The Electric State is the latest blockbuster action epic from the Russo Brothers, and it’s one of the most expensive movies Netflix has ever produced. For all that coin, the streamer got what critics call “truly off-putting,”
“self-cannibalizing slop,” “a sub-Marvel slog,” and “akin to sifting through a dumpster filled with discarded, decaying scraps of better films.”
On the other hand, the art book by Simon Stålenhag (on which the movie is tangentially based) has a very different reputation, based on reviews on its product page. Critics hail the book as “haunting illustrated,” “an awe-inspiring vision,” and “as beautiful as it is unsettling.” There are “layers to The Electric State that take the story beyond surface value” and “[Simon Stålenhag’s] stories crawl into my brain and mess with my memory of history, time, and place. ”
While I haven’t read The Electric State myself (my understanding of the book comes from this excellent YouTube breakdown), I do own and cherish Simon Stålenhag’s first art book, Tales From the Loop. While the book contains a few paragraphs on each page, the main draw of the book is the striking art. Stålenhag’s moody, stark, haunting images are unmatched at creating a particular post-apocalyptic mood. Between pages of art there are faux-advertisements and articles from imaginary newspapers that add more life to the drawings. It’s intoxicating how much these images can pull you into their world of towering technological ruins side by side with frigid, mundane suburbs.
Based on the breathtaking content of that book, I think I can extrapolate from the reviews of The Electric State art book that you’ll probably have a much better time with it than the movie.
“In late 1997, a runaway teenager and her small yellow toy robot travel west through a strange American landscape where the ruins of gigantic battle drones litter the countryside, along with the discarded trash of a high-tech consumerist society addicted to a virtual-reality system. As they approach the edge of the continent, the world outside the car window seems to unravel at an ever faster pace, as if somewhere beyond the horizon, the hollow core of civilization has finally caved in.” By Simon Simon Stålenhag
But this isn’t a post begging you to read the book instead of watching the (apparently) atrocious movie. Simon Stålenhag’s art might not be your jam, and that’s okay, because there are countless other art books out there I’m sure you would enjoy.
Because here’s the thing: Art books rule. They’re hefty objects, with high quality binding and textured covers that are a joy to hold. It’s a treat to slowly turn each colorful page, your fingers running along the smooth, glossy prints. There’s not too much reading to do, maybe some historical context, or a little anecdote about the artist’s own inspirations or process. Even if you skip the reading, just slowing down and looking at some masterworks is both satisfying and motivating. Creativity ought to be nourished with art that inspires you, and there are few meals as rich as a good art book.
They also turned out to be the perfect gift — for me, at least. Thanks in part to my job, friends and family aren’t likely to give me games or gadgets since they know I’m usually way ahead of the curve on those things. So, a couple years ago, I simply started asking for art books and I quickly amassed a small library. Syd Mead and John Harris are a couple of my favorites, but this fantastic collection of 1970s sci-fi art is my go-to recommendation. If you’ve got a favorite, I’d love to know about it in the comments!
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