Figure 1 Publishing

10/07/2025

A self-described fascination with small-scale buildings led photographer Richard Johnson (1957–2021) to catalogue what he called “renegade architecture”—functional structures made with modest, sometimes eccentric, materials and finished with vernacular details that tell a story about the places they are from and the people who created them.

Two of his main subjects are featured in a new photo book: ephemeral ice fishing huts found in all ten Canadian provinces, and root cellars built into Newfoundland’s rugged terrain. Johnson’s photographs celebrate the intimacy of solitude, the quietude of winter, and the ingenuity of practical, grassroots architecture.

In 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯: 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦—𝘐𝘤𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘵 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘴 (2007–2021), more than 200 photographs from these series are complemented by texts from acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Edward Burtynsky () and curator Tom Smart that contextualize Johnson’s photographs and place his work among the contemporary disciples of the Bechers’ Düsseldorf School. A personal text by Johnson’s long-time partner, Lucie Bergeron-Johnson (), provides an intimate portrait of the artist, and chronicles his journey to the discovery of his subject matter and the development of his signature style.

📕 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯: 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦—𝘐𝘤𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘵 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘴 (2007–2021) is now available where books are sold. A launch event will be held in Toronto on October 16: https://richardjohnsonresiliencebook.eventbrite.ca/

10/07/2025

The first publication devoted to Tamio Wakayama’s remarkable photographic career, 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯 shares unpublished photos and a memoir by the artist about his life working alongside activist movements and in vibrant communities from the civil rights–era American South to the Powell Street Festival in Vancouver.

The centrepiece of the extensively illustrated publication is Wakyama’s unpublished memoir, 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘦, which is presented alongside his photos of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee activists and actions in Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama, including the 1964 Freedom Summer; Indigenous and Doukhobor communities in Canada; everyday life in Japan and Cuba; and the Japanese Canadian community in Vancouver. Essays by Eva Respini and Paul Wong situate the artist’s practice within a broader art-historical context, and an interview with Mayumi Takasaki, Wakayama’s partner of forty years, offers an intimate perspective on his life and work—adding to the portrait of a passionate and restless photographer who left a stirring body of work.

📕 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯: 𝘛𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘰 𝘞𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘢, edited by and accompanying an exhibit currently on at , is now available where books are sold.

10/07/2025

Acclaimed Ottawa restaurant is inspired by Canada’s seasonal bounty and driven by a commitment to community-oriented hospitality. Through his inventive tasting menus, Chef Justin Champagne-Lagarde (.chef) champions ethical dining, conscious sourcing, and sustainable cooking. His debut cookbook shares 52 thoughtful recipes, which, through their unexpected ingredients and imaginative uses, are redefining modern Canadian cuisine.

📕 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘩: 𝘚𝘰𝘪𝘭 • 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥 • 𝘚𝘦𝘢—𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 is now available where books are sold!

10/01/2025

Thank you to for having of back to the show in Toronto earlier this week, this time demo-ing the Gnocchi with Garam Masala Tomato Sauce and Paneer from My New Indian Kitchen (photo by ).

Then it was over to and .thewell to sign copies of the cookbook. Pick up your signed copy at these locations, as well as at , now!

09/30/2025

📚🧡 On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour the voices, stories, and creativity of Indigenous artists, authors, and communities across this land.

These are just some of the titles featuring the work of Indigenous creators we have been proud to publish over the years. At Figure 1, we are grateful for the opportunity to support the dissemination of work by Indigenous creators through our publishing partnerships. These books carry truths, celebrate culture, resist erasure, and uplift Indigenous knowledge and expression.

🧡 Today and every day, we commit to listening, learning, and amplifying Indigenous voices.

09/29/2025

Rachel Riggs (.rachel.riggs) was a specialty food shop owner when her life was upended by illness.

Forced to embrace a shift in her diet, she was inspired to develop this collection of recipes that highlights seasonal produce, reflects her SoCal sensibilities, and transforms dietary restrictions into culinary opportunities.

Spanning everyday meals to special occasions, these 77 recipes are free from common trigger foods, including dairy, gluten, grains and pseudo-grains, legumes, nightshades, peanuts, refined sugar, shellfish and soy.

𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 provides people who have dysregulated immune systems, chronic illnesses, and food sensitivities with a repertoire of easy-to-prepare, nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory cuisine that is as delicious as it is nourishing.

📕 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 goes on sale tomorrow, Sept. 30, at bookstores and online.

09/22/2025

We were thrilled to celebrate the finalists and winners of the at a ceremony held yesterday in Vancouver.

