Other Artistic Encounters: Exploring Art in Ali Smith’s Novels

What is it about?

This chapter looks at different ways Ali Smith brings art into her stories beyond just describing artworks or referencing other texts. It focuses on how she uses artwork to connect the story with its surrounding material, especially highlighting the front cover art by David Hockney in her post-referendum quintet. The chapter also discusses how Smith invites characters and readers into the art of storytelling itself, emphasising the deep connection between literature and art.

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Why is it important?

This chapter is important because it shows how Smith uses visual and artistic elements to enrich her storytelling, pushing the boundaries of what a novel can be. By blending text with art and highlighting storytelling as a form of art, her work promotes a view that literature and visual arts can inspire, challenge, and transform us. It underlines the ethical power of art and ideas in shaping understanding and fostering personal and social change.