Fritz Kahn: Man Machine

Posted by: Alissa Ampezzan

Monday a slightly belated birthday gift arrived on my desk at Q. Thilo at Q old world sent me a copy of his book Fritz Kahn: Man Machine, which he co-wrote with his sister Uta.It was a very quick read, probably because it’s mostly pictures (my kinda book!). But seriously, it’s an absolutely beautiful book. It illustrates the work of the German Jewish doctor and writer Fritz Kahn, whose books were burned by the Nazis. His work is notable for the detailed illustrations that analogize man to machine. Our body is such a phenomenal thing! My favorite part of the book is the final portion in which the authors show modern art and design obviously inspired by Kahn’s.

 

For instance, a Brazilian MTV trailer from 2007 seems almost a copy, visually and conceptually, of Kahn’s Der Mensch als Industriepalast (Man as Industrial Palace, 1926). I’ll be honored to have Thilo sign this lovely book when I see him in Wiesbaden in just 11 days.

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