Poor Artists

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE BREAD AND ROSES AWARD FOR RADICAL PUBLISHING 'Irreverent, provocative and funny' Dazed 'This book might change the way you look at art, or change the way you feel it' Daisy Hildyard 'A full-throated defence of the inherent value of making, experiencing and talking about art' Frieze 'Let me stay there, let me paint. Let me go to bed when the sun comes up. I don't want life to sharpen me.' Why make art? Faced with a capitalist system that has turned art into artwork and creative expression into cut-throat competition, why do so many artists try anyway? In this eye-opening journey through the bizarre world of contemporary art, criticism duo The White Pube tell the story of art like never before. Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar through childhood obsessions, art school lessons and her professional debut. In surreal encounters with other artists, Quest learns profound truths about money and power, and must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Blending imaginative storytelling with dialogue from anonymized interviews with real people in the art world who have all had to wrestle with the same decisions - including a Turner Prize winner or two, a few ghosts, a Venice Biennale fraudster and a communist messiah - Poor Artists is a powerful testimony to the emotional, existential and financial experience of artists today.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE BREAD AND ROSES AWARD FOR RADICAL PUBLISHING 'Irreverent, provocative and funny' Dazed 'This book might change the way you look at art, or change the way you feel it' Daisy Hildyard 'A full-throated defence of the inherent value of making, experiencing and talking about art' Frieze 'Let me stay there, let me paint. Let me go to bed when the sun comes up. I don't want life to sharpen me.' Why make art? Faced with a capitalist system that has turned art into artwork and creative expression into cut-throat competition, why do so many artists try anyway? In this eye-opening journey through the bizarre world of contemporary art, criticism duo The White Pube tell the story of art like never before. Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar through childhood obsessions, art school lessons and her professional debut. In surreal encounters with other artists, Quest learns profound truths about money and power, and must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Blending imaginative storytelling with dialogue from anonymized interviews with real people in the art world who have all had to wrestle with the same decisions – including a Turner Prize winner or two, a few ghosts, a Venice Biennale fraudster and a communist messiah – Poor Artists is a powerful testimony to the emotional, existential and financial experience of artists today.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE BREAD AND ROSES AWARD FOR RADICAL PUBLISHING 'Irreverent, provocative and funny' Dazed 'This book might change the way you look at art, or change the way you feel it' Daisy Hildyard 'A full-throated defence of the inherent value of making, experiencing and talking about art' Frieze 'Let me stay there, let me paint. Let me go to bed when the sun comes up. I don't want life to sharpen me.' Why make art? Faced with a capitalist system that has turned art into artwork and creative expression into cut-throat competition, why do so many artists try anyway? In this eye-opening journey through the bizarre world of contemporary art, criticism duo The White Pube tell the story of art like never before. Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar through childhood obsessions, art school lessons and her professional debut. In surreal encounters with other artists, Quest learns profound truths about money and power, and must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Blending imaginative storytelling with dialogue from anonymized interviews with real people in the art world who have all had to wrestle with the same decisions – including a Turner Prize winner or two, a few ghosts, a Venice Biennale fraudster and a communist messiah – Poor Artists is a powerful testimony to the emotional, existential and financial experience of artists today.

This debut book by the popular collaborative team--heralded as one of the first truly new critical voices of the 21st century-- blends real-world experience and poignant storytelling into a provocative and heartfelt portrait of the life of an artist today. At a moment in which working as a professional artist is an increasingly unattainable luxury, art criticism duo The White Pube investigate why so many artists try anyway. Labeled "the Diet Prada of the art world" by British Vogue , in Poor Artists , writers Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad ridicule a contemporary art world that has turned art into artworks, art schools into art universities, and creative expression into cut-throat competition. Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar as she embarks on a surreal journey into the creative industry, where she must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Featuring dialogue from anonymous interviews with real people who have all had to ask themselves the same question-- including a Turner Prize winner or two, a recluse, a Venice Biennale fraudster, a communist messiah, a ghost, and a literal knight--The White Pube tell the story of art like never before.

This debut book by the popular collaborative team--heralded as one of the first truly new critical voices of the 21st century-- blends real-world experience and poignant storytelling into a provocative and heartfelt portrait of the life of an artist today. At a moment in which working as a professional artist is an increasingly unattainable luxury, art criticism duo The White Pube investigate why so many artists try anyway. Labeled "the Diet Prada of the art world" by British Vogue , in Poor Artists , writers Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad ridicule a contemporary art world that has turned art into artworks, art schools into art universities, and creative expression into cut-throat competition. Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar as she embarks on a surreal journey into the creative industry, where she must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Featuring dialogue from anonymous interviews with real people who have all had to ask themselves the same question-- including a Turner Prize winner or two, a recluse, a Venice Biennale fraudster, a communist messiah, a ghost, and a literal knight--The White Pube tell the story of art like never before.