Ben Thomas – författare

This book presents the first comprehensive study of the philosopher and art historian Edgar Wind’s critique of modern art. The first student of Erwin Panofsky, and a close associate of Aby Warburg, Edgar Wind was unusual among the ‘Warburgians’ for his sustained interest in modern art, together with his support for contemporary artists. This culminated in his respected and influential book Art and Anarchy (1963), which seemed like a departure from his usual scholarly work on the iconography of Renaissance art.Based on extensive archival research and bringing to light previously unpublished lectures, Edgar Wind and Modern Art reveals the extent and seriousness of Wind’s thinking about modern art, and how it was bound up with theories about art and knowledge that he had developed during the 1920s and 30s. Wind’s ideas are placed in the context of a closely connected international cultural milieu consisting of some of the leading artists and thinkers of the twentieth century. In particular, the book discusses in detail his friendships with three significant artists: Pavel Tchelitchew, Ben Shahn and R. B. Kitaj. In the process, the existence of an alternative to the prevailing formalist approach of Alfred Barr and Clement Greenberg to modern art, based on the enduring importance of the symbol, is revealed.

This book presents the first comprehensive study of the philosopher and art historian Edgar Wind''s critique of modern art. The first student of Erwin Panofsky, and a close associate of Aby Warburg, Edgar Wind was unusual among the ''Warburgians'' for his sustained interest in modern art, together with his support for contemporary artists. This culminated in his respected and influential book Art and Anarchy (1963), which seemed like a departure from his usual scholarly work on the iconography of Renaissance art.Based on extensive archival research and bringing to light previously unpublished lectures, Edgar Wind and Modern Art reveals the extent and seriousness of Wind''s thinking about modern art, and how it was bound up with theories about art and knowledge that he had developed during the 1920s and 30s. Wind''s ideas are placed in the context of a closely connected international cultural milieu consisting of some of the leading artists and thinkers of the twentieth century. In particular, the book discusses in detail his friendships with three significant artists: Pavel Tchelitchew, Ben Shahn and R. B. Kitaj. In the process, the existence of an alternative to the prevailing formalist approach of Alfred Barr and Clement Greenberg to modern art, based on the enduring importance of the symbol, is revealed.

This book presents the first comprehensive study of the philosopher and art historian Edgar Wind''s critique of modern art. The first student of Erwin Panofsky, and a close associate of Aby Warburg, Edgar Wind was unusual among the ''Warburgians'' for his sustained interest in modern art, together with his support for contemporary artists. This culminated in his respected and influential book Art and Anarchy (1963), which seemed like a departure from his usual scholarly work on the iconography of Renaissance art.Based on extensive archival research and bringing to light previously unpublished lectures, Edgar Wind and Modern Art reveals the extent and seriousness of Wind''s thinking about modern art, and how it was bound up with theories about art and knowledge that he had developed during the 1920s and 30s. Wind''s ideas are placed in the context of a closely connected international cultural milieu consisting of some of the leading artists and thinkers of the twentieth century. In particular, the book discusses in detail his friendships with three significant artists: Pavel Tchelitchew, Ben Shahn and R. B. Kitaj. In the process, the existence of an alternative to the prevailing formalist approach of Alfred Barr and Clement Greenberg to modern art, based on the enduring importance of the symbol, is revealed.

Perfect for fans of The Rosie Project, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Thief of Mind is a compelling, emotional and humorous account of how mental illness can affect anyone and is too often a private battle that goes unnoticed. Ultimately it is a story of hope and inspiration as Toby learns to live again.Toby had it all. The confidence, the popularity, a promising sporting career ahead of him. Until he came into his life. Now, every day, Toby walks a tightrope. One wrong thought, one misplaced deed, and he risks the lives of anyone he allows too close. Yet no one knows his torment; no one sees his prison; no one knows the steps he takes to keep them safe. No one, that is, except Him… When Toby attends a school reunion, he realises just how little he has made of his life and decides that now is the time to build a life for himself and rekindle the hope and promise he once had. To do this, he must confront his own prejudices and fears. He must be prepared to reach out for help. He must find the courage to face Him. "I loved everything about this book. Ben Thomas writes about a difficult and often misunderstood subject with unflinching honesty, elegance and wit. It is an astonishing debut." - Kathryn Hughes. International best-selling author of The Letter, The Secret and The Key.

Over five decades, the painter Humphrey Ocean RA's work has filtered into our national culture. This includes his series of portraits entitled A handbook of modern life displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in 2013; his portrait of Christopher Le Brun, President of the Royal Academy of Arts; and the cover of Sir Paul McCartney's 2007 album Memory Almost Full, which featured one of the Chair series. Ocean's practice encompasses painting, printmaking, sculpture, book-making and drawing. Of the last, he has said: 'Paper is lovely, immediate and personal. I draw as an end in itself.' In 2019 his exhibition 'Birds, Cars and Chairs' was on display at the Royal Academy of Arts. Of these subjects, he says: 'Birds, cars and chairs are, in that order, ancient, modern and intimate. Without them life would be a lot less bearable.' These works are reproduced alongside others in the book to provide a fascinating overview of Ocean's career, with an essay by Ben Thomas, which sets out to discover exactly what it is that makes Ocean's art so appealing and universal.