Drawing on over 25 years’ experience talking to artists, Ben Luke conceived and launched the A brush with… podcast in 2020 to explore the influences, rituals and disciplines of artists working today through in-depth audio interviews. Titled after the final question he asks every guest, What is art for? comprises 25 of these conversations, edited and illustrated to offer a tangible and visually rich version.

The selected artists span 12 cities across 4 continents: Michael Armitage, Phyllida Barlow, Alvaro Barrington, Michael Craig-Martin, Tacita Dean, Jeremy Deller, Ellen Gallagher, Theaster Gates, Charline von Heyl, Roni Horn, Pierre Huyghe, Arthur Jafa, Claudette Johnson, William Kentridge, Ragnar Kjartansson, Mark Leckey, Julie Mehretu, Cornelia Parker, Doris Salcedo, Dayanita Singh, Do Ho Suh, Sarah Sze, Stanley Whitney, Alberta Whittle and Zadie Xa.

The book also features newly written texts by Luke that reveal what the series has taught him, drawing out the overlaps and parallels between interviews, and the shared passions and fascinations of different artists. Taken together, the volume — which is presented in an affordable reading book format — paints a compelling and, at times, unexpected story of artists’ inspirations and motivations.