Simon Starling Work Made-ready, Les Baux de Provence (Mountain Bike) (2001) Tate

Simon Starling is fascinated by the processes involved in transforming one object or substance into another. He makes objects, installations, and pilgrimage-like journeys which draw out an array of ideas about nature, technology and economics. Starling describes his work as ‘the physical manifestation of a thought process’, revealing hidden histories and relationships. For Work Made-ready, Les Baux de Provence (Mountain Bike) 2001 , Starling rode a mountain bike to France, where he collected a few hundred kilograms of bauxite rocks, which he afterwards processed into aluminium. The installation features a do-it-yourself aluminium production line, and ends with the casting of the aluminium to replicate part of the same mountain bike he had ridden to the mine.

Land art or earth art is art that is made directly in the landscape, sculpting the land itself into earthworks or making structures in the landscape using natural materials such as rocks or twigs

Psychogeography

Psychogeography describes the effect of a geographical location on the emotions and behaviour of individuals

Diaspora is a term used to describe movements in population from one country to another and is often cited in discussions about identity

The Blk Art Group

Formed in Wolverhampton, England, in 1979, The Blk Art Group was an association of young black artists who, inspired by the black arts movement, raised questions about what black art was, its identity and what it could become in the future

Black Atlantic

Black Atlantic describes the fusion of black cultures with other cultures from around the Atlantic

Research skills and exam support

Designed to inspire ideas for research in the gallery, classroom and everyday life

Find out what's on for students and teachers

Find out about workshops, courses and other opportunities for students and teachers at Tate Britain, Modern, Liverpool and St Ives

The Art of Journey

• View history

The Art of Journey is a book released by Thatgamecompany , detailing the creation of the scenery and character in Journey . It is compatible with an app for tablets, allowing for 3d effects to be seen.

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Tio's Tacos, a 30-Year Journey of Authentic Mexican Cuisine and Recycled Art

Please try again

If you drive through downtown Riverside, you might spot a huge orange butterfly hanging off the side of a building, an airplane parked on its roof and two giants made from recycled aluminum cans.

Inside, you’ll spot mariachi musicians forged in metal and decorated with bottle caps. This is Tio’s Tacos. It’s not just a Mexican restaurant; it’s a sculpture garden and one immigrant entrepreneur’s labor of love.

Owner Martín Sanchez has spent more than 30 years developing authentic Mexican food inspired by frequent visits to his home country. And along the way, he’s transformed his one-acre taquería into a showcase for hundreds of works of art — all recycled from what most people call “garbage.”

“I saw an opportunity in the garbage, in recycling,” Sanchez said. “I don’t have money to buy materials, but I have bottles. I have cans. I have what the restaurant throws away.”

Sanchez’s love for his hometown of Sahuayo, in the Mexican state of Michoacánis, is reflected in many of his pieces.

“Here we have ‘The Dance of the Old Men,’” Martín said as he pointed to a statue of traditional folk dancers in his back patio. “I always wanted to create different spaces. If you notice here, this dining area represents what my town is about.”

He said his art also represents a journey to heal a childlike wonder that was sacrificed a long time ago. Sanchez said it’s a sacrifice many immigrants face due to the pressure to provide for their families.

As a young boy, Sanchez loved to create toys made from scrap metal he found lying around. But after his father passed away, Sanchez had to work to contribute to the family’s finances.

Years later, in 1984, at 16 years old, he immigrated to the United States and sold oranges on the side of the road in East Los Angeles. After some time, he opened a hot dog and taco cart business.

“During the day, I’d sell hot dogs, and at night, I’d transform the cart to sell tacos,” Sanchez said. “And that’s how Tio’s Tacos was born.”

Sanchez saved money for six years to buy the land where Tio’s Tacos stands today. Yet, as he was growing his business, he felt a pressure inside him that needed to be released.

“I released the boy that I’d hindered, that I had to freeze in order to become a responsible adult as a kid,” Martín said. “Then, when I reached this point as an adult, I let that boy out, and that’s when the art began.”

