Things That Art: A Graphic Menagerie of Enchanting Curiosity

by Lochlann Jain

Lochlann Jain's debut non-fiction graphic novel, Things That Art, playfully interrogates the order of things. Toying with the relationship between words and images, Jain's whimsical compositions may seem straightforward. Upon closer inspection, however, the drawings reveal profound and startling paradoxes at the heart of how we make sense of the world.

Commentaries by architect and theorist Maria McVarish, poet and naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield, musician and English Professor Drew Daniel, and the author offer further insight into the drawings in this collection. A captivating look at the fundamental absurdities of everyday communication, Things That Art jolts us toward new forms of collation and collaboration.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2019

Reviews

[Etienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very unique kind of book/art. One page painting, all title, «Things that are...» and then a lot of little sketchy illustrations of stuff that are or aren’t. Original and kind of unique, but was is god or interesting in an artistic way... not in my opinion!

[Dasha Slepenkina · Rating 2 out of 5]

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

1.5/5 - It was okay, not my type of book.

I was initially interested in this book because of the lovely illustrations on the cover and the concept of grouping things into categories with the ultimate goal of subverting categorical thinking.

I realized very early on that the book would not be a pleasant, light read. The introduction had me googling words and concepts, taking notes just to keep up. Okay. I like to think, I could switch gears. Except that the way this book is written is just tedious. I felt like I was at one of those fancy art functions where every brush stroke of a painting was up for scrupulous and obnoxious analysis. I forced my way through the essays, examined every index card painting with meticulous attention, and breathed a sigh of relief when I finished the book.

The bottom line? This book is good for thinking and it may teach you a thing or two, but it's far from enjoyable.

This being said, I did like the exploration of naming and categorizing things. I found the commentary on art and how it can blend distinctions between things interesting. Some drawings elicited a chuckle (things that have an *sshole - an office). I also appreciated the wider political commentary on how the propensity to categorize things and people has led to various injustices. Moreover, it was interesting to consider how things change their characteristics in relation to other things over time.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

René Magritte is famous for painting a picture of a pipe that is labeled "This is not a pipe". Now you may ask how that makes sense. But, it does, because it isn't a pipe. It is a painting of a pipe, not not an actual pipe itself.

This book goes further. It is a series of illustrious that are and aren't things. Lochlann Jain is trying to distrupt ways of knowing, with a slight kick of humor added.

This book can be read as just plays on words, and you can skip the commentary, but if you do skip it, you will lose part of the deeper parts of his art.





Jain takes ordinary things, and makes you think a little about them, in his series of drawings. For example, he draws things that are visible and not. These things include Light, Water, Beauty love and time.

You can read this all in one sitting, but I found that I would stop and stare at someof the goopings, and try to figure out the message, onmy own.

Recommend to art collections,and libaries. Could be a good starting point of conversation before the rains return.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Keen Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

THINGS THAT DISAPPEAR UP THEIR OWN RECTUM.

This is easily one of the most ridiculous and pretentious pieces of work I have come across in a long time. Every commentary piece reads like one big wind up. The first thing to note about this is that the drawing is nothing to write home about, but there is some nice use of colour, but overall the standard of art work would be average at best. I understand the points Jain is trying to make with regards to language and labelling and how it influences our perception of anything, but aside from that the emperor has no clothes.

We get various spiels from sources, going to some lengths to intellectualise and elevate what is largely an incredibly mediocre project into something more profound. It is not. This should be filed under the HUMOUR section as what this book seems to do more than anything else is serve as a beautiful and inadvertent self-parody of the self-deluded art world, and that is the possibly the best way to look at it.

Though easily the most laughably OTT spiel is saved for near the end, where the gentleman manages to crowbar references and/or comparisons to Freud, Hamlet, Peckinpah, Bacon, Borges, Foucault as well as Greek, Hebrew and Egyptian mythology and not forgetting a sprinkling of superfluous German, French and other foreign phrases to show us all just how clever he thinks he is. You couldn’t make it up.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.>

What I want to say first of all is that this book made me laugh out loud. Some of the things in this book were so funny and really spoke to me. I think the book would be even more fun if English was your native language. My English vocabulary wasn't big enough to get all of the drawings and all the meaning behind it.

