BEN OKRI
What does it mean to be an artist, and what would it take to break free?
Monday 2 November 2026
Author Ben Okri (@sirbenokri) and painter Rosemary Clunie (@rosemaryclunieart) discuss the ideas behind ‘The True Artist Breaks Out of Jail’, exploring how the book pushes the boundaries of text and image and celebrates the power of art and imagination in a world increasingly shaped by restriction and uncertainty.
Combining fiction, essays and poetry with 32 striking paintings, this thought-provoking collaboration challenges us to push beyond imposed limitations, question the world around us and embrace the freedom to think differently.
‘The True Artist Breaks Out of Jail’ is out now.
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When the world ends, only the underground mysteries will save us. A great wall is rising on the horizon and a foreign army is massing on the borders of the small country of Nevereach. As invaders prepare to smash the last of the resistance, three unlikely heroes emerge from the exhausted populace. Mel, Rosa and…
