Colors: Tibor Kalman, Issues 1-13 [Hardcover]

Tibor Kalman (Author), Maira Kalman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

Over the course of 13 controversial issues, influential designer Tibor Kalman (1949-1999) used his position as Editor in Chief of the international magazine Colors to challenge the status quo. Through a highly visual language, he creatively explored the world's problems--racism, AIDS--and preoccupations--sports, shopping--to propel social change. That Colors was sponsored by the Benetton clothing company made the media experiment all the more intriguing. Following the success of Tibor's un(Fashion), this visually powerful book features spreads from each issue and reproduces in full a facsimile of the word-free 13th and final Colors. Kalman's previously unpublished notes and sketches, plus commentary by his partner, Maira, complete the collection.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Maira Kalman is the author/illustrator of ten children's books. In addition to designing for M&Co - which she launched with her husband Tibor Kalman - she contributes illustrations and writings to various publications, including The New Yorker and The New York Times. Ruth Peltason heads the company Bespolie Books, a company specializing in developing books on art and culture. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; 1St Edition edition (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810904144
• ISBN-13: 978-0810904149
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #762,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing!, June 1, 2002

By 

copystar (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Colors: Tibor Kalman, Issues 1-13 (Hardcover)

I was disappointed with this books as soon as I browsed its contents. One third of the book is a reproduction of COLORS issue 13: probably the least interesting issue produced under the editorship of Tibor Kalman. Issue 13 had no words but 80 pages of stock photography - more of an indulgence than an issue of an otherwise extrodinary magazine. The previous 12 issues of COLORS had a wealth of both words and pictures on such themes as the street, wealth, religion, AIDS, travel, and sport. Unfortnately, in this retrospective, each issue only gets scant attention. As well, some of the excepts of the magazine are so inexplicably reduced in size that the text is impossible to read. The remainder of the book are exerpts from Tibor's scrapbook. Some of these excerpts are facinating, such as the FBI's reports of Tibor during his 'Cuban phase', but most merely confirm that that Kalman's strength came from his ideas and not from his skills in drawing or design.


Ignore this book. Buy Tibor Kalman: Perverse Optimist instead.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ...yeah...it's worth buying., June 29, 2002

By 

Ahmad Jordan "Ahmad Jordan" (Bufalo, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Colors: Tibor Kalman, Issues 1-13 (Hardcover)

My hope when buying this book was that I would find more indepth information about the creation of colors with insight coming from the people who assisted in its production. What I found was 1/3 of the book being redundant with Tibors book "Perverse Optimist." The last 1/3 of the book is a reproduction of issue 13 - an issue I already own - so that wasn't very helpful either.

I was almost completely dissapointed with this book until I reached the middle section - an archive of Tibor's sketches, doodles and thoughts that help readers like myself see exactly how he initiated ideas for Colors Magazine. THIS IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. This fairly extensive section of the book offers heaps of photos that document Tibor's professional and activist life from High School onward. The supporting text by Maira is heart warming, funny and enlightmening. This section alone justifies buying the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book - too long lout of print, January 23, 2010

By 

Terry Weiss "Mystery Lover" (Corvallis, OR U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Colors: Tibor Kalman's Issues 1-13 (Paperback)

This is a terrific book for anyone who loves unusual visual imagery. At least half the book is without text, just gorgeous photos. There is some material that could be distasteful, and you should know that going in and plan to skip those pages if they offend you. I'm not real crazy about the feces photos, for example. But so much of it is great, that it's okay for some of it to be outside my comfort zone. Someone else might not have my sensitivity. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who finds beauty in the unexpected - and in the expected.