I’m hoping you have never heard of Olivia Laing because then you've got a treat in store. I hadn’t before I picked up this book, its title enticing me as I sought something to give me hope or to excite me during Covid-19 lockdown.

If you are already a fan (it turns out Laing is a well established writer and critic) you will likely have already read the essays collected in Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency (most were previously published as articles in the Guardian, frieze and New Statesman, as well as elsewhere). If, however, Laing’s name is at best only vaguely familiar, and if, like a beachcomber, you enjoy looking for curious objects to pick up, turn over and contemplate, this book during this period might well bring you delight.

A rich collection of mini biographies, interviews or reflections on artists in the broadest sense including musicians and writers, this book works as a tasting menu with many flavours and textures. Some offerings bring the comfort of familiarity, others extend your palette, sometimes out of your comfort zone, but always leaving you glad for the experience.

Reading Funny Weather was for me an example of ‘reparative reading’, an idea Laing returns to at several points in her collection, explaining it as being “fundamentally more invested in finding nourishment than identifying poison. This doesn’t mean being naive or undeceived, unaware of crisis or undamaged by oppression. What it does mean is being driven to find or invent something new and sustaining out of inimical environments.”

The inimical environments Laing is referring to are often the backgrounds of the various artists she writes about, the poverty or prejudice they experienced. It also refers to the political climate in which many of her essays were written - first the economic downturn, then the change in the political landscape, not just in the UK but also the US, as well as the fracturing of communities through Brexit campaigning and the referendum. It is almost disconcerting, the prescient relevance of her reflections, now we find ourselves experiencing another crisis, though this time not primarily financial or political, but instead a worldwide health emergency.

I read a digital review copy of the text for this book, so I’m not sure if the printed version will feature any illustrations. I really do hope each essay will be accompanied by an example (or more) of the art discussed; you’ll find yourself intrigued, even excited by Laing’s descriptions of the art she describes, and will want to see for yourself what provokes and draws out her thoughtful enthusiasm.

At a time when we’re experiencing an insular life, largely confined, hoping to feel connected to something larger and more satisfying than the swiping of news feeds, this collection of essays is a treat, opening doors to wonderful journeys exploring new places, people and ideas. In one essay, Laing quotes Ali Smith, “Art is one of the prime ways we have of opening ourselves and going beyond ourselves.” Laing’s art - her words and generous reflections - enable us to do just that.

A really stimulating book. Laing certainly could never be accused of carrying her knowledge lightly - which is a shame - but it's still a fascinating read. I felt the most moving part was her account of her time living off grid. Felt honest, vulnerable with none the peacocking of some of the other pieces.
A good book

In Funny Weather, Laing delves into the lives of many figures of the art world as well as her peers creating work today. In the first section of the book - Artists' Lives - I loved learning more about figureheads Derek Jarman and Georgia O'Keefe, while the David Hockney essay was a comfort as I already love his work. I found Laing's interviews with Hilary Mantel and Ali Smith to be enlightening and her love letters to Freddie Mercury and Wolfgang Tillmans also struck a chord. Overall, an enjoyably eclectic collection of writing.

This essay collection is really timely and extremely readable and I loved it. The first section of essays on art lays out the background for the artists that Laing goes on to refers back to later in her personal and political writing. Some of which I knew and some I had to google but whose work I came to love. Olivia Laing has great taste. The following sections, made up of essays and magazine columns, is like rushing headfirst through all the terrible news of the last five years and beyond (Brexit, Grenfell, Jo Cox, the migrant crisis, Nigel Farage, AIDS) and this makes it tiring, yes, but fascinating and important too. I think I would have loved this collection anyway (I definitely liked Crudo) but you just can’t ignore how relevant Laing’s writing on art in an emergency, often touching on the dangers of isolation, is for the present crisis.

Two disclaimers. I received this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. More importantly, I am a major Olivia Laing fan girl. I love the way that Laing combines literary biography and personal memoir to create an exciting fresh art form. Funny Weather is a collection of previously published works, focusing on, the lives of certain artists and personal narratives outlining the role of art within the author's life.


This is an essay collection. So, not every essay will be of interest. The more personal shine through more brightly than others. But, overall, this collection is well worth a read.

Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency is Olivia Laing's response to - and takes its title from her name for - the strange, unsettling political climate of the past few years since Trump's inauguration. In these tough times, Laing turns to her favourite topics including literature, gender, alcoholism, culture and art, and these essays have largely been published elsewhere during the 2010s.

The essays are loosely grouped into sections which means at times they can feel a little repetitive and similar to each other, particularly the artist profiles in the opening section. The analysis was a little bit too surface level for my liking, but despite these quibbles there are plenty of essays in this collection which I enjoyed.

Funny Weather by Olivia Laing is a thought -provoking collection of essays about art, literature and culture.