A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks

A fun book, for people that like to be shocked, are drawn in by pictures and for people that like to ponder on language use and the message behind it.

[Shruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful novel!

Things That Art invites the reader to be a little more curious about the world and the concepts we learn in it. I did not expect a novel of art to make me think this much!

Read the entire review on This is Lit.

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Curious is a good word for this book.
basically a collection of illustrations, slightly strange and very unique.
I found it quite amusing but it wasn't really my idea of art and I found I was not as interested by the end, and found it a little repetitive and boring.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Judi Easley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating concept and artwork, FRC closer to release date. 3-stars

Things That Art
A graphic menagerie of enchanting curiosity
Lochlann Jain
University of Toronto Press
Sep 17, 2019, 114 pages
Art & philosophy, languages
Provided by NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐

The cover initially drew me to the book with its macabre and whimsical artwork. This is the artwork the author uses throughout the book. The colors and the subjects don’t seem to go together, but somehow, Jain makes it all work. The six things shown hanging on the cover are all art because they are all drawings of things and are hung for your observation. Thus, art. That’s the relationship for this group of items. Can you think of another relationship these items all share? Well, they are all drawn by Lochlann Jain. But they are unexpected. I certainly didn’t expect them. Nor did I expect what else I found between the covers of this book.

First, let me take care of the unpleasant parts. I read and understood the author’s introduction and was really looking forward to the rest of the book. I started looking through the collections. Checking out the relationships and understanding the message the author/artist sent with each one. And while I’m talking about them at this point, I must say that this is not a children’s book. This has mature subject matter in it, both individual images and collections. Once through the first section of collections, I came to the first essay by another writer. Now, I have a BFA and read constantly, but I really felt like I needed a Ph.D. in English to understand what was in that essay, or maybe a translator. When I reached the point that I felt like I had to use the dictionary for seven words out of ten, I started skimming the essays. This is such a shame because I’m sure they had some interesting things to say. One of the essays had an explanation of a term that was used and I couldn’t even understand the explanation! It just was too much. Too high brow for my taste.

I went on to enjoy the artwork in the collections and skim the essays. The art was really awesome for the most part. Having an art background, I’m always drawn to books like this with lots of artwork in it. This one didn’t disappoint in that aspect. This isn’t realistic art, but cartoon-style art. But the really fascinating part of it is the way the artist has grouped the pictures to change relationships to make us see things differently. To make us think about things differently. To make us think. And I’m pretty sure that’s what those essayists were saying with all their fancy vocabulary.

I can’t say that I’d recommend buying this book for my own library. I would spend some time with it in a public or school library, though. It would be a great book to discuss in a group or a class. I’d just skip the essays and work with the intro and the art.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

One and a half stars.

What does some tie dye, roadkill, and your nose have in common? They all might bleed. And here they are – formulated on tiny images and pinned to the category of 'things that bleed', along with others. There are lots of categories here, each with between six and a dozen things, and sometimes there is fun to be had in the surprising entry, where word play or a different sense has been used to cram the thing in. But that's it as far as this book goes – you can ditch the Pseud's Corner essays and introductions scattered through it, even if what is left behind is a bit of a pretentious one-trick gimmick itself. Worth a browse, but as for purchase? It's not in that category.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so damn satisfying to read like how I would exactly feel after popping a damn annoying pimple on my nose.

The cover is amazing and the description well to the point.

Coming to the contents, the introduction is detailed and well connected to what's coming on in the later parts.

The illustrations are concise and upto mark.

This book can be read by anyone as it's just like a picture book but for an adult like me, you will well relate. It's like connecting your thoughts with the outside world. Sometimes it feels so silly reading this but I realised I was smiling all the time while I was reading this.

Thank you #Netgalley for the book #thingsthatart

You need a break. Just pick up this book.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of simplistic book trying to make highbrow comments on how categories fall short in giving the essence of things or ideas. Could have been better. I liked the intention but not the end result.

[Jason Muckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Things That Art: A Graphic Menagerie of Enchanting Curiousity” by Lochlann Jain is a very unique “art” book. It has a way of causing the reader to reconsider common expressions and representations of things that Jain categorizes in different sections by placing things together that both go together and then don’t really fit.

