what art does by Brian Eno and Bette Adriaanse

In What Art Does, the musician, thinker, and long-time advocate for the creative spirit, Brian Eno, joins forces with Dutch visual artist Bette Adriaanse to offer a small but powerful meditation on the purpose and pervasiveness of art. This slim hard covered book is part essay and part visual narrative, and is less a manifesto and more a quiet, generous invitation: to see art not as the preserve of institutions or professionals, but as a living, breathing human instinct that exists in everyday gestures, choices, and acts of connection.

From the outset, Eno dismantles the traditional boundaries of what art is for. Rather than positioning it as decoration, luxury, or cultural capital, he argues that art is what we turn to when function ends. It is a realm where feeling precedes thought, where we play with possibility, explore identity, and express who we are—not always in grand gestures, but often in something as ordinary as a haircut or the colour of a jumper. This is art as a tool for emotional mapping, a method of personal and social navigation.

Eno’s writing is refreshingly free of jargon. His ideas are framed with clarity and warmth, allowing readers of all backgrounds to access the heart of his argument: that art is not a thing we make, but a process we live. In a world increasingly fragmented and overstimulated, he proposes art as a form of gentle resistance—an antidote to noise, a quiet assertion of human feeling.

The book is beautifully illustrated by Adriaanse, whose playful, slightly surreal visuals bring a whimsical rhythm to the pages. At times, the density of imagery feels like a creative conversation in itself—one where words and pictures take turns to hold our attention. While some may long for more textual space to reflect, others will find joy in flipping back and forth, rediscovering images with new meaning on each reading.

There is a timelessness to Eno’s reflections. From the instinct to decorate the body, to the need for beauty and connection in difficult times, his message is universal: we are all artists, and always have been. By acknowledging and embracing our everyday creativity, we not only honour ourselves but contribute to a richer, more empathetic world.

What Art Does is as suitable for a teenager as it is for a seasoned artist or curious reader. It echoes Neil Gaiman’s Art Matters, but with Eno’s signature spaciousness—a kind of ambient wisdom that lingers after the final page. Whether read in one sitting or returned to like a favourite song, this book will quietly change how you see the world and yourself within it.

In short, What Art Does is not just a book about art - it is art. And in sharing it, Eno and Adriaanse remind us of something increasingly vital: that creativity is not a rare gift, but a shared inheritance.

Reviewer: Chris Reed

Allen & Unwin