He started collecting garbage from his restaurant and neatly separated the recyclable materials into different piles for upcoming projects he envisioned in his head. Over time, the plot of land behind his restaurant became filled with trash, and it became extremely noticeable. It reached the point where his family chastised him for the mounting garbage near his restaurant.

“I understood the sentiment from the people, from those around me,” Sanchez said. “But I saw the trash’s potential.”

Eventually, his trash piles would also catch the attention of the local government. He said he received complaints from the city. But as they saw this public eye-sore transform into a work of art, the complaints slowed.

“They must have said, ‘We have to leave this crazy guy alone and see how far he gets,’” Sanchez said. “Nowadays, thank God, I have the support of the city. They support me, they congratulate me. I am what they call a ‘landmark’ here.”

Sanchez also has the support of the local arts community in Riverside. His work has been featured at the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture , which is only a couple of blocks away from the restaurant.

Maria Esther Fernandez, the museum’s artistic director, said Tio’s Tacos makes her feel at home and said the art uniquely reflects the city’s culture.

“He’s creating a place here in Riverside, and it’s a destination,” Fernandez said. “It’s a place where people go and see themselves, see their family, their history, their memories.”

Sanchez’s three daughters also consider Tio’s Tacos, a vital part of the Riverside community and are slowly inheriting the business. Estephanie, the oldest, said she plans to preserve the art and continue growing the restaurant.

“We’ve always said that the restaurant is something living and breathing. It moves and is constantly changing,” Estephanie said. “Equally important is that the community, the families, feel comfortable here and relax.”

Martín Sanchez said he’s happy to hand the business over to his daughters and is excited to see where they take it. He said it gives him more time to create art.

“I used to dream like a boy, and I continue to dream like a boy and play like a boy,” Sanchez said. “That’s why every time I do a project, I imagine that I’m playing, and that’s the key to success to achieve something.”

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Raye’s “Genesis” Is More Than a Song. It’s a Journey.

The singer shares what it took to craft her new seven-minute magnum opus

Calling Raye’s newest single, “Genesis,” simply a song is an extreme understatement. The seven-minute feat, which sees the British singer-songwriter effortlessly intertwine genres and perform some of her most vividly vulnerable lyricism yet, is the type of musical bravado that, well, we just don’t really hear anymore.

“I definitely put myself through the wringer on this song,” Raye tells Harper’s Bazaar in the days before the single’s June 7 release. “I don’t know why I’m so passionate about this specific song, and why it struck me the way that it did, but I feel like it deserved all the time that was spent on it. There comes a point where you just have to say: Stop! I’m excited to just give it [away now]—it’s done and there’s nothing to stress about anymore.”

“Genesis” is intricately layered in its composition; Raye’s ear for textured production leads the listener through a smooth selection of stylistic switches, while her lyrics narrate the emotions that plague so many of us on the day-to-day: heartbreak, depression, exhaustion, anxiety—but also hope. Raye specifically had a quote from Nina Simone—“An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times”—at the top of her mind while creating the record.

“It’s such a deep, heavy, powerful, important, burdening, and overwhelming but important quote, and I do believe that’s what I want my duty as an artist to be—alongside anything else fun and indulgent that I might enjoy to express as a musician,” she says. “This song is very clearly discussing being at that point of deeming your life unworthy of continuing to live—which is so dark, but it’s also a reality that a lot of people are facing. Then it goes on about the insecurities and pressures of social media, and these algorithms that we’re all addicted to, myself included. I really tried my best to encompass it all into one song and then have a cry at the end to be like, ‘Let’s have a little hope, and I pray that we all make it through the other side—it’s all gonna be okay.’ ”

“As a writer and an artist, you have to zoom out into what’s the intention you have behind a piece of music you’re making—sometimes the intention is to feel good, and when you wanna create something to feel good, it doesn’t need to be seven minutes long,” she says, laughing. “I understand why people want quick, catchy, repetitive things. This song … it doesn’t always feel good when you’re listening to it—it’s quite intense. But personally, I love an indulgent, intense musical experience. You could argue that these could be three different songs, but for some reason, in my gut it felt like they belong together.”

