American Utopia

By David Byrne with artwork by Maira Kalman 

A joyful collaboration between old friends David Byrne and Maira Kalman, American Utopia offers readers an antidote to cynicism, bursting with pathos, humanism, and hope--featuring his words and lyrics brought to life with more than 150 of her colorful paintings.  

The text is drawn from David Byrne's American Utopia, which has become a hit Broadway show and is now a film from Spike Lee on HBO. The four-color artwork, by Maira Kalman, which she created for the Broadway show's curtain, is composed of small moments, expressions, gestures, and interactions that together offer a portrait of daily life and coexistence.

With their creative talents combined, American Utopia is a salvo for kindness and a call for jubilation, a reminder to sing, dance, and waste not a moment. Beautifully designed and edited by Alex Kalman, American Utopia is a balm for the soul from two of the world's most extraordinary artists. 

Bloomsbury, 2020, hardcover, 6.49 x 9.54 inches, 160 pages. 

Maira Kalman is an American artist, illustrator, writer, and designer known for her painting and writing about the human condition. She is the author and illustrator of over 30 books for adults and children, and her work is exhibited in museums around the world.  

David Byrne is a writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was a founding member, principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the American New Wave band, the Talking Heads. Byrne has released solo recordings and worked with various media, including film, photography, opera, fiction, and non-fiction. He has received an Academy Award, a Grammy, a Special Tony Award, and a Golden Globe. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Talking Heads.