Verity Babbs is the founder of Art Laughs, live art-themed comedy events. Her book The History of Art in One Sentence: 500 Years of Art (But Funny) continues her mission to make the art world more accessible and bring laughter into cultural spaces. Here are her top five books about art.
Art, Annotated by DK
With lovely, great big pictures and insightful, engaging commentary that brings clarity and context to ground your understanding, DK have created a joyful and innovative new format that makes the world’s greatest masterpieces both accessible and deeply enjoyable to explore.
Muse by Ruth Millington, illustrated by Dina Razin
A diverting and highly accessible exploration of the remarkable women who shaped the course of art history, whose stories have for far too long been pushed to the sideline and overlooked in the traditional narrative.
Clay: A Human History by Jennifer Lucy Allan
Whether you’re neutral about poetry or a total clay head (rock on), this love letter to the craft will change how you think about and connect with the ceramic objects in your life that surround you.
Poor Artists by The White Pube
Poor Artists by The White Pube, Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad is part exposé, part fever dream, and entirely empowering; a wild rollercoaster that offers sharp, unflinching glimpses into the Pandora’s box that is the art world.
Reframing Blackness: What’s Black about “History of Art”? by Alayo Akinkugbe
The impressive recent debut of one of art history’s most exciting and original young voices, this vital and thought-provoking reframing of art history is certain to secure its place on essential reading lists for years to come.