For Raye, releasing a project of this caliber isn’t about public validation as much as it’s for her own personal creative fulfillment.

“This is about art,” she says with a shrug. “If it was about selling music, if it was about streaming, then I would not have made it [this way].”

While “Genesis” is just a glimpse into what more is to come from Raye, she’s still taking the time to relish how her debut album, 2023’s My 21st Century Blues , radically changed her life: It took home a record-breaking six wins at the 2024 Brit Awards, and led to her recently receiving BMI’s Songwriter of the Year Award . She credits these career accomplishments not to any sort of industry-orchestrated metrics, but instead to her devoted fan base (though she notes it’s still weird to call her loyal listeners “fans”).

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“I remember when I did become independent, I said to my little team that the goal is to release music I’m proud of and to build a group of listeners who give a shit, and that’s exactly what’s happened,” she says. “The people who pull up for me, who come to the shows, and the people who don’t just listen to the songs but the details , and dig in and who care—they are literally the reason that I exist and the reason I’m thriving.”

So even if she does wish she could take a short holiday soon, the work is well worth it, Raye says.

“I’ve waited so long and I’ve worked so hard for a moment like right now. With what we’re achieving and the opportunities and the doors that are opening for us—how dare I take a second to not work the hardest that I’ve ever worked?” she says. “Before, [my career was about] just desperately yearning for the validation of others, and now I’m doing what I truly love—and that is priceless. I don’t have room for regrets.”

Bianca Betancourt is the culture editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com , where she covers all things film, TV, music, and more. When she's not writing, she loves impulsively baking a batch of cookies, re-listening to the same early-2000s pop playlist, and stalking Mariah Carey's Twitter feed. 

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Mastering the Art of Travel Writing: Tips for Students

D o you love writing and traveling? Do you dream about seeing the world and discovering hidden gems in every country you go to? Then you might have considered becoming a travel writer. Even though this is one of the dream jobs many students have, it comes with challenges too. Mastering the art of travel writing is not hard, but you have to put in a lot of dedication, effort, and time. This is a captivating genre that allows you to share your experiences, observations, and adventures from your journey. Writing about travel is what you, as a student, might aspire to.

So, you are probably looking for some tips and tricks on how to get started. What is travel writing? Are there more types of travel writing? Learn more about some travel writing tips that can enhance your craft and help you create engaging stories. While some spots can inspire you to write fascinating posts, you can take matters into your own hands and improve your skill.

Immerse Yourself in Traveling

Well, you cannot be a travel writer if you are not traveling. This is why it is essential to travel extensively. Explore distinct places , cultures, and landscapes. Get to know the locals, talk with them and find out more about the local traditions and social norms. Every country is different from another one. And even though some beliefs or lifestyles might be similar, there are so many things that tell them apart. And you can learn more about this by traveling and talking with locals too.

However, as a student, you have academic responsibilities too. Getting an education in school is not only about attending classes or what notes you take during teaching but about writing essays and assignments too. And traveling around the world is time-consuming, which might make you fall behind your deadlines. Thankfully, there are essay writers for hire, essay writers that are skilled and professional and can help you complete your assignments. Getting some much-needed help will help you follow your passion and travel around the world. This way, you will gather experiences you can write about.

Maintain a Travel Journal

To write a travel short story or an article for your blog, you need to travel. But you also need to observe the peculiarities of every place you go to. You may not have time every day to write an article, but there is a solution. You could maintain a travel journal. Have it with you everywhere you go.

Write down your thoughts, impressions, and experiences while they are still fresh in your mind. This way, you make sure you do not forget anything worth mentioning. When you will sit down and write your articles later, this journal will be an invaluable resource.

Take Photos

If you want to become a travel writer, you have to write, of course. But photos can add more value to your travel stories or articles. So, whenever you can, aim to capture high-quality photos . Learn more about the art of photography to complement your words with images.

