Turtlenecks

by Steven Christie

Turtlenecks is the story of an eager young art school student, Sam, who mistakenly turns his beloved flower necklace into an art object. Now it has been sold and he has no choice but to stage an elaborate performance art piece to steal his beloved flower back from the gallery. With his friends he forms the Turtlenecks, an art collective dedicated to performing conceptual art heists.

“The playful and optimistic spirit of Steven Christie’s work is totally infectious. Who knew that contending with the legal and metaphysical rules of the art world could be so much fun? One of my all-time favourite books. Satire rarely shines so bright.”
-Hartley Lin, Young Frances

Genres: Comics, Comics Manga

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2021

Reviews

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously hand-coloured satirical masterpiece! A must-read for anyone in or adjacent to the art world.

[switching to StoryGraph: supernumeraryemily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spirited graphic novel about an art exhibition gone awry, and the formation of a heist-based art collective that will do what it takes to set things right. The book presents a critique of the art world that is playful and thought-provoking. The colorful drawings are beautiful and engaging! I highly enjoyed this book, as someone adjacent to the art world. I would also recommend "Turtlenecks" for anyone interested in the (grad) student experience, in queer friend groups, or works that don't care for the arbitrary limits of realism

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

(Bit of a slow start to a satirical comic(s) HEIST story...)

"I've decided my new art practice is stretching canvases. I find it incredibly peaceful. Unlike painting. Which I find very stressful.

Yes, it does appear to be a heist type situation.

Art school gave me a leg up in my life of crime.

The creative field is established and maintaining at 76%!

Maybe there is money in art. You just have to steal it."

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an art history major in New York City, I got a glimpse of The Art World, in all its"glory." The best thing about this book is how goddamn funny it is, followed by the biting satire from someone who knows exactly what he's talking about. The pretentiousness is captured exquisitely, buttressed by all the buzzwords, jargon, and lingo. It's so clever because it uses lofty art theory to craft puns and action sequences. This book made me LOL at breakfast.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terrific art, though the plot and text poking fun at art school felt pretty routine. I'll admit that when I picked this up I knew nothing of the plot and, from a cursory flip-through, had mistakenly thought the book was going to be some sort of trippy sci-fi romp. Whoops!

[Zac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can find comics satirising the art (school) world to be a bit pretentious but this was charming and pretty funny. There were a few creative visual tricks thrown in but it was mostly enjoyable as a fun, plot driven short story.

[Phil Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely - a short read, and I spent the whole time smiling. Also my first ever graphic novel/comic! And the art was delightful!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never went to art school but have plenty of friends who did and I feel like that's enough for me to find this incredibly hilarious.

[Kasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny, tongue in cheek comic about an art heist in a contemporary gallery!

[Emily Posthumus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and clever.

[Lucinda Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book perfectly encapsulates my art school experience.

Love reading this and knowing that my friend created this.

[Shell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Especially enjoyed the art style