I’m a writer, mainly about art and jazz.
Recent books include How Painting Happens, Venice: City of Pictures, Spring Cannot be Cancelled, Shaping the World (co-authored with the Sculptor Antony Gormley), In Pursuit of Art, Modernists & Mavericks, A History of Pictures: from Cave to Computer Screen (co-authored with David Hockney) and Rendez-vous with Art. My other books all scrutinize the working process of great painters: nine weeks in the life of Vincent van Gogh; seven years of John Constable’s romance with his wife-to-be; around 250 hours which I spent sitting for a portrait by Lucian Freud; a series of dialogues exploring painting, landscape, space, time and perception with David Hockney; and a biography of Michelangelo Buonarrotti.
New Book – Gary Hume: BEGGING FOR IT
In this new book, I explore the evolution of Gary Hume, one of the foremost British painters of the last 40 years.
I examine the Hume’s oeuvre, and the opportunities and dilemmas that have helped to shape his singular pathway as an artist. Profusely illustrated, this book underlines Hume’s important and unique contribution to British contemporary art and provides a fascinating window into the creation of a rich and varied body of work. Although his early work was concerned with the representation of hospital doors, Hume’s restless spirit has led him to continue to probe and experiment with his chosen medium and expand his subject matter – from snowmen and wonky wheels to birds, flowers and people.
My Heart is This: Tracey Emin on Painting
This book is the product of a year spent talking to Tracey Emin, one of the most widely admired artists working in Britain today, about painting: what it is, why she does it, and why it matters.
Richly illustrated with photographs of the artist and her art, My Heart is This is a vivid and intimate portrait of Tracey Emin’s life and work in her own words, spoken over the course of many conversations with her. She reflects on painting – how she approaches it, why it is fundamental to her life and art – and what makes a truly powerful picture.
The book offers a uniquely personal insight into the artist’s extraordinary life and career, expressed via her characteristically frank confessional style, something that is a deeply familiar part of her her paintings. It covers the process of becoming an artist and learning to paint, living her life after cancer, and relearning why painting matters above everything else.
Publication coincides with a major exhibition of Tracey Emin’s work at Tate Modern, running from 27 February to 31 August 2026.