Get the Picture

A Mind-Bending Journey Among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See

By: Bianca Bosker

Narrated by: Bianca Bosker

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Get the Picture is one of the funniest books I’ve read . . . Brilliant.” —The Washington Post

“A gripping and often hilarious investigation into the art world. . . . Bosker goes full Tom Wolfe.” —TIME

“Funny, whip-smart, and gorgeously written, Get the Picture will forever transform the way you see. . . . I loved every word.” —Suleika Jaouad, New York Times bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms

The New York Times bestselling author of Cork Dork takes readers on another fascinating, hilarious, and revelatory journey—this time burrowing deep inside the secretive world of art and artists

An award-winning journalist obsessed with obsession, Bianca Bosker’s existence was upended when she wandered into the art world—and couldn’t look away. Intrigued by artists who hyperventilate around their favorite colors and art fiends who max out credit cards to show hunks of metal they think can change the world, Bosker grew fixated on understanding why art matters and how she—or any of us—could engage with it more deeply.

In Get the Picture, Bosker throws herself into the nerve center of art and the people who live for it: gallerists, collectors, curators, and, of course, artists themselves—the kind who work multiple jobs to afford their studios while scrabbling to get eyes on their art. As she stretches canvases until her fingers blister, talks her way into A-list parties full of billionaire collectors, has her face sat on by a nearly-naked performance artist, and forces herself to stare at a single sculpture for hours on end while working as a museum security guard, she discovers not only the inner workings of the art-canonization machine but also a more expansive way of living.

Probing everything from cave paintings to Instagram, and from the science of sight to the importance of beauty as it examines art’s role in our culture, our economy, and our hearts, Get the Picture is a rollicking adventure that will change the way you see forever.

©2024 Bianca Bosker (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“[A] plucky and hilarious account of years working as a gallery girl, studio assistant, and guard at the Guggenheim museum . . . [Bosker] doesn’t sit with and sift through her material so much as plunge headlong into it, gatecrashing cloistered ecosystems that want nothing to do with her, and emerging as a foremost expert.” —The Guardian

“Get the Picture is a brilliant adventure through the fraught, frenzied, fanatical world of art and emerging artists. Bosker flings us into the epicenter of creativity and obsession, and with infectious curiosity, illuminates the surprising science, history, and controversies at the core of our relationship with art. An extraordinary book.” —Kirk Wallace Johnson, author of The Feather Thief

“How to understand the art world? Bring questions and ideas then insinuate yourself—find ways to belong in the gallery, in the studio, at the fair. Bianca Bosker confesses her ignorance to experts, refuses to look down on schmos, and then gracefully (and often, hilariously) curates her own experience. I would buy a painting from this author, even if she weren’t selling it as research; and I highly recommend this book.” —Ted Conover, author of Newjack and Cheap Land Colorado

A lot of foul language

I am not a fan of foul language but I pressed on because I wanted to hear her thoughts. I do feel I gained insight into the gallery system and seeing. I don’t think I could encourage friends to listen without proving a warning about the language and some raunchy topics.

This was a fascinating exploration of the world of contemporary art by n all of its craziness.

As I’ve said in previous comments, having the author read their work is often not the best choice (exceptions are Toni Morrison and David McCullough, for instance), and that is the case with this book. The story she had to tell was just enough to offset her voice, which is not suited for audiobooks. That does not mean that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy “reading” this book. I learned a great deal about the contemporary art world and gained insight from the author’s final section about how to look at art.

a must read for any artist, teacher, or schmoe wanting to get closer to art;)

funny, witty, raw account for her experiences with infiltrating the contemporary art scene. I had no idea!!

Love it!

If you enjoy biographies and love art, this book is for you. Loved the research the writer did and how she described her experiences. It was a joy to listen to this book. There is a little bit of everything in this book: philosophy, history, business, and of course art.

Very insightful

Informative and funny. An interesting peek into the art world and to the people she encountered. The author also does a great job reading it.

The honesty and openness of the author as she explored this once unknown world

I loved Every Every Everything!! Can’t wait read another of her books. Cork and Oak. I think

Loved

Loved this smart, funny, and insightful book. Now I can’t stop thinking about and craving art- which in grateful for

Interesting and long journey

Fascinating dive into the world of art through different perspectives. Engaging but a little long. Could have done with a bit more editing to tighten up the story lines.

Clear, Generous, and Humorous Take on the Art World

Bosker immerses herself in the Art World for years to understand its secrets. She easily could have written the book by just working in a gallery but she also works as an assistant for an artist and as a museum guard. She gains more insights into the mechanism of the contemporary art market than most artists get to see. I found the book illuminating and informative as an emerging artist myself.

Real, well-researched, and entertaining

Was trying to overcome painting/art world burnout post-grad and this was one of a few things that kept me going. Such a refreshing take of the art world that doesn’t hold back with telling the truth and truly explores every facet of it. The range of people and places she chooses to work with is a really accurate assessment of the art scene and it was so, so nice to see that there really are people out there who aren’t so prestigious and exclusionary. Really helped me realize there is a place for me in the art world after all. So glad this got recommended to me, and I highly recommend it to anyone else—art world people or not—if you want a better understanding of how things work (and don’t work lol) or if you’re a bit lost and need someone to help guide you back & become more in the know. Really great insight on how to sell artworks as well, which people do not talk about nearly enough. Bravo!