Author, historian, and archivist Linda Johnson received the Borealis Prize, presented by the Commissioner of Yukon, for her contributions to the Yukon writing and publishing community. Linda has contributed to several Figure 1 titles, including Whitehorse: An Illustrated History and Lhù’ààn Mân Keyí Dań Kwánje Nààtsat: Kluane Lake Country People Speak Strong.

Curve! Women Carvers on the Northwest Coast, curated by Dana Claxton and Curtis Collins and co-published with the , received the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. Thank you to all the booksellers who voted!

Congratulations to all the winning and finalist authors and publishers!

09/09/2025

As perhaps the most diverse city in the world, Toronto is a veritable patchwork of cultures, styles, languages, and neighbourhoods—each with its own distinct architecture. With heritage rowhouses in Cabbagetown, glass towers overlooking Lake Ontario, narrow Victorian Bay-and-Gables in the Annex, grand Georgians in Rosedale, and wartime bungalows on the edges of the city, there truly is something for everyone. The interiors of these distinct home styles are no less unique, but, when taken together they exemplify the push and pull between heritage and modern sensibilities that has created a true design movement in this city on the lake.

In 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴: 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯, design writer Catherine Macintosh profiles 30 established and emerging local studios that are evolving the living spaces and streetscapes for the next generation of Torontonians. Whether bringing their talents to innovative renovations or new builds, these studios are crafting homes that are beautiful but not precious; homes that are made for how we live now. Within these deeply personal and highly functional spaces are moments of true creative brilliance—the artistic use of light, the seamless interplay between indoors and out, unique focal points, a careful mix of natural materials, and a delicate balance between old and new. The exemplary homes in Toronto Interiors feel at ease in their settings, adding to the city’s unique urban landscape.

𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴 spotlights a moment in time when high design and individuality are expertly applied by designers challenging the status quo, inspiring readers to look at their own spaces through a new lens. Featuring 90 projects brought to life in stunning full-colour photography, Toronto Interiors is a book to both read and dream on.

📕𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴: 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 by Catherine MacIntosh () is now available in bookstores and online.

09/09/2025

A creator of experimental and thought-provoking art, Louis de Niverville (1933–2019) was an astute observer of the human condition. A long period of hospitalization as a child influenced his later art practice, where his pen-and-ink illustrations, airbrush paintings, and intricate collages—often mislabelled as “surrealist”—defied simple categorization. His wide-ranging body of work abounds with vivid dream-like imagery, revealing de Niverville’s uncanny ability to probe fantasy, myth, and his own subconscious to portray the individual while encouraging the exploration of the universal.

Edited by Thomas Miller—de Niverville’s partner of many decades and an artist in his own right—and international art dealer Philip Ottenbrite, Louis de Niverville: Pentimenti includes texts from Tobi Bruce, Ihor Holubizky, E.C. Woodley, and Heather Bell and features more than 140 art reproductions and archival images.

📕 Louis de Niverville: Pentimenti is now available at bookstores and online.

09/02/2025

NEW BOOK ALERT: Chef Vikram Vij's 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯 is officially on sale today in Canada!

In his latest cookbook, the celebrated chef and owner of Vij's offers 80 easy-to-follow recipes that invite you to cook with heart, embrace the joy of Indian cuisine, and share the food you love with those around you.

Recipes featured in this post: Coconut Green Chicken, Rose Sherbet, Chilled Pea Soup with Fried Mint, Spiced Cauliflower Fritters, Pistachio Cardamom Kulfi, and Rose Water Ice Cream.

📕 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯, co-authored with Jennifer Muttoo, is now available at bookstores and online retailers (on sale Sept. 16 in the U.S.).

07/15/2025

👋 We're hiring! 💼

Do you have experience with book publicity, social media, event management, and author support?

Are you excited to work on our growing list of illustrated titles in the areas of art + photography, architecture + design, Indigenous art + culture, and food + drink?

Apply to be our MANAGER OF AUTHOR RELATIONS and COMMUNITY OUTREACH: https://www.figure1publishing.com/manager-of-author-relations-and-community-outreach/

06/21/2025

It's National Indigenous Peoples Day—a day to celebrate the traditions, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

As a publisher, we believe storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to build understanding, preserve knowledge, and celebrate culture.

Today, we are proud to spotlight a selection of books in our Indigenous Art + Culture category that we’ve been honoured to publish, in collaboration with Indigenous authors, artists, scholars, curators, and Elders.

Join us in celebrating these stories—spanning art, fashion, photography, and history—by checking out a book from our Indigenous Art + Culture section. Here are our top picks this year:

This month is National Indigenous History Month, and Saturday, June 21 marks National Indigenous Peoples Day—a day to celebrate the traditions, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. This year, we are proud to spotlight a selection of books in our Indigenous Art + Culture ...