Read Widely

Besides practicing the art of writing more and traveling around the world, you could hone these skills by reading too. It is known that reading helps you expand your vocabulary as you learn new words that will help you convey the message effectively.

But, reading what other travel writers have published will help you learn more about writing techniques. How do they tell a story? How do they hook you and capture your attention? Reading widely does not mean that you will end up copying others. It just serves as a source of inspiration that will help you develop your unique voice.

Honesty and Authenticity

Many students who are aspiring to become travel writers think that they only have to share positive experiences from their travels. Indeed, when you discover new places and cultures, everything you see might be through some pink lens.

However, readers appreciate honesty and authenticity. So, help them see your experience through your eyes. Do not be afraid to share the parts of the trip that were not as pleasant. This will help them have a clear idea of what to expect from specific places. They are looking for genuine insights.

What to Keep in Mind?

Writing about traveling and trips around the world is an art. To excel in this craft, not only do you need to improve your writing skills, but also gain as much traveling experience as you can. For those who might not have the time or expertise, there are paper writers for hire who specialize in travel content. However, do not forget that travel writing is a journey in itself. Embrace the process, keep practicing, and let your passion for exploration and storytelling shine through your words.

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Review: At the Roundabout, A Luminous Revival of Samm-Art Williams’ ‘Home’

This rollicking memory play treats one man's life as an epic journey, and this production—starring tory kittles, brittany inge and stori ayers—is epic indeed..

Samm-Art Williams , who died on May 13 as Home began previews at the Roundabout Theatre Company, lived many lives. He was a playwright, an actor and a TV executive producer ( The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ). He was a burly southpaw who sparred with Muhammad Ali. Too young to leave us at 78, Williams made every moment count. Not surprising that the protagonist of his 1979 hit play should also be a man of many modes who endures multiple trials. Cephus Miles ( Tory Kittles ), as his surname foretells, is fated to travel great distances. Don’t be surprised if his story evokes thoughts of Odysseus. This rollicking memory play is very much about getting back to one’s roots, but I suspect the title winks at Homer. 

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How does Cephus, a humble Southern farmer, compare to the mythical king of Ithaca who wandered sea and land before returning to his palace? Odysseus goes to war against the Trojans; Cephus is an accidental conscientious objector to the Vietnam War (which lands him in jail). Odysseus becomes lost at sea and is harassed by witches and monsters; Cephus moves to a Northern city and gets mixed up with booze and floozies. In the end, both find their way home, love redeeming them. In the Odyssey , that means slaughtering a mob of odious suitors. But in Williams’s big-hearted finale, a woman saves the house and gives Cephus back his soul.

Enough classical stuff. Williams provides his own epic pleasures in this 90-minute piece, which unfolds as a series of tall tales spun by Cephus in a rocking chair on his porch, a conspicuous tremor in his right hand suggesting the hard times he’s seen. Others in town, he tells us, believe him dead. The children vandalize his house, thinking he’s only a ghost. But in muscular, lyrical prose, Cephus asserts his irrepressible vitality:

Children casting stones at my door. Crashing and thrashing at the windowpane. Children in their folly. Lovely, beautiful children. Learning and living the fantasies of their parents. Fostering the myths and the lies. Cephus lives! I live! The town of Cross Roads, North Carolina. Place of my birth. I live.

Backed by a two-woman chorus— Brittany Inge as “Woman One” and Stori Ayers as “Woman Two”—Cephus shares stories of playing dice on the graves of dead white folks, his courtship with lifelong sweetheart Pattie Mae Wells (Inge), and his struggles with faith. You see, Cephus used to believe in God, “until he took a vacation to the sun-soaked, cool beaches of Miami, while I needed his help and love in the hot sticky tobacco fields of North Carolina.” For the first half hour or so, Cephus regales us with folksy (cheerfully violent) tales: how guitarist “One Arm Ike” lost a limb; how Cephus learned to “speak Indian” when dealing with a dishonest Black man who claimed to be Cherokee. 

