Exploring Wes Anderson’s Global Aesthetic in a New Book

Wes Anderson’s visual blueprint has become iconic, thanks to his charming films that play on nostalgia and feature carefully thought out design, pastel hues, symmetrical framing, and vintage set dressings. With his work celebrated across the globe, travelers and film fans have been scouting diverse locations and capturing images that evoke the same feeling as one of his memorable scenes. Consequently, this project has been compiled into one inspiring book called Accidentally Wes Anderson.

Not only does this book celebrate Anderson’s unique style, but it also serves as an atlas of interesting and unique locations that people can visit in real life. The book includes a foreword written by the director himself, where he acknowledges his collaborators and shares, “there must be about 200 locations here, which should keep me busy for several decades. I now understand what it means to be accidentally myself. Thank you. I am still confused about what it means to be deliberately me, if that is even what I am, but that is not important.”

Crawley Boat House
Crawley Edge Boatshed in Perth, Australia © James Wong

Created by Wally Koval, the mastermind behind the viral Instagram account of the same name, which now boasts over one million followers, this book showcases the most interesting and idiosyncratic places on Earth that are inspired by the unique vision of Wes Anderson. Launched in 2017, the Instagram account began as a personal travel bucket list and has grown into a catalog of visually striking and historically unique destinations that could easily belong in films like The Royal Tenenbaums or Grand Budapest Hotel.

Postmaster Alaska
Post office in Wrangell, Alaska © Robin Petravic & Catherine Bailey

Images and locations featured in the book span every continent and include quirky landmarks, historic hotels, scenic swimming spots, unique stores, charming homes, and public transport options. Contributions from individuals of diverse backgrounds and cultures enhance this collection. Notable scenes include a wooden pancake stand in Krka National Park, Croatia, dating back to the 1980s; guards at Amer Fort in Rajasthan, India; a blue boatshed in Perth, Australia located at the end of a picturesque boardwalk; and a yellow tram gliding through the streets of Lisbon, Portugal.

hotel Opera
Hotel Opera in Prague, Czech Republic © Valentina Jacks

Accidentally Wes Anderson is set to be released in October.

For further details, you can explore additional information on the Little, Brown and Company website. The book is also available for pre-order.


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