’Things Come Apart’ by Todd McLellan
What do you call a man who disassembles machines, categorises every piece, arranges them meticulously, then photographs the inventory? In his native Canada, Todd McLellan is a successful photographer, whose subjects include rural landscapes, motorcycles and chickens. But in 'Things Come Apart: A Teardown Manual for Modern Living' he seems more like a mechanic with OCD.
Still, his innate talent for composition is what makes these still-lifes so compelling, with their rows upon rows of screws and coils, shiny strips and candy-coloured copper. How do you fit all those parts into a tiny digital watch? Is there really that much going on in a video projector? Who donated their two-seater light aircraft to be disemboweled (over a three-page gatefold) like a shelled oyster?
Apart from the sheer pleasure they bring, McLellan's images also earn respect for the people who fix these intricate contraptions, many of which (a Sony Walkman, a 1964 Smith Corona typewriter) haven't been made for decades - at least not like they used to. Then you turn the page and those same pieces are captured in mid air, mid-explosion; McLellan's passion for blowing stuff up is second only to his affection for photography.
'Things Come Apart' pays homage to machinists and tinkerers with a series of essays by the pros, on subjects such as boat-building and computer-repair. A life of tinkering, even on objects long obsolete, is not for naught, it would seem. The manual is published by Thames & Hudson on 20 May, but you can order it in advance.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
Get to know Issey Miyake’s innovative A-POC ABLE line as it arrives in the UK
As A-POC ABLE Issey Miyake launches in London this week, designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae gives Wallpaper* the lowdown on the experimental Issey Miyake offshoot
By Jack Moss Published
-
Eurovision unveils its 2024 stage, designed by Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour creatives
This year's stage design aims to bring the audience into the performance more than ever before.
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
Ikea meets Japan in this new pattern-filled collection
New Ikea Sötrönn collection by Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi brings Japan and Scandinavia together in a pattern-filled, joyful range for the home
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
‘Package Holiday 1968-1985’: a very British love affair in pictures
‘Package Holiday’ recalls tans, table tennis and Technicolor in Trevor Clark’s wistful snaps of sun-seeking Brits
By Caragh McKay Published
-
‘Art Exposed’: Julian Spalding on everything that’s wrong with the art world
In ‘Art Exposed’, Julian Spalding draws on his 40 years in the art world – as a museum director, curator, and critic – for his series of essays
By Alfred Tong Published
-
Marisol Mendez's ‘Madre’ unpicks the woven threads of Bolivian womanhood
From ancestry to protest, how Marisol Mendez’s 'Madre' is rewriting the narrative of Bolivian womanhood
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Photo book explores the messy, magical mundanity of new motherhood
‘Sorry I Gave Birth I Disappeared But Now I’m Back’ by photographer Andi Galdi Vinko explores new motherhood in all its messy, beautiful reality
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Best contemporary art books: a guide for 2023
From maverick memoirs to topical tomes, turn over a new leaf with the Wallpaper* arts desk’s pick of new releases and all-time favourite art books
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Published
-
The best photography books for your coffee table
Flick through, mull over and deep-dive into the best photography books on the market, from our shelves to you
By Sophie Gladstone Published
-
Behind the scenes of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining: new book charts the making of a horror icon
Published in February 2023 by Taschen, a new collector's book will go behind the scenes of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, charting the unseen making of a film that defined the horror genre
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith Published
-
Brad Walls’ aerial view transforms pools into artwork
Aerial photographer Brad Walls provides a crisp conclusion to the summer months with new book Pools From Above – you’ll want to dive right in
By Martha Elliott Last updated