'Human Touch' >>> Applied art installations contributing to well-being and cohesion

It is possible to have architecture which is both human and inspiring:
Futures Forum: Toxteth and Turner: "It has taken the Turner prize to highlight that there is an alternative to replacing low-income housing with expensive flats."

Architecture should enhance well-being:
Futures Forum: Designing places for healthier lives

Buildings should sit in their environment:
Futures Forum: Making places through bottom-up planning >>> "The design review is dead. Long live Place reviews"

These are some of the themes put together in a new book by local Sidmouth author Graham Cooper:

Human Touch - Constructing a special form of art

Since 2005 the author has prepared ten publications and is delighted to launch his latest compilation Human Touch - Constructing a special form of art. 

A full colour introduction to art in relation to architectural space and public places, Human Touch features the work of many talented artists and designers throughout the UK. Documented and collated are applied art installations by numerous traditional masters, modern and contemporary fine artists. Included are artworks in important real life situations such as commemoration and health care, contributing to spiritual wellbeing and social cohesion. Mostly free from admission charges and other restrictions each example is located within the public domain, where art is located for the enjoyment of all.

The book provides an art and architecture trail, spanning historic masterpieces from medieval churches through to the pioneering work of the modernists and beyond.  Sections include: Historical Perspective, Landmark Buildings, Fine Art Practice, Applied Art Installations and a Regional Directory. Based on a personal journey over a forty year career the publication is assembled from the author’s own research and documentation.

In the spring of 2014 the author had the pleasure of donating a large slide collection he and photographer Doug Sargent had assembled to the English Heritage photographic archive. The unique collection consisting of over four thousand pictures feature photographs of UK outdoor wall paintings and many other kinds of urban decorative art, the majority of which were taken in the late 1970’s. Now listed as the Art and Architecture Slide Collection at English Heritage it is a record of the human creativity and artistic touches which make life in cities more tolerable.

Produced by Harmonie Press Format: 297x210mm Pages 216   £22 incl UK P&P

Orders from Graham Cooper (coopergraham2011@gmail.com)

Harmonie Peak Hill Road Sidmouth Devon EX10 0NW


Graham Cooper, Environmental Artist, Art and Architecture, Space related
Royal College of Art, The Building Centre, Pentagram, RCA Library, Alan Baxter, Art & Architecture
Sidmouth Science Festival - Polychromatic Chords
Futures Forum: From Bury to Sidmouth: book launch
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