After Patti Mae leaves Cross Roads to marry a lawyer in Baltimore, and our hero serves five years in prison for refusing to enlist in the military, he follows the siren song of a city up north, where drugs, liquor and cheap labor await him. This long middle section has its lighter moments—Ayers is deliciously cynical yet dignified as a woman who shacks up with Cephus until the cash runs out—but mainly it’s a hellish descent into addiction. Glimmers of hope appear in a beatific passage aboard a Greyhound (“a national Negro institution”) motoring south, as Cephus and a busload of Black passengers make a nostalgic Christmas pilgrimage. Not since the 2013 revival of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful (with Cicely Tyson) has a bus scene captured so poignantly the sense of forlorn hope aboard a coach.

As he did with the superbly energetic and irreverent revival of Purlie Victorious last year, director Kenny Leon maintains a galloping pace. Home is such a verbal dynamo it could be performed on a bare stage, yet Leon has assembled a valuable design team: Arnulfo Maldonado ’s homely yet mythic sets of porch, tobacco field, and a cutaway silhouette of a house; earth-toned and soft-textured costumes by Dede Ayite ; and sunny daytimes and jazzy night shades conjured by Allen Lee Hughes . The acting trio makes gorgeous music. Kittles ages up from hellraising teen to weathered old man by graceful degrees, and Inge and Ayers do magnificent character work with dozens of supporting parts—preachers, drug dealers, prison guards, bus drivers. We should mourn the fact that Williams never got to see this luminous production, but it seems he had plans to join that fellow in Miami.

Home | 1hr 35mins. No intermission. | Todd Haimes Theatre | 227 West 42nd Street | 212-719-1300 |  Buy Tickets Here    

• SEE ALSO : Will Keen On Playing Vladimir Putin On Broadway in ‘Patriots’

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erica zaino's temple of time invites journey through light and reflection along australian coast

The temple of time captures the rhythms of the day.

Step into the Temple of Time, a contemporary art installation designed to evoke reflection and introspection along the coastal landscape of Cottesloe. Conceived by Western Australian Architect Erica Zaino, the structure, crafted from translucent polycarbonate panels, captures the ever-changing essence of time and light. Its open design and absence of a traditional ceiling allows for unobstructed views of the sky, fostering a sense of connection to the natural world and the rhythms of the day.

During the day, the panels filter sunlight, casting a soft, diffused glow and a dance of shadows throughout the space that evolve with the passage of time. As evening falls, the installation undergoes a dramatic transformation, illuminated from within by solar lights that cast an ethereal glow over the surrounding landscape. The once-translucent panels now take on a radiant quality, emitting a gentle luminescence that invites visitors to linger and explore.

erica zaino for the 20th sculpture by the sea

The installation’s concept emerged as a tribute to the 20th Anniversary of Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe, a celebration of two decades in the natural beauty along the coastal landscape. Architect Erica Zaino envisions The Temple of Time as a space to reflect on the passage of time, inviting visitors to contemplate the memories forged along the coastline over the years.

The Temple of Time celebrates Sculpture by the Sea’s collective cultural journey, highlighting the ways in which art has enriched lives, sparked conversations, and fostered a deeper connection with the environment. Just as the tides flow, the installation captures the ephemeral nature of art and life. While the physical structure is temporary, the impact and memories it creates are eternal. This duality reminds viewers that while moments may pass, their essence endures.

When it comes to installing a polycarbonate structure at Cottesloe Beach – a site famous for its natural beauty and fierce coastal winds – artists and engineers face a unique set of challenges. The goal here is to maintain the aesthetic vision while ensuring the structure’s durability and stability without relying on traditional structural systems. ‘Finding the right balance between flexibility and rigidity is critical. Too much flexibility can lead to excessive movement and instability in high winds, while too much rigidity can make the structure brittle and susceptible to cracking,’ notes Erica Zaino.

image © Robert Frith

project info:

name:  The Temple of Time designer:   Erica Zaino

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

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Going Down the Garfield Rabbit Hole

He hates Mondays, he’s No. 1 at the box office and he’s been the subject of a lot of weirdness over the last 40-plus years.

