Arranging Things: A Rhetoric of Object Placement

"Seldom does one stumble across a writer bold enough to write a manuscript of theory on aesthetic beauty. But not only does Leonard Koren manage to handle this awkward subject matter with relative ease, he manages to fit his pragmatic approach to design into just 126 pages." -- J Select

"It sounds heavy, but the writing style is easy to follow. If you want to see where an original thinker can go with aesthetics and design, pick up this inspirational book." -- Country Almanac

Just as his classic bestseller Wabi-Sabi explored the quintessential Japanese aesthetic, Leonard Koren's new book uncovers the underlying principles that govern how Western designers arrange things in three-dimensional compositions. Inspired by Greek and Roman notions of rhetoric--the ancient art of argument and delivery--Koren elucidates the elements of arranging rhetoric that all designers instinctively use in everything from floral compositions to interior decorating. Those who master Koren's rhetoric of object placement will have the ability to persuade, uplift, and confound their audience. Not a how-to but a manifesto of theory and insight, this book will change the way you see, and arrange, your world.

Leonard Koren is author of Wabi-Sabi and lives in San Francisco and Tokyo.

Nathalie du Pasquier is a Milan-based painter and textile designer for the Memphis movement.