Amandes Amères (Bitter Almonds) is a portfolio of vivid colour photographs that are characteristic of photographer and sculptor Jean-Marc Bustamante's photographic tableaux: intense yet contemplative cityscape images of the capital cities from around the globe, from Buenos Aires to Miami to Tel Aviv. A work of art in its own right, Amandes Amères was launched in June 1997 at the international art event Documenta X in Kassel, Germany.

This book marks Phaidon's first participation in this major and influential event. The volume signifies a highly original distillation of Bustamante's subtle outlook, both in its presentation and in the selection of images designed to illustrate the strikingly sculptural, painterly and symphonic aspects of his innovative and sensitive use of the camera. The compilation is cutting-edge in the context of contemporary visual art and how it is presented, displaying a style that is carefully suited to the atmosphere evoked by Bustamante.