The Language of pattern: An Enquiry Inspired by Islamic Decorations
Language: English
Published by Harper & Row, New York, 1974
- First Edition
- Softcover
- Used

Seller: Books to Give ~ Books to Love®, Alexandria, VA, U.S.A.Books to Give ~ Books to Love®
AbeBooks seller since August 16, 2019
Condition: Used - Near fine
£ 57.96
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
In the 1960s and early 1970s, Keith Albarn was a freelance artist who specialized in design commissions of all kinds, but particularly for festivals and exhibitions, alongside his own environmental art. He later created the group Vertex, with Jenny Miall Smith, Stanford Steele, and Dinah Walker, which allowed him to both pursue an interest in pattern and mathematics while applying that interest to commercial design ventures. In one important case, Vertex worked on the World of Islam Festival at the Institute of Contemporary Arts. The group’s research and artistic inquiry in light of the festival resulted in this book, "The Language of Pattern: An Enquiry Inspired by Islamic Decoration." Though Vertex itself does not appear to have lasted very long, Albarn’s fascination with pattern and how it applied not only to art but to the larger philosophical questions continued virtually for the rest of his life, culminating in a solo multimedia exhibition at the Minories Galleries in 2013 called "Pattern and Belief." "For over forty years Keith Albarn has been researching number systems and patterns, and their relationship to belief systems and creativity," the exhibition website says, and both the Minories Galleries and Albarn believed in his work so fervently that Albarn purposely left the section of his website about the exhibition"live" twelve years after the original exhibition’s opening. It is still live even after Albarn’s death in 2024, so to encourage further exploration and, as it says, "interconnectedness." Yet it all began with this book, back when it was first published in 1974. Our copy is in near fine condition, with the only visible flaws being a bump and small scuff on the bottom of the spine and some age tanning on the fore edge of the pages. There is no writing or other marks on the pages or the covers, and the text block is tight and straight, with no missing or damaged pages. It is a paperback but with a French flap—a.k.a. gatefold—cover. The copyright page indicates this title was first published in the U.K. by Thames and Hudson and states explicitly that this copy is part of the first U.S. edition. Please see our photos.…
Seller Inventory # 500
Bibliographic details
- Title
- The Language of pattern: An Enquiry Inspired by Islamic Decorations
- Author
- Albarn, Keith; Smith, Jenny Miall; Steele, Stanford; Walker, Dinah
- Publisher
- Harper & Row, New York
- Publication year
- 1974
- Condition
- Near fine
- Binding
- Paperback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0064300501
- ISBN 13
- 9780064300506
- Edition
- First.
- Seller catalogs
- Art and Architecture
Books to Give ~ Books to Love®
Alexandria, VA, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since August 16, 2019
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| Item | 2 to 12 business days | 2 to 6 business days |
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We are a bookselling and gift service - our goal is to place books you will love in your hands, or to help you select that perfect book for your gift recipient. Each book we offer is personally selected for you our based on quality of content, materials, and condition. Our descriptions are detailed so that we can help you find just what you are looking for. Each book is also personally wrapped and mailed by us, and we send only the finest copy we can obtain. Your copy will be in perfect condition, or if a perfect copy is not available (as in rare or out of print books), we will describe in detail any flaws in the copy we will send to you. We will never give you a general disclaimer about the state of our books.…
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Books to Give ~ Books to Love®
VA, U.S.A.
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