Appreciation

Oliver Darling is a young(ish) queer artist from the country, according to his bio, who has made it big not only in the Australian art scene, but also internationally. If he were remotely competent with money, he would be extremely wealthy. Certainly, other people have seen a return on their investment in him. Quite how all this has come about appears a typical arts industry mystery but, ultimately, his success is perhaps no more perplexing than any other.

Oli’s new exhibition is coming up, and Anton, his agent, has booked a full day of publicity to remind everyone (not least ‘the Money’, ‘the Baron’, and ‘the Critic’) of Oli’s appeal. However, it turns out putting a (usually) charming and garrulous opinion chameleon – one in the habit of delivering meaningless one liners meaningfully, with or without the aid of illicit substances – on a live TV panel show is risky. After veering unexpectedly from his talking points into something unusually sacred to both the Right and Left, Oli is cancelled, almost unanimously. The only way forward is death, or memoir. Oh, and of course Oli will need to go on a speaking tour of regional schools.

Oli is ridiculous and recognisable, as are many aspects of the ecosystem within which he is fighting to survive. For so long things have gone his way, and now the tide is aggressively turning, he can’t help making things worse for himself – and for others, possibly not for the first time. Somehow, his plight is irresistibly compelling, as is the broader cast of characters – and their questionable antics and pets – along with the various capers that come together to make up the implausibly entertaining plot. It would spoil the book to give away more, but below the constant deceits and dramas, and the witty cynicism, is a clear love of creative endeavours and the people who are drawn to them. Appreciation is a deftly written satire littered with pithy truths.