“[Gwen] John is presented throughout Foster's books as embedded in…webs of connections. Far from being a recluse cut off from the world, as she has often been described, she is shown as keenly alert to contemporary trends and ideas… Foster sets John firmly in the story of women's struggle to become professional artists in the early twentieth century and to forge their own place in an art world dominated by men… Foster's study, splendidly illustrated throughout, is a genuinely critical biography: a careful gathering at every stage of John’s career of the impact on her life and work of different milieux and individuals, of her response to ideas and techniques, currents and influences, letting us see a great artist working out her own way to live, draw, and paint… Foster’s sympathetic portrayal of the tension between her longing for solitude and her involvement with the movements of her time allows us to see her afresh, bringing out her hidden, powerful strength.”
— New York Review of Books
“One of the Best Art Books of 2023… Curator Alicia Foster’s illustrated biography of John frames the artist as an intrepid, bohemian figure who defied the norms of her time, with a vibrant social sphere and complex interior life that both found their way into her work… A truly remarkable book.”
— Hyperallergic
“A startlingly fresh way to cut through a swath of history…Alongside famous shots of Kate and Naomi, there are gems to rediscover, like an Avedon of Jean Shrimpton, her asymmetrical hair magically aloft.”
— Vogue
“Entire selections dedicated to the most stunning examples of braids, curls, wigs, and chignons from fashion history fill the pages, with essays about memorable dos sprinkled throughout.”
— New York Magazine
“[A] stunning tour de hair.”
— Fast Co.Design
“A book that celebrates the art and craft of hair styling with a collection of stunning photographs and commentary.”
— Modern Salon
“One of the best surprises of the gift giving season.”
— New York Journal of Books
“The ultimate guide to fantasy tresses.”
— New York Daily News
“Philippon celebrates the sculptural element of the female crowning glory with this fun perhaps even inspiring exploration of the history of hair. Fashionistas and hairstylists alike will flock to this book.”
— Publishers Weekly
“A modern history on the art of hair with photographs by Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton, Robert Mapplethorpe, David LaChapelle and Nan Goldin. Need we say more?”
— Harper's Bazaar
“Perhaps this book is not the originator of the phrase 'skeletons in your closet,' but if it were, that closet would be looking quite stupendous.”
— Dazed Digital
“A compelling read…The gorgeous photos that accompany the text only reaffirm the opulence of such relics.”
— Gothic Beauty
“Smart and accessible, Heavenly Bodies opens the door to this largely overlooked aspect of the Counter Reformation era.”
— Hi-Fructose
“Prepared to be amazed by the splendor and beauty of ornamented skeletal remains.”
— Palm Springs Life
“Brings to life a group of long-forgotten Catholic relics.”
— Lapham's Quarterly
“Investigates the historic attempts to prescribe posthumous identities to skeletons, specifically those believed to be martyrs.”
— Vice.com
“Focuses on the life and history of a set of false relics in the Catholic Church.”
— The Desert Sun
“The images of the catacomb saints are dazzling, almost beyond belief.”
— Publishers Weekly
“This macabre mash-up of camp and Catholicism features nearly 100 drop-dead images of blinged-out skeletons.”
— Passport Magazine
“A strange and fascinating book exploring bejeweled Counter Reformation Catholic Skeletons.”
— American Society of Jewelry Historians
“Magnificently illustrated…An illuminating read for jewelry historians and gemologists alike.”
— Gems and Gemology
“The photography by Koudounaris is outstanding. He was given access that most tourists touting a camera are not.”
— Examiner.com
“Koudounaris is one of the first people to photograph the strangely stunning skeletons that have been rediscovered over the years. And while he can't speak to their authenticity as saints, he does believe that they are extraordinary works of art that deserve to be seen.”
— People.com
“In telling the story of these extraordinary relics, Koudounaris makes a case for them as neglected masterpieces of religious art…Koudounaris uncovers a lost world of religious devotion, in which sanctified remains could control the weather, save souls from purgatory, and serve as all-purpose patrons.”
— Los Angeles Review of Books
