From the critically acclaimed artist designer and author of the bestsellers The Principles of
Uncertainty and My Favorite Things comes a wondrous collection of words and paintings that is a
moving art book and meditation on the beauty and complexity of women's lives and roles
revealed in the things they hold. "What do women hold? The home and the family. And the
children and the food. The friendships. The work. The work of the world. And the work of being
human. The memories. And the troubles. And the sorrows and the triumphs. And the love." In the
spring of 2021 Maira and Alex Kalman created a small limited-edition booklet "Women Holding
Things " which featured select recent paintings by Maira accompanied by her insightful and
deeply personal commentary. The booklet quickly sold out. Now the Kalmans have expanded that
original publication into this extraordinary visual compendium and coffee table book. Women
Holding Things includes the bright bold images featured in the booklet as well as an
additional sixty-seven new paintings highlighted by thoughtful and intimate anecdotes
recollections and ruminations. Most are portraits of women both ordinary and famous
including Virginia Woolf Sally Hemings Hortense Cezanne Gertrude Stein as well as Kalman's
family members and other real-life people. These women hold a range of objects from the
mundane-balloons a cup a whisk a chicken a hat-to the abstract-dreams and disappointments
sorrow and regret joy and love. Kalman considers the many things that fit physically and
metaphorically between women's hands: We see a woman hold a book hold shears hold children
hold a grudge hold up hold her own. In visually telling their stories Kalman lays bare the
essence of women's lives-their tenacity courage vulnerability hope and pain. Ultimately
she reveals that many of the things we hold dear-as well as those that burden or haunt
us-remain constant and connect us from generation to generation. Here too are pictures of a
few men holding things such as Rainer Maria Rilke and Anton Chekhov as well as objects
holding other objects that invite us to ponder their intimate relationships to one another.
Women Holding Things a stunning illustrated book explores the significance of the objects we
carry-in our hands hearts and minds-and speaks to and for all of us. Maira Kalman's unique
work is a celebration of life of the act and the art of living offering an original way of
examining and understanding all that is important in our world-and ultimately within ourselves.
This beautiful volume explores the profound in the everyday: Artistic Meditation: A moving
exploration of women's lives revealed through the mundane and meaningful things they carry.
Illustrated Portraits: Features dozens of new bright bold paintings of both ordinary women
and famous figures like Virginia Woolf and Gertrude Stein. Insightful Commentary: Each image is
accompanied by Kalman's intimate anecdotes and ruminations on memory joy sorrow and love. A
Perfect Gift: A thoughtful book for mothers daughters sisters and friends that celebrates
the tenacity courage and vulnerability that connects generations.
