Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design [Paperback]

Tony Cohan (Author), Masako Takahashi (Author), Melba Levick (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998

Basking in sunlight and coursing with energy, Mexico enjoys a unique relationship with color-inspired, intrinsic, inseparable from life itself. This vibrance sings forth in the pages of Mexicolor, the collaborative project of an artist, a photographer, and a writer all in love with the brilliant displays of color seen everywhere in Mexico. Walls washed flamingo pink on top, deep matte blue on the bottom. A green flatbed truck heaped with orange marigolds. A sea of colorful skeletons at a Day of the Dead fiesta. The radiant reds, yellows, purples, and greens of the fruits and vegetables at el mercado. Mexicolor explores Mexico high and low, from colonial towns to dazzling beaches, from traditional workshops to contemporary interiors, from open markets to extraordinary homes and inns, uncovering the colorful artistry that permeates everyday life across this vast nation. Mexicolor is an ideal resource for anyone looking to brighten a home, and a beautiful picture book brimming with imagination, creative ideas, and pure pleasure.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Radiant color is not merely joyously prevalent in Mexico, it is part of the national psyche. According to this energetic celebration of Mexican style, "the color that floods Mexico's streets and plazas, markets and homes (and the pages of this book) is language and metaphor--a form of communication, deeply bound to experience. Day and night, birth and death, rich and poor, feast and famine: color is always there. Earth, sky, and history conspire to make it so." The profusion of multihued walls, tiles, ceramics, textiles, and folk art that fill the home; the riotous juxtapositions of vivid foods, flowers, supplies, and accessories that comprise the spectacle of the marketplace; the vibrant details that define everything from facades to clothing to handpainted toys--the Mexican obsession with color is everywhere, as is strikingly documented in this lively book. --Amy Handy

From Library Journal

This well-illustrated, visually inspiring book depicts color in Mexican vernacular design. The first half shows how bright, vivid colors and natural colors are juxtaposed in Mexico, e.g., a lush green coastal landscape sets off a bright pink bougainvillea or brown burros contrast with orange walls. The last section shows how Mexican architects and designers use these colors in exteriors and interiors and both contemporary and traditional design. Highly recommended for interior design collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811818934
• ISBN-13: 978-0811818933
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars absolutely gorgeous !, December 11, 2000

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design (Paperback)

This is perhaps the most lavishly beautiful book of artifacts and design I've seen in recent years. It has 21 chapters, starting with "The Painted Wall". Chapter 2 is the simply awesome "Tiles", followed by "La Cocina", with more exquisite tiles and fabulous cookware. I love the kitchen sink with the retablos and crosses on the wall above it !

Among the many chapters, there's one on "Textiles", "Folk Art", "Ceramics", "Wood" (masks that are works of art and the whimsical carvings from Oaxaca). "Metal": The loveliest door knockers you'll ever see, and my favorite of all (I have a small but glorious collection), the marvelous milagros.

There are also chapters on inns, homes along the coasts, the homes of 4 artists (to die for !), etc., and one on patios and gardens.

The photographs by Melba Levick are as good as it gets, a short (you wouldn't want any more...the focus is on the photography) but excellent text by Tony Cohan, which gives a brief history and description of the items shown, and the creative direction was done by Masako Takahashi. It's a good size soft cover at 10" x 9 1/2 and the quality is great.

It's a book you can browse through over and over and discover new little details, and the beauty of it will gladden your heart and inspire you to add more color to your home, especially Mexican color, which is so full of life and soul.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mexico lindo/Beautiful Mexico, November 16, 2001

By 

Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design (Paperback)

Having travelled through most of the states of Mexico, witnessing the enchanting colorful culture firsthand I can say this book captures the essence and beauty of Mexico lindo. It reminds the viewer of the places and people of Mexico in all their colorful splendor. What traveler through Mexico can forget the mercado (outdoor maketplace)experiece with the aromas and color blending for an intoxicating mixture that stays with you for a lifetime? It is all captured here in this brilliantly colored book. An inspirational book for the artist as well, the splashes of color jump from the pages into one's imagination for new ideas based on centuries old traditions. Although the fantastic color photographs are the highlight of this magnificnet book, the text is equally as good and highly informative. Little known tidbits abound. Take for example the centuies old technique of hanging cactus upside down to attract cochineal bugs. The bugs are then crushed to extract a wonderful red dye for wool rugs. Nothing is wasted, the bugs are sun dried or toasted on a griddle and mixed with lime after being crushed to a powder. The 21 chapters cover all aspects of Mexican life and each deserves the utmost attention since the detail given to each is exquisite. Nearly half of the chapters are dedicated to some aspect of the home, whether the garden, renovated haciendas or charming homes away from home for the traveler, the peeks into the places of rest are magnificent. The section featuring four artists homes is fabulous. There is one particular chapter that I love most, it is simply entitled wood. Here one will find marvelous wood creations, including masks and furniture as well as the famous wood carvers from Oaxaca, who create whimsical, colorful animals that defy conventional conceptions. There are other places to find wood creations as they are featured throughout the book in one form or another. This book demands to viewed over and over. This is one not to be shelved but to be kept handy for reference or inspiration. I would highly recommened this book to anyone who loves the old world culture that is Mexico. It is one of my favorite books that I cherish, a special gift that I view often, colorful memories rekindled and brought to life again and again.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sunglasses Required!, March 31, 2004

By 

Scott Knudsen (Air Ronge, Saskatchewan Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design (Paperback)

Put your sunglasses on (make sure there prescription, the font is really small) and get ready to feast your eyes on 176 pages of brilliant, intense colours. The book covers most aspects of the Mexican lifestyle and shows how colour is integrated into every part of their lives.

I had thought that the pictures where the leftovers from the authors other book, Mexicasa: The Enchanting Inns and Haciendas of Mexico, but this book seems to have been published first.

If you buy either one of these books, make sure you check out the binding really good, and keep your receipt. The bindings seem to be very poor and may totally fail before your half way through the book.