‘Walls Are Talking’ by Gill Saunders, Dominique Heyse-Moore and Trevor Keeble

What’s it about?

With works from more than 30 international artists, including Sonia Boyce, Thomas Demand, Robert Gober, Damien Hirst, Abigail Lane, Francesco Simeti and Niki de Saint Phalle, this book places wallpaper on centre stage. It presents historical motifs, styles and methods being used in contemporary art and explains how existing patterns are adapted and transformed to achieve a specific effect. In the past, artists were not very attracted to wallpaper because of its short lifespan. But over the last two decades, wallpaper has provided artists with scope for exploring the realms of home, memory and identity, all of which play a key role in the mise en scène. Some wallpapers illustrate lines of reasoning on topics such as warfare or racism, and others depict obvious conflicts within modern Western culture, especially those related to gender roles and sexuality.

Why did we select this book?

Wallpaper tells stories. It serves more than merely decorative purposes – we just have to take a closer look. Artists have discovered them as a tangible approach to design, which is also the way we can experience them. ‘Walls Are Talking’ is the perfect work for all who want to acquaint themselves with a new aspect of art and expand their horizons. And who also might want to tell a story themselves with their wallpaper at home.