Stairways And Ladders

Intended for the general reader, the two-volume monograph Steps, Ladders, Stairs in Art is a visual examination of many manifestations of stairs in fine art and literature from pre-historic times to the present day. Throughout history and across cultures steps, ladders and stairs play a philosophic role in religious tradition and works of art: artists use the image to address questions of the path of life – how to ascend or descend, and where to; what obstacles are encountered on the way; individual flights and falls. The two volumes present Chemiakin’s visual analysis of the subject as well as explanatory texts treating diverse aspects of the research.Mihail Chemiakin, an artist, sculptor and art researcher, has collected over 2000 images on the theme of stairs in art, of which 768 are presented in this book. Steps, Ladder, Stairs in Art, first published in Russian in 2020, is the third in a series of books on themes of “Mihail Chemiakin’s Musée Imaginaire” research project.

The five volume series, Barry's Construction of Buildings,has been established as a standard text on building technology formany years. However, a substantial update has long been required,and while doing this the opportunity has been taken to reduce fivevolumes to two in a more user-friendly format. The introductory volume covers domestic construction and bringstogether material from volumes 1, 2 and part of 5. The extensiverevision includes modern concepts on site assembly, environmentalissues and safety, and features further reading.

Containing walks and detailed maps from throughout the city, Secret Stairs highlights the charms and quirks of a unique feature of the Los Angeles landscape, and chronicles the geographical, architectural, and historical aspects of the city’s staircases, as well as of the neighborhoods in which the steps are located. From strolling through the classic La Loma neighborhood in Pasadena to walking the Sunset Junction Loop in Silver Lake, to taking the Beachwood Canyon hike through “Hollywoodland” to enjoying the magnificent ocean views from the Castellammare district in Pacific Palisades, Secret Stairs takes you on a tour of the staircases all across the City of Angels. The circular walks, rated for duration and difficulty, deliver tales of historic homes and their fascinating inhabitants, bits of unusual local trivia, and stories of the neighborhoods surrounding the stairs. That’s where William Faulkner was living when he wrote the screenplay for To Have and Have Not; that house was designed by Neutra; over there is a Schindler; that’s where Woody Guthrie lived, where Anais Nin died, and where Thelma Todd was murdered . . . Despite the fact that one of these staircases starred in an Oscar-winning short film—Laurel and Hardy’s The Music Box, from 1932—these civic treasures have been virtually unknown to most of the city’s residents and visitors. Now, Secret Stairs puts these hidden stairways back on the map, while introducing urban hikers to exciting new “trails” all around the city of Los Angeles.