D espite being best known as a self-proclaimed “incredibly rightwing” comedian, Birmingham’s Joe Lycett is also a prolific artist. Although some of his painting is already well regarded – Guardian critic Jonathan Jones singled out his portrait of Gary Lineker for praise during last year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition – the new book Joe Lycett’s Art Hole marks the first time that his work will be unleashed en masse on the public. “I did a book years ago called Parsnips, Buttered, which had illustrations in it,” says Lycett from Alabama, where he is concluding a tour of all the American Birminghams.
“I really enjoyed doing it, but the one thing that I was frustrated about was the quality of the finished thing. The publishers printed it on very standard paper. It made me realise that I really wanted to make a lovely object.
” Art Hole is definitely that. Filled with celebrity portraits (Harry Styles, Chris Whitty) and wider Shrigleyesque slogan-based work (This Year Will Also Be Shit), it’s a gorgeous slab of a book, printed on luxurious paper stock. What’s more, there’s a solid intellectual reason for its existence.
“One thing I’m very passionate about is that I want people to make things, because I know how good it’s been for me,” he says. “I get sad when people say: ‘Oh, I can’t draw,’ because you can. People are creative and they don’t realise it.
They think art is this abstract thing for people that can go to galleries and buy.