"A fascinating collection of tales centred around obsession and those drawn into the pursuit, making, and collection of feelings and the creation of art.
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These eight thought-provoking stories are very different to one another and yet share a link and focus, that of obsession and greed. The dreams and opposing biting reality of the passion for art often appear. The story of The Vanitas takes centre stage as it explores behind the beauty of creative inspiration, yet the other shorter tales shine in their own right. I particularly loved Thirty Seven Neugrabenstrasse and as I slowly came to realise where the words were taking me, my emotions were exposed. Jake Kendall has the ability to take the reader behind the curtain of expectation and open eyes and thoughts. I hadn't looked at art in this way before, and how closely a thing of provocative beauty can potentially create a tie to negativity as well as joy. Ranging from intimate stories of singular obsession through to a world overview of the dangers of greed and consumption, The Vanitas and Other Tales puncture and provoke as they leave the page.
Spanning three hundred years of art history, The Vanitas & Other Tales of Art and Obsession tells the stories of those with an insatiable hunger for creation - those who may sacrifice friendships, careers, romance, and even their own happiness in pursuit of a vision.
Weaving art styles such as Cubism, Surrealism, and the Baroque into his prose, Jake Kendall has crafted a vivid and inventive collection. Each story is complemented by a black and white illustration, drawing out the visually evocative nature of the writing and offering readers a unique artistic delight.
