1 — In February 1980, acclaimed street photographer Patrick D. Pagnano went on assignment to document the Empire Roller Disco and its legendary cast of partygoers. The resulting photographs, gathered for the first time in this delicious looking new book, capture the vibrant spirits, extraordinary styles, and sheer joys of Brooklyn roller disco at its dizzying peak. Another one for the coffee table.
2 — Creative Boom talk to South London-based artist and illustrator Owen D. Pomery about changing careers, architectural storytelling and the advantages of agencies. Influences mentioned are Edward Hopper, Hergé and Saul Leiter – so that’s me hooked.
3 — Unit Editions have just announced Pentagram: Living by Design, a gargantuan two-volume monograph covering the first fifty years of uber-agency Pentagram. There’s no pretending the price tag isn't rather painful, but this is Unit, so the whole package does of course look absolutely stunning. Maybe ask Santa for it.
4 — From ten years ago, but this Art of the Title interview with David Fincher is a fantastic read. Such a smart and eloquent director, really generous with his thoughts on the craft of film-making. Had no idea that the Kyle Cooper/Angus Wall/Harris Savides titles for Seven only came about because there simply wasn’t enough money for the original idea.
5 — New issue of Port is incoming, featuring actors Kieran Culkin, Diego Luna, Stéphane Bak and Will Sharpe, writers George Saunders, Torrey Peters, Leila Mottley, Jeanette Winterson, Orhan Pamuk, Steven Pinker and Anthony Anaxagorou, artist Frank Bowling, spatial practitioners Cooking Sections, designer Jasper Morrison, graphic novelist Nick Drnaso, and musicians Khruangbin.
6 — Huge fan of St Bride Library’s annual book design talks, so its great to see the most recent – Same, But Different – available to watch online. If the process often starts with the same elements, how do cover designers produce such different outcomes? Featuring the likes of David Pearson, Jo Thomson, Greg Heinemann and Henry Petrides discussing how they fill that blank rectangle.
7— Revisiting this fabulous Gentlewoman interview with Angela Lansbury from a few years ago. Had no idea she received an Oscar nomination at the age of 18 for Gaslight. Worth delving into the rest of magazine’s interview library – the Natasha Lyonne one from earlier this year is particularly good.