Christ to Coke
How does an image become iconic? In
Christ to Coke,
eminent art historian Martin Kemp offers a highly original look at the
main types of visual icons. Lavishly illustrated with 165 color images,
this marvelous work illuminates eleven universally recognized images,
both historical and contemporary, to see how they arose and how they
continue to function in our culture.
Kemp begins with the
stock image of Christ's face, the founding icon--literally, since he
was the central subject of early Christian icons. Some of the icons that
follow are general, like the cross, the lion, and the heart-shape (as
in "I heart New York"). Some are specific, such as the Mona Lisa, Che
Guevara, and the famous photograph of the napalmed girl in Vietnam.
Other modern icons come from politics, such as the American flag (the
"Stars and Stripes"), from business, led by the Coca-Cola bottle, and
from science, most notably the double helix of DNA and Einstein's famous
equation E=mc2.
The stories of these icons--researched using
the skills of a leading visual historian--are told in a vivid and
personal manner. Some are funny; some are deeply moving; some are highly
improbable; some center on popular fame; others are based on the most
profound ideas in science. The diversity is extraordinary. Along the
way, we encounter the often weird and wonderful ways that these images
adapt to an astonishing variety of ways and contexts.
Informative, amusing, and surprising by turns,
Christ to Coke will entertain and intrigue readers with the narratives that Martin Kemp skillfully weaves around these famous images.
About the Author
Martin Kemp
is Emeritus Professor in the History of Art at Trinity College, Oxford.
A renowned figure in the world of art, he is the author of The Oxford History of Western Art and Leonardo.
Features
- All the main types of visual icon brought together and illuminated in one book - for the first time
- Takes eleven supreme and mega-famous examples, from Christ to
the Coke bottle, weaving a skilful and entertaining narrative around
each one
- Shows the often weird and wonderful ways in which these images
have become transformed in an astonishing variety of contexts, from the
Mona Lisa to the double helix of DNA
- Addresses the fundamental conundrum of what it is that iconic images have in common
Christ to Coke
I've always had a bit of trouble doing the whole self-help book gig. It felt corny and slightly embarrassing. I've tried a couple books with 'meh' results. I think the problem was I felt too much like I was sitting in counseling which isn't the most exciting place to be. Its always cold in there, the chairs aren't as comfy as they look. I have read some books before - black and white, boring type-face (My background in art makes me very critical to such details) some with illustrations...also black and white. I have to say the look of a book is important when it comes to things such as this. What I needed was a HAPPY book. Something that actually looked inviting to read. No I do not want to read books from the early 90s with a cheesy photo of the author on the front cover with bold text telling the world what I am trying to 'fix'. I would like some subtlety when I'm reading in public thank-you very much. 
What's better than a cup of tea with a good book? Well, maybe a hot cup isn't what you are looking for this summer. For an iced-tea my favourite, new obsession is Ice Cream Cake tea from David's Tea.