By Fred Bierman

Fred Bierman spent an embarrassing amount of time digging into Garfield lore, also hates Mondays and thinks lasagna is only OK.

You may have noticed that “ The Garfield Movie ” was the No. 1 movie in America last week, earning $14 million and taking over the top spot from the infinitely more hyped “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” It has grossed $55 million in North America and $156 million globally in two weeks.

After more than 45 years of daily strips ( that still get made every day ), three feature films, 76 books, three animated series, dozens of video games and a literal boatload of merchandise, we may ask, how did we get here?

In an attempt to answer that question, we took a trip down the Garfield rabbit hole.

So Much Merchandise

The first thing you come across is the merchandise. There are T-shirts, phones , watches , furniture , clocks , slippers , tents , wallets, trading cards, eye shadow and roller skates with Garfield’s leering image.

There was even a Garfield toilet seat cover. “It turned out to be a great product. It was real colorful,” Garfield’s creator, Jim Davis, told The New York Times in 2019 . (There are, in fact, numerous Garfield toilet seat covers .)

This is no accident. Davis released the three-panel newspaper comic strip in 1978 with an eye toward selling his creation.

“I’d like to say it was some sort of a divine inspiration that created the strip,” Davis told The Washington Post in 1982 . “In fact, it wasn’t so much that as a conscious effort to come up with a good, marketable character.”

First came the books. Davis grouped the strips into collections and they were a hit. In November 1982, The New York Times Trade Paperback Best Sellers list featured seven Garfield books among its top 15 titles.

Davis’s creation was so inescapable that for 30 years a beach in western France reported that pieces of Garfield phones were mysteriously washing up on shore. In 2019, The New York Times reported on the phenomenon, which turned out to be caused by “a long-lost shipping container, nestled in a rocky sea cave.”

Cohen vs. Coen

From there you get to the cartoons and movies. The animated “Garfield and Friends” ran for seven seasons from 1988 to 1994. There was “Garfield: The Movie” in 2004, of which A.O. Scott wrote in The Times , “you are likely to leave this one feeling as grouchy and put-upon as the title character.” Audiences didn’t seem to mind. The film grossed $203 million globally.

The biggest surprise of “Garfield: The Movie” was Bill Murray agreeing to voice Garfield. According to Murray, however, it was a misunderstanding that led him to do the movie in the first place. In a 2010 interview with GQ, Murray joked about taking the role.

“I looked at the script, and it said, “So-and-so and Joel Coen.” And I thought: Christ, well, I love those Coens! They’re funny. So I sorta read a few pages of it and thought, Yeah, I’d like to do that.”

It was Joel Cohen , whose credits include “ Cheaper by the Dozen ,” not Joel Coen, the Oscar winner, who was one of the script’s writers. Still, that didn’t stop Murray from returning for the sequel, “Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.”

‘Garfield Minus Garfield’

In digging a little deeper, things begin to get weirder.

In 2008, Dan Walsh, a 33-year-old technology manager in Dublin, created “Garfield Minus Garfield,” where he erased Garfield and all the other characters from the strips, leaving only his owner, Jon Arbuckle.

That year, The Times reported on the phenomenon :

Mr. Walsh does nothing to the panels except strip away Garfield and other characters like Odie the dog and Nermal the kitten to create a new, even lonelier atmosphere for Jon Arbuckle, the main human. Without the cutesy thought-bubbles of his lasagna-loving cat, Jon’s observations seem to teeter between existential crisis and deep despair.

Davis took the opportunity to license a “Garfield Minus Garfield” book .

That seemed to open the floodgates for Garfield content that embraced odd humor native to the internet. Other remixes followed. There was “Pipe Garfield,” where the last panel is replaced with a panel of Garfield smoking a pipe.

“Garfield Thrown Out the Window” replaces the third panel with Garfield getting thrown out of a window.

“Garfield Censored” is a strip that replaces one panel with one that reads: “The cartoonist has elected not to show this panel due to its graphic nature.”

