Rafael Megall

The first extensive monograph dedicated to the artist Rafael Megall, whose work is strongly interwoven with Armenian recent history. This illustrated volume highlights the rich personality of the Armenian painter Rafael Megall (born 1983), his connection with the artistic tradition of his country, and the peculiar language inspired by the story of his people. The book offers a panorama of his production, among others: the famous “icons,” paintings on wood first showcased at the 57th Venice Biennale; the installation The Artist and His Mother, showcased at the National Gallery of Armenia, one of the most powerful artworks dedicated to the Armenian genocide; the unpublished series of portraits dedicated to Lev Tolstoy.

Rafael Megall's paintings embody Armenia's new spirit: in his work, the modernity of composition coexists with symbols, signs and images deriving from ancient Armenian culture. From his contemporary point of view, the artist dialogues with signs inspired by reliefs from the ancient armenian churches, therefore traditional figures of medieval bestiaries are woven together with universal themes, to attain a depiction that deals with the relationship between man and animal. Rafael Megall was born in 1983 in Yerevan. Since 2008 he has been member of the Union of Artists of the Republic of Armenia. Since 2010 he has been working between Armenia and USA.

This collection explores the impacts and new ways of treatment of difficult clinical situations, in the uncertainty of a world in crisis, through a phenomenological and aesthetic field-oriented lens. Each author offers a Gestalt-centered perspective on clinical issues – a situational window, which includes the therapist and avails itself of tools configured to modify the entire experiential field. Through clinical case studies and theoretical reflections, the book examines the experience of children, difficult childhood situations (such as separations, abuse, neurodevelopmental disorders, adolescent social closure), the experience of dependency, couples and family therapy, the condition of the elderly and the end of life, interventions for degenerative diseases, and the trauma of loss and mourning, all of which are considered according to two cardinal points: first, the description of the relational ground experiences of patients, and second, the aesthetic relational knowing, a field perspective which allows the presence of the therapist to be modulated. Psychopathology of the Situation in Gestalt Therapy: A Field-oriented Approach is essential reading for Gestalt therapists as well as all clinicians with an interest in phenomenological and aesthetic understanding of the complexity of clinical situations.

Wang Guangyi, one of the stars of the new wave of Chinese art, has artistically addressed major philosophical trends in Western philosophy while drawing on Taoism, Marxism and Maoism. By bringing together a team of experts in the philosophy of art to discuss his work, The Philosophy and Art of Wang Guangyi presents the first philosophical exploration of Wang's art, his thought and his analysis of Chinese society. From his use of words in images to his reference to the classics of Western painting, contributors set Wang's work against key questions in contemporary art. As well as answering what makes the language of pop art successful, they examine whether art and its history have come to an end, as Hegel posited, and if it is possible or even necessary to rework a new narrative for the history of contemporary art. The Philosophy and Art of Wang Guangyi marks an important contribution to understanding the background, work and ideas of a 21st-century political artist outside the West.

The work of Nyoman Masriadi, one of the leading Indonesian contemporary artists from the post-Suharto era. This stunning volume comprehensively tackles Nyoman Masriadi's artistic universe, which is considered to be among those that have most strongly impacted the definition of the new art of Southeast Asia. He is Southeast Asia's most well-received contemporary artist at auctions, and the first living Southeast Asian artist whose work has topped $1 million at auction. Masriadi's paintings frequently depict superhuman figures whose narratives, while rooted in Indonesian cultural history, offer witty and often biting social commentary on contemporary life and global pop culture. Through his expert control of light, shadow, and volume, Masriadi endows the monumental characters of his works with a sculptural, almost three-dimensional presence. Sometimes these characters appear in the archetypal roles of comic-book heroes, cowboys, soldiers, and athletes; but just as frequently, they are simply powerfully built people engaged in solitary acts of strength or captured in private moments of vulnerability.

The first comprehensive monograph on the life and career of the Filipino artist Andres Barrioquinto, a rising star of the contemporary Southeast Asian art scene. The volume deals with the complex universe of the artist (Manila, 1975), who combines elements deriving from the iconography and aesthetic of Baroque with Japanese woodcuts (ukiyo-e), reinterpreted in a Pop style. In his paintings, men, women, and anthropomorphic animals are shown in forests plentiful with butterflies and birds, introducing the theme of vanitas in a context of strong visual impact.