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MBP Presents: An Illustraded Guide to Cockroaches
July 18, 2011
Contact: Kate Abbey-Lambertz
Telephone: 718.314.8000
New York, NY – May 31, 2011 - Cockroaches usually elicit fear, revulsion, and squishing, but for artist and amateur entomologist Ekaterina Smirnova, they bring inspiration. An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches will help everyone terrified of their six-legged roommates: through Smirnova’s illustration and explanation, the entire life cycle of the typical cockroach is laid bare. Humorous, informative, and a little disgusting, An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches is a necessary component of every city-dweller’s bookshelf.
The striking red, black, and white pages of An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches provide unusual facts about the most extraordinary insect. Beyond basic information, like descriptions of the different species of roaches, including the chilling ten centimeter Madagascar hissing cockroach, Smirnova tells stories about roaches in space, televised roach races, and even how an enterprising prisoner used roaches to distribute contraband cigarettes between jail cells. “Except for the polar regions, a cockroach has a visa for all continents,” Smirova informs us as she explains the history of the ubiquitous insect.
For Smirnova, An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches started as an experiment to see whether she could make the most disgusting thing she could think of visually pleasing. Before she knew it, the bugs had totally absorbed her, to the point where she was studying them under a microscope while eating dinner. An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches is a study of the power of graphic design, and Smirnova succeeds in bringing cockroaches—already in our homes—into our hearts with her adorable and fun illustrations.
Ekaterina Smirnova (http://www.katapostrophe.com) is an artist and graphic designer from Novosibirsk, Russia. The first solo show of her watercolors will be in July 2011, and she has shown in numerous group shows, including the Central New York Watercolor Society Spring Signature Show, the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 100th Annual Juried Show, and the Northeast Watercolor Society Annual Members Exhibition.
Mark Batty Publisher is an independent publisher dedicated to making distinctive books on the visual art of communicating, showcasing the visual power and innovation of contemporary culture in all of its varied poses. Today, the visual comes at us from more places than ever, and its dissemination is faster and more advanced every year. Books from Mark Batty Publisher capture this acceleration on the pages of every book. Affordable, well designed, thoughtfully created, and produced to last, MBP books are artful products that readers want to hold onto forever.
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An Illustrated Guide to Cockroaches
Ekaterina Smirnova
Pub Date: June 2011
Page Count: 96
Size: 5 x 7 inches
Format: Hardcover
Price: $17.95
ISBN: 978-1-935613-18-3
For a review copy, more information, or to schedule an interview with the author, contact Kate Abbey-Lambertz at 718.314.8000 or kate@markbattypublisher.com.