It is an art book in that each page is a different collection of items or phrases illustrated by a picture all with a common theme or word that ties them together. There are several sections that divides the book with commentary by Jain and others regarding the section that follows.

As someone interested in art and books, this is an engaging read for me. I think how the parts are presented is thought-provoking and stimulating. One could read through the book in one sitting but also come back to it over and over and see new things each time through. In a way, this art book is almost like poetry in pictures. I found a lot of connections throughout the book that felt like poetry in a way.

Don’t be tricked by the cover, this book contains mature pictures and themes and is intended for adults only.

I received this eBook free of charge from University of Toronto Press via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I did not receive any fiscal compensation from either company for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This unique, non-fiction, graphic novel is clever and thought-provoking. Jain uses art to explore anthropology and the association of things, thoughts and expressions through groups of drawings. An interesting concept.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of drawn images with commentaries.

My word – or should that be ‘my image’? I don’t think I have encountered a book quite like Things That Art before and I’m not quite sure how to review it. I actually ‘read’ this book three times before attempting to summarise my thoughts. I loved the title Things That Art. Whilst it describes the contents of the book perfectly, it also generates the question, ‘Things that art what?’ so that the reader is immediately drawn into a more inquisitive frame of mind.

Firstly I simply looked at all the images and pondered their links and meanings. Whilst some were obvious, many of Lochlann Jain’s associations are startling, innovative and clever so that they reward time spend looking and looking again. I confess I didn’t understand all of them, even after reading the commentaries and looking (or reading) again but this is by no means a criticism. I researched some things, expanded my vocabulary, knowledge and understanding and felt Things That Art had not only been fascinating to explore, it had enhanced who I am because I now have a more acute and questioning attitude to objects around me than before. For example, I found myself adding items to some of the concepts presented too because Lochlann Jain had made me think differently. By way of illustration, I mentally included racism and sexism to ‘things that are institutionalized’ and I think this is one of the joys of Things That Art – it is more than a picture book or graphic novel, it’s a catalyst for thought.

The artwork has a naive quality that belies the meanings and references it embodies, and adds to the overall effect of the book in taking the reader by surprise. The commentaries are fascinating essays that enlighten the reader and make them appreciate Things That Art still further. Again, I felt my ignorance challenged (I didn’t know what ‘koan’ meant for example. It’s ‘a paradoxical anecdote or riddle without a solution, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and provoke enlightenment’ and fits this book perfectly) and having read the commentaries and looked again at Lochlann Jain’s images it was akin to being given entry to an elusive and elite club. This felt quite special!

I am unsure how to encapsulate Things That Art in a summary. It is peculiar, disturbing, thought-provoking and hugely entertaining. Things That Art is totally unlike any other book I’ve encountered before – and all the better for it!

[Nightfall Mysteries · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Categories have their uses. They order things and perceptions, the constitute those who devise them, those who are snared by them, and the worlds in which they move together.’

This high brow graphic novel is certainly not for everyone. It’s core message defies the arbitrary norms ruling any language pact between objects and their imposed names and associations. It’s really interesting to see how the author explores the conventional connections we tend to approach when classifying words.

This whole concept might no be easy to understand at first, but the hilarious drawings make it so much simpler for readers (who just be attentive of the potential relationship the pictures have with the prompts) to grasp what the author is trying to highlight.

One of the interesting aspects of this book is that each reader is potent luis able to dote on the image/word pairings with their own personal and subjective understanding of the categorisation Jain suggests. That is, conventions and meanings may varying according to the readers background, experience or even ideology. How cool is that!!!!

It’s also quite innovative the way in which the normal limits within the meaning of each words is totally stretched to impossible associations which are in fact totally viable as either a feature or an application of the word in certain contexts.

Loved the idea of things and images becoming an argument towards the conventional idea we have about them already. This book challenges our knowledge and as a lover of language and the huge nerdigan you know I am, this book has been entirely fascinating!!! (dearest @ I’m pretty sure you will love it too!)

