Why La, Pourquoi Paris? - Softcover

Ratican, Diane

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1944562206 ISBN 13: 9781944562205

Publisher: Illustre Books, 2017

Synopsis

Of all the world's great metropolises, Paris and Los Angeles are among those that house the most significant and immediately recognizable cultural milieus. From the Champs-Élysées to the Sunset Strip, Marilyn Monroe to Brigitte Bardot, LACMA to Louvre, there is plenty for visitors and residents alike to fall in love with these storied cities — and in Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?, for the first time ever, they are revealed in parallel.Written in English and French by Diane Ratican — a Los Angeles based entrepreneur who calls Paris her second home — with illustrations by acclaimed artists Eric Giriat (Paris) and Nick Lu (Los Angeles), Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? is a gorgeous, full-color, 272-page collectible art book, travel guide, and personal journey. Playfully 'connecting the dots' between respective historical landmarks, architectural icons, style codes, and cultural peculiarities, Ratican weaves a compelling narrative throughout Why LA? Pourquoi Paris?, which is interspersed with quotes from famed L.A. and Paris residents such as Walt Disney, Jim Morrison, Coco Chanel, and Ernest Hemingway.Colorful, charming illustrations by Girat and Lu — many of which are available to purchase as prints via online contemporary art dealer Image Republic — compare and contrast the foods, fashions, cultures, and cityscapes of the City of Stars and City of Lights. And, as an added bonus, precise GPS coordinates are included next to each illustrated page bringing the experience of these two incredible cities 'off the page' and into the real world!Cleverly divided into seven distinct sections, Why LA, Pourquoi Paris? looks at:* Cityscapes & Landmarks Magnifiques* Culture Célébre: Cinema, Entertainment & Glamour* Fashion, Style & Shopping à la Mode* Sports & Leisure* Communicating Ideas: Art & Culture* Cuisine & Dining* Cities in Motion"I have lived in Los Angeles most of my life, and never tire of waking up each day to it," writes Ratican in the book's foreword. "It is an eclectic, energetic, and stunningly beautiful place.""However, like a true Parisian woman who believes she can have the best of both worlds, Los Angeles is my husband and Paris is my lover," she continues. "Paris has its own drama and majesty, and like no other city I have ever traveled to, enables me to experience the privilege of being who I really am."A singular, delightful, and beautiful addition to the art book market brimming with joie de vivre and cool California glamour, Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? is a must-have for the bookcases, coffee tables, and suitcases of jetsetters, art lovers, culture enthusiasts alike.

About this title

About the Author

DIANE RATICAN est diplômée d'histoire et de sociologie des universités californiennes de Berkeley et UCLA. Elle a commencé sa carrière comme éducatrice pour enfants surdoués, puis s'est lancée dans les affaires et a créé son entreprise. Ce qui l'a amenée à se lancer dans la carrière d'auteur, de collectrice d'images et de directrice artistique. L'idée de raconter une histoire en images lui vient de son intérêt de toujours pour l'art et la créativité. Pour elle, éduquer, c'est communiquer et c'est ce qu'elle a voulu faire avec Why LA, pourquoi Paris ?. Elle a voulu partager son émerveillement, sa passion pour ces deux villes, dont elle dresse le portrait avec toute la profondeur et la subtilité d'une tapisserie complexe. NICK LU a fait ses études au Art Center College of Design de Pasadena, dont il est diplômé en illustration. Nick vit à Los Angeles où il est illustrateur. Nick passe le plus clair de son temps à imaginer des choses intéressantes et variées pour ses clients, parmi lesquels le New Yorker, Wired, le Boston Globe, PlanSponsor, Bloomberg View, Malle Luft Magazine, Playboy Jazz, Poketo, Riney Advertising, et MacMillan Children's Publishing. ERIC GIRIAT a fait ses débuts en signant des illustrations pour l'édition française du magazine ELLE, en 1996. Depuis, il a travaillé pour la presse, la publicité, des éditeurs, acquérant une renommée internationale et des clients partout dans le monde, dans des domaines aussi divers que la mode, l'économie, la politique, la psychologie, les livres pour enfants, le design d'intérieur, l'industrie du luxe, la culture, ou en réalisant des portraits. Il travaille aussi dans le design, concevant des motifs pour t-shirts et pulls pour JOOP ! (Allemagne), des taies d'oreiller, des autocollants géants, des paréos pour Dona Fusion (Brésil), des bouteilles de Cognac pour Hennessy, ou un sac biodégradable pour La Grande Epicerie de Paris.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"When [you] fall in love with a city it is for forever, and it is like forever." –TONI MORRISON ForewordDid you ever have a dream that you wanted to come true, or an idea that you absolutely had to make happen? I did–and it became impossible to ignore. My destiny was shaped when I made a decision to follow my dream. I le my home in Los Angeles and started a business that allowed me to spend as much time as possible immersed in the artistic, creative, magical, and transformative city that is Paris. Dream achieved. Los Angeles is unique. It is an eclectic, energetic, and stunningly beautiful place. I have lived in Los Angeles most of my life, and never tire of waking up each day to the sheer natural beauty and dramatic setting of the magnificent sky, the majestic surrounding mountains, the long stretches of beaches, the towering palm trees, and the green open spaces. Springtime's smell of jasmine is intoxicating while winter's citrus trees produce the fleshiest and sweetest of fruits. The glorious sunny weather (most days of the year), the temperate climate, and a bright light that is inspiring and energizing influences every aspect and every minute of life in Los Angeles. However, like a true Parisian woman who believes she can have the best of both worlds, Los Angeles is my husband and Paris is my lover. There was never a time I did not love Paris. The minute I arrived and got a glimpse of the breathtaking cityscape, I knew I was born to be there. Certainly, it has its own drama and majesty, and the ever-present smells of pàtisseries are constant reminders of le joie de vivre. The city, like no other I have traveled to, enables me to experience the privilege of being who I really am. The resulting awareness has brought appreciation and joy to my life in Los Angeles, has created a harmony between my two cities, and has opened doors I didn't know existed. This book is about Paris and Los Angeles: the mixing and pairing of yesterday and today, the monumental and the commonplace, landmarks and culture, and its peoples, all coming together to tell, through illustration, the stories of these two iconic cities. It is my Los Angeles and my Paris as an art, architecture, interior design, fashion, and culture lover with sociology and history degrees that practically force me to constantly seek out, on an analytical level, the unique aspects, down to the most minute details, of every human situation I'm in. These two cities, with all of their differences and similarities, have kept me intrigued and captivated for decades. Knowing them has given me the feeling that I am experiencing something greater than the sum of its parts, and I want to share that overwhelming discovery with you. LA and Paris are cities of visual and sensual pleasures...places of light, color, texture and mood that inspire art. Art liberates the soul, provokes the imagination and celebrates humanity. The artwork in this book poignantly expresses my love for these two magical places through the artist's eyes and hands. Perhaps you will recognize your own passions or memories within these pages.

Edition details

• Publisher: Illustre Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1944562206
• ISBN 13: 9781944562205
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Giriat Eric, Lu Nick
• Number of pages: 279