Art + Culture critic Olivia Laing's new book Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency is a collection of essays that loosely posits the question “What is art, and the people that turn to it and talk about it, in times of crisis?”. Her sophisticated and absurdly refreshing point of view blurs the line of non-fiction and prose in a way that results in a page turner (of essays none-the-less!) that keeps you nodding your head all the while learning fun new facts! A section of this book is dedicated to “Artist’s Lives” where she synthesizes the careers of Jean-Michele Basquiat, Agnes Martin, David Hockney and others to just a few brief, but exciting, pages each. This is where you will learn, or be reminded of the fact, that Agnes Martin did not become an artist until she was 45…Inspiring!
These essays read as so timely and invite you to open your mind, and think critically and creatively about how art can foster growth and change. I really could go on and on, but you should just read this book yourself!
