Time to pack up the bikini and beach towels—fall is officially here, which means it’s time for our September gift guide. This month, we chose gifts inspired by the themes in our September exhibition, Architecture, Interiors, and Urban Landscapes, which celebrates and reimagines the world of architecture and design.
Below, you’ll find anthropomorphic architecture, pop-surreal prints of Miami, and a guide to emerging L.A. artists published by our parent company, Crewest Studio. We also snuck in a few picks from the coolest artists to cross our path over the last month, including a colorful print from Camilla D’errico’s recent solo show at Corey Helford Gallery and a ~ proudly ~ bitchy risograph from staff favorite artist Mary Anne Carter, whose online shop is a treasure trove of quirky gifts.
Start browsing below to discover the perfect gift for the art lover in your life.
An Architectural Book for Your Blues
When was the last time a building made you smile? How about a window or a hat? Recently released by UK publishers Counter-Print, Happytecture explores the hidden beauty of architecture through the playful photographs of creative duo Anna Devis and Daniel Rueda.
Based in Valencia, Spain, Anna and Daniel are trained architects who share a passion for geometry, perspective, and storytelling. Their style, characterized by humor, precision, and a delicate aesthetic inspired by the cityscape, defies convention and consistently delights viewers around the world. Featuring a casebound cover and 168 pages of colorful photography, Happytecture captures Anna and Daniel’s ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Shop Happytecture here.
A DIY Zine for Your Offline Days
Released in April 2023 by indie zine Rotten, “The Rat” tells the story of Bogman, a reclusive, terminally online 28-year-old living a toxic life indoors. Mashed together with photography, drawings, and collage, the passages of text throughout “The Rat” come straight from Bogman’s fingers, pasted from Reddit AMA (“ask me anything”) threads. “Do u get lonely? Have you ever had a girlfriend? Do u masturbate a lot?” asks a user who calls themselves degenerate1. “Yes, yes, and yes,” Bogman replies.
Launched in 2019 by London-based creators Joel Seawright and Lucy Jackson, Rotten Magazine recontextualizes internet flotsam and jetsam into deeply personal work that reflects a surreal, disjointed reality. With the release of “The Rat,” their third issue, the duo search for the source of their anxiety in darker, weirder corners of the web than ever before.
Shop “The Rat” here.
A Survey of the Best and Brightest L.A. Has To Offer
Written by Katie Love and released by NOT REAL ART parent company Crewest Studio, L.A. Artists surveys 22 contemporary artists living and working in the sprawling metropolis.
While their accomplishments are impressive, the artists included in Katie’s book boast another badge of honor: They’re all past winners of the NOT REAL ART grant, an annual program that awards financial support and press coverage to artists who explore, experiment, and disrupt the status quo. All featured artists span our 2019, 2020, and 2021 grant cycles.
Shop L.A. Artists here.
A Candy-Colored Print That Keeps the Summer Going
Loud, saturated, erratic, and vibrant—Andrew Soria’s pop surrealist cityscapes pulse with the distinct energy of culturally diverse neighborhoods. While his photo series Welcome to the Neighborhood explores the ins and outs of L.A., “Miami POP!” gives viewers a glimpse of terminally sunny Florida, Andrew’s home state. It’s also 20 percent off right now, so giddyup!
Shop “Miami POP!” here.
A Pastel Print Worthy of Your Walls
A trained graphic designer, Simone Hutsch—who works under the pseudonym heysupersimi—creates immaculate compositions with clean linework. Nearly symmetrical shots, compulsively organized elements, and a forced sense of perspective create a flat depth of field, as though we’re looking at a pastel storybook illustration or a theater set. Hutsch is acutely aware of the playful artifice in her photos; in fact, she heightens the illusion with every edit, inviting us to indulge in the fantasy.
We’re partial to the lovely “Fly” from her featured series, SND, which is all about a “grainy vibe with soft lights and colors.”
Shop “Fly” here.
A Relatable Gift for Alllll Your Friends
If there’s a more relatable gift out there, we haven’t found it. “In art, I’m always about candy-colored pastels and metallics,” says Mary Anne Carter, who uses an assortment of materials—fabric, balloons, furniture, hand-pulled screen prints—to create immersive installations that look good enough to lick, right down to their ooey-gooey centers. While an entire installation is difficult to buy, this cheeky risograph is on sale for a cool $14.99 at Mary Anne’s even cheekier shop, Jesus Mary Anne Joseph. Readers, let your bitch flag fly.
Shop “This Bitch Face Does Not Rest” here.
A Catalog of Melted Skies
Included in our September 2023 exhibition, Christine Rasmussen’s hushed urban landscape, “A Touch of Sun (Colorado Ave.),” is a poignant expression of solitude. Removing even the symbolic suggestion of a human presence, Christine transforms loneliness into a sublime experience, leading our gaze straight into a melted horizon. By focusing on recurring urban elements—cast skyscraper shadows, geometric silhouettes, metal and concrete divisions jutting into the sky—Christine cultivates common ground across cities and cultures. Browse her beautiful paintings with a copy of New Works 2020 - 2021, a full-color catalog of original paintings and essays.
Shop New Works here.
A Colorful Print That Lets You Lick It Up
Camilla d’Errico’s recent solo exhibition at Corey Helford Gallery, Nurtured by Nature, seamlessly blends elements of manga and pop surrealism with the natural beauty of Vancouver Island.
We adore Camilla’s print of “Taste the Rainbow,” which is available on her online shop in several sizes. "Life and experiences fill us up, fulfilling our very essence,” Camilla says of the work. “This piece is a metaphor or our journey in the world. As a hedonist, I imagine gobbling up the beauty in the world quite literally."
Shop “Taste the Rainbow” here.
A Minimalist Print for Grumpy Coffee Drinkers
Working in his trademark style—pop surrealism with a dash of minimalism—Luke Chueh debuted a melancholic new series, Peering Through the Darkness, earlier this year.
Though several of his original works are available at Corey Helford, you can snag a more affordable limited edition print at his online shop.
Shop “Espresso Not Expresso” here.