Do you think we read images or look at them? This whole reflection reminds me of ‘What do we see when we Read’, which is also concerned about this whole cognitive process we go through to intérprete and infer meaning from the writer word and objects.

I also wanted to thank enormously to Bei at @midas for sending me this advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Ps. This book illustrations are black and white but the final copy shall have coloured pictures!!!

[Curt Bobbitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful drawings organized in unusual collections or categories or concepts. The artist and three scholars also wrote reflections on the images, explaining why systems of categorization limit and stymie human imagination and experience of life. The artist/author, Lochlann Jain, concludes that the book "aims to provoke new kinds of wonder at fragile, descriptive, predictive contradictory, and unstable categories. It's an invitation to hug your inner platypus, kiss a hippo, and ignite the beam of your dame's luna."

His earlier statement about categories gives a clearer idea of the focus of his and the three other essays about the drawings: "Unlike a collage or flea market, a group of things becomes a collection by virtue of an organizing principle, a master narrative imposed as though it instead emerged through the objects within. This endeavor requires two things. First, a person who exudes vision: a curator rather than a hoarder. And second, a framework through which to reimagine objects that have been stripped of their native history and left stark naked and vulnerable to reinterpretation."

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Things That Art Lochlann Jain invites the reader to pause a moment and ponder how we choose to classify and categorise. More than that, it is an invitation to expand ones way of thinking and viewing the world. Interspersed between the artwork are several essays that lend further insight to the art lists themselves. Some of Jain's categories fit with my own way of thinking, or only needed a mild adjustment in thinking. Others required more of a stretch of the imagination on my part. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn and grow! Recommended if you enjoy art. This would make an excellent coffee table book. It should be noted, however, that some of the pictures within are mature content. This is not a book for children.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and University of Toronto Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lara Lillibridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the art and the word association the groupings trigger.

As a writer, this would be a great book to start the creative process flowing on those days when you don’t know what to write about. The wordplay and the linking of abstract yet related thought in each assemblage of images often spin-off in unusual directions that I really appreciate.

I found the essays much less compelling and found myself skimming through them. I didn’t want someone else’s opinion on the art and artist, and the insertions tended to feel either self-aggrandizing or promotional of the artwork. However, an artist or art major might really love the conversation these essays bring to the art. As is always the case, every reader brings their own experience to the work and therefore takes something different away.

[Jennifer M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I  received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

This book was definitely different. Not your average persons idea of art, for sure. Some of the pages include: "Things that are not things" (age, color, light), "Things with Resolution" (New Years, photography), and "Things that are traces" (ash, footprint). Each includes little pictures. It is definitely a unique concept for an art book.

[Nik Plumley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book. You definitely have to have some background and education to get it - but if you do, you won't be disappointed by the insight and humour. I think this accounts for the range of star-ratings. If you want something easy, this won't satisfy. But if you want something thoughtful and thought-provoking, Jain is your man! Highly recommended!

[Smote · Rating 1 out of 5]

On the whole too repetitive and monotonous to rate more than a single star. The writing is far more interesting and while some of the connections provide an introspective view, on the whole, it's a silly play on words that goes on a bit too long.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful words combine with images in this volume. The result is strong, enticing, and just the kind of book to be valued and shared. I am glad I have the opportunity to preview Things That Art by Lochlann Jain. Recommended reading (and viewing).

[Lianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky, edgy graphic novel! I found the juxtaposition of visual art and superb writing excellent! I recommend Things That Art by Lochlann Jain.

[Ζωή Παππά · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I’m not an artist I was interested in this book and it didn’t disappoint. I’ll be honest I had some trouble following sometimes but I still enjoyed it. Especially the artwork.

[Louisa]

loved this!! was so charming, wished more anthropologists dabbled in visual stuff

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most visually appealing and satisfying books I've seen in a long time. I absolutely loved the handwritten/hand drawn effect, I thought the way each* page was a hand drawn piece of art or sketch was fantastic. I also thought the concept was very clever and made this into a game of trying to guess what all the drawings/words had in common before checking the title to see if we were right. I did however skip over the introduction and walls of text throughout. I'm sure those sections were informative but I'd have to be in the proper mood to want to read them.