Drawing on a range of examples from Western and developing cultures, this book offers a re-reading of the contemporary society as the product of both individual and collective identity and behaviour. Marxist interpretations of the expansion in the range and number of material goods have tended to view people as estranged from the objects they produce, while massive consumption reinforces the fragmented and individualistic nature of capitalism. In this book, the author develops a more positive theory of material culture, revealing the creative potential in the relationship between people and goods. He argues that rather than being oppressed by them, people redefine material objects to make them express themselves and their cultures. He shows that everyday objects reflect not only personal tastes and attributes, but also moral principles and social ideals.

漆艺，即漆的艺术，包括漆器、漆画和漆塑三大部分，其表现形态有平面造型和立体造型，其作品有实用品也有纯观赏品。漆艺是一种历史悠久的传统工艺，但它作为一门独立的艺术品种走进现代艺术领域，并被社会认可，则是在建国以后。本书简要论述了漆艺的理论及历史，对漆艺的材料、工具和髹饰技法，漆器设计与制作，立体漆塑造型，漆画等作了系统、详细的介绍，并附有精美的漆艺作品以供赏析。
本教材是建国以来漆艺教学的优秀成果，可作为高等艺术院校的本科教材，同时亦可作为相关艺术领域师生和漆艺爱好者的教学参考书和自学用书。

《髹饰录》是我国古代唯一传艺的漆器工艺著作。《髹饰录图说》以二十世纪各地流传的漆器工艺解说髹饰录，冠以总论，译以白话，加以补说，以图析文，以注释文。正文紧扣髹饰工艺，立足浅显实用，以便漆工和学子用作工具书，同时可资学者参考；注释侧重于校勘版本，校核引文，主要面向学者，同时可漆工和学子参考。全书附工具、设备、操作流程图106幅，不同装饰工艺的漆器作品照并图案、名款等136幅，蒹葭堂钞本书影9幅。书末附漆工本语索引和参考文献，故本书又兼漆艺词典之功用。出版意在于，将《髹饰录》普及到学者案头和漆器工人，设计艺术学、艺术学、建筑学学子手中，有抢救传统工艺和延续传统文化的重大意义。