Over the Counter # 83

Microworlds by Margherita Dessanay and Marc Valli caught my eye this week as it passed over my library counter and under my scanner. I'm fascinated by miniatures. When I was small I wanted to live with The Borrowers in their tiny mouse world.

From Laurence King Publishing:

"Miniatures make us relive the world from the perspective of our childhood, a time when the world was populated by toys and figurines. Miniaturized worlds seethe with narrative potential, intricate story lines, suspense. They offer a disquieting experience of distance, and artists often use it to explore very contemporary feelings of alienation, displacement and estrangement.

This book reveals how all kinds of visual artists (contemporary artists, street artists, photographers and even product designers) are using miniatures and miniaturized worlds in order to create startling situations and memorable images. The small people and small worlds featured give us a new sense of perspective, transporting us to a new dimension where we can find enchanted new cities, where people make homes out of pumpkins or go diving into breakfast bowls.

Microworlds is a fascinating collection of images for anyone intrigued by these miniature, imagined worlds."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)