Live Action Garfield

This is the point in your journey where you might come across something called “Lasagna Cat.”

Fatal Farm (the duo of Zachary Johnson and Jeffrey Max) are known for creating and directing surreal advertisements for Old Spice and Skittles and for their work on episodes of “I Think You Should Leave” and “Key and Peele.”

They also made “Lasagna Cat,” a web series with two seasons made nine years apart. In 2008 they released 27 short videos on YouTube that were live recreations of Garfield strips followed by a music video and often ending with photo of Davis.

Almost 10 years later, Fatal Farm released another 13 episodes, featuring longer videos with higher production values and even more bizarre content. For example, in “10/20/1984,” a live re-enactment of a strip is followed by a re-creation of the “Miami Vice” episode featuring the Phil Collins classic “In the Air Tonight.”

Or, there’s “07/27/1978,” where a live re-enactment of the strip featuring Garfield smoking a pipe is followed by an hourlong lecture, voiced by the actor John Blyth Barrymore, dissecting every aspect of the strip while talking about art, the cosmos and corruption in the tobacco industry. It has been viewed 3.9 million times on YouTube.

The final video in the 2017 season is almost five hours long and is titled “Sex Survey Results.” It is the only video without a date as a title and the only one that does not feature a re-creation of a strip. It is also one of the strangest videos on the internet. It almost defies description. Watch at your own risk.

‘I’m Sorry Jon’

Now the journey goes from strange to dark.

There is plenty of wholesome Garfield fan art out there (like Garfemon , which imagines Garfield as Pokemon), but there is also a very bizarre and very dark Garfield fan art subculture.

In 2013, the artists Sam and Toby Alden posted a web comic in which Jon Arbuckle awakes to find himself inside of Garfield, and Garfield tells him, “I’m Sorry Jon. I was so hungry.”

This was followed by Garfold , Gramfel and a series of Instagram posts by Catherine Burke , all of whom took the character of Garfield and turned him into a hideous monster terrifying his owner.

This genre of art became so popular that it spawned a section of Reddit known as r/imsorryjon , with over 800,000 users, that is dedicated to dark Garfield fan art. This phenomenon is also known as “Gorefield” or “Creepy Garfield” and it’s very, very weird.

‘Don’t Look in the Basement’

After taking a deep breath, we went back to Garfield strips (again, new ones appear every day) and books to see where this dark side of Garfield might be coming from.

If you look hard enough, there are glimpses of it in some original Garfield content. “Garfield: His Nine Lives” was a surprisingly unsettling 1984 book that features nine Garfield stories, most drawn by artists other than Davis. One of the stories ends with a primal version of Garfield attacking a grandmother .

In early Garfield comics, Jon had a roommate, Lyman, who suddenly stopped appearing in the strips. When asked where Lyman had gone, Davis jokingly wrote, “Don’t look in the basement.”

A 2002 online video game called Garfield’s Scary Scavenger Hunt featured Lyman chained to the basement wall of a haunted house.

There was a series of Halloween strips in 1989 (known as “ Garfield Alone ”) that read like something out of “The Twilight Zone” and spawned strange theories that the entire strip has always taken place in Garfield’s imagination.

The panel ends with Garfield going through what seems like an existential crisis and beginning to question reality. After taking a deep (maybe too deep?) dive into Garfield lore and fandom, we know the feeling.

Inside the World of Comedy

After he hit superstar status for his 2021 musical comedy, “Inside,” Bo Burnham has been conspicuously quiet. But he's managed to turn his supposed absence into a performance .

Netflix is giving comedy the live treatment . Sometimes that’s a good thing, as with John Mulaney’s variety show “Everybody’s in L.A.” But the Katt Williams special and Tom Brady roast were more uneven.

The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has occasionally featured some great stand-up comedy. Colin Jost’s set will not join that list .

The pandemic dealt a major blow to improv in New York, but a new energy can be seen in performances throughout the city .

Comedians, no strangers to tackling difficult and taboo subjects with humor, are increasingly turning their attention to the climate crisis .