Brian Eno Announces New Book on the Role of Art

‘What Art Does’ explores five decades of unconventional creativity.

British musician and artist Brian Eno has just announced the release of an exciting new book. Created in collaboration with Dutch artist Bette A., What Art Does draws on unconventional approaches and insights from Eno’s five-decade-long career. In a new theory on art the artists address why we create it and how it holds us together.

As contemporary art grapples with shifting tides and an ecosystem of digital images, the book emerges out of a crisis of creativity. Eno, however, remains true to coloring outside the lines. In song with this year’s release of his generative documentary Eno and HARD ART’s portrait publication, What Art Does ventures across unexpected mediums to examine “the function of fictional worlds” in “pop songs, detective novels, soap operas, shoe tassels and the hidden language of haircuts.”

The idea for the book stems from a series of conversations between the two artists after meeting through TRQSE, a network of socially-conscious artists and scientists founded by Bette. Expanding on their shared commitment to activism, all proceeds from the book will be donated to Earth Percent and The Heroines! Movement.

What Art Does will be available as a limited edition of 777 copies, each one signed and enclosed by a one-of-a-kind slipcase, hand-painted by the authors. Priced at $225 USD, the first hardcover edition will be available on experimental release platform Metalabel (for North American collectors) and EnoShop (for International collectors) on December 3, 2024. For seven days following the initial release date, a black and white PDF will be available for $1 USD.