Color for Baby: Four board books for baby featuring more than forty famous works by contemporary artists, Curated by Yana Peel

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I'm not sure how much parents are thinking about cultural literacy when they are purchasing board books for toddlers. If this is something that matters to you or if you appreciate contemporary art, then you will seek out Color for Baby: Four board books for baby featuring more than forty famous works by contemporary artists, Curated by Yana Peel. If not, and you are fortunate enough to be given this set of four accordion board books as a gift or if you stumble across it somewhere, you and the baby in your life are in luck! 

 Personally, I studied art briefly in college before switching majors and, while creating and appreciating art is no longer an everyday part of my life, I definitely enjoy and find enriching the moments when I do cross paths with it and I especially appreciate benefitting from the knowledge and expertise of Yana Peel, who co-founded Outset Contemporary Art Fund, a philanthropic organization dedicated to supporting new art. Peel consulted with childhood experts when choosing the art for this book. The use of the images was donated and all profits from this book and two others in this series (see below) support NSPCC, an organization working to end child cruelty across the UK.



The two-sided format of the four books (yellow, blue, green and red) is perfect for tummy time, changing table time and car time. And the works of art chosen to represent each color - paintings, prints and sculptures - cover a wide range of styles and ideas. Some are high contrast and will catch baby's attention right away. Others are more detailed and complex, meaning that baby will see something new and different in each work as s/he grows and vision develops. Below are a handful of images of the works of art the appear in the books.



HOPE (Red/Violet) by Robert Indiana


Red Plum Tree by Zhang Xiaogang


Balloon Dog (Red), Jeff Koons




Work No. 79: Some Blue Tack kneaded by Martin Creed


Chair (Wallpaper-Orange) by Michael Craig-Martin


Les Oiseaux by Henri Matisse


An Orchard of Pears, No. 14 by William Scott


Untitled (Peony Blossom Painting) by Cy Twombly


She fled along the avenue by Patrick Caulfield



SP IV by Josef Albers



Sky by Ross Bleckner




Glorious by Damien Hirst





Source: Review Copy

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