Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency

Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency collects essays and profiles examining artists' lives and works during periods of social crisis. Through pieces written between 2011-2020, author Olivia Laing explores creators including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Georgia O'Keeffe, David Wojnarowicz, and Derek Jarman. The book moves between intimate artist portraits, memoir, cultural criticism and reportage. Laing investigates how artists have responded to AIDS, climate change, authoritarianism, and other emergencies through their creative output. Many of the essays originated as columns for frieze magazine, now expanded and woven into a larger narrative about art's role in turbulent times. The collection includes both long-form profiles and shorter pieces considering specific works or moments. At its core, this book makes a case for art as a tool for resistance, healing and imagining new possibilities during periods of crisis. The essays suggest that creative work can function as both witness and antidote to cultural emergency.

Readers appreciate Laing's ability to connect art to current social and political issues. Many note her sharp insights into how artists respond to crisis and trauma. Multiple reviews highlight the essay on David Hockney as a standout piece. Readers found value in Laing's brief artist profiles, with one calling them "perfect introductions to artists I'd never heard of." The writing style receives praise for being accessible while maintaining intellectual depth. Common criticisms include the disconnected nature of the collected essays and reviews wanting more cohesion. Some readers note the book feels rushed in places. A few mention the COVID-19 essays feel dated. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (100+ ratings) The Guardian readers: 4/5 Reader quote: "Like having a fascinating conversation about art with a knowledgeable friend who never makes you feel stupid for not knowing something." - Goodreads reviewer

The Story of Art Without Men by Kathy Hessel A reframing of art history through the overlooked contributions of women artists across centuries and continents.

Ways of Seeing by John Berger An examination of visual culture and art that connects classical paintings to modern advertising and political imagery.

The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath by Leslie Jamison A blend of memoir and cultural criticism that weaves together stories of artists and addiction while questioning creativity myths.

Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong An exploration of art, race, and identity through essays that merge cultural criticism with personal experience.

What Are You Looking At?: 150 Years of Modern Art by Will Gompertz A chronicling of modern art movements that connects artistic developments to their historical and social contexts.

🎨 Olivia Laing wrote this collection during a time of personal grief while living in both New York City and the British countryside. 🖼️ The book's essays explore how art can be a form of resistance and healing during turbulent times, featuring profiles of artists like David Wojnarowicz and Derek Jarman who created powerful work during the AIDS crisis. 📚 The title "Funny Weather" comes from a column Laing wrote for frieze magazine, where she examined the intersection of art and current events. 🌟 Several pieces in the book were written as real-time responses to Brexit and the rise of right-wing politics, demonstrating how art criticism can be immediate and politically urgent. 💫 Though Laing began her career as a medical herbalist, she transitioned to writing about art after being deeply moved by the work of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.