Joe Lycett has long mastered the art of trolling politicians and over-zealous brands. Some of his most memorable stunts to date include a now iconic encounter with Liz Truss on Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday politics show; threatening to shred £10,000 if David Beckham continued to be a Qatar World Cup ambassador; and accidentally leaking (fake) sewage into Liverpool Docks to promote his Channel 4 documentary on the UK’s sewage crisis.

Creativity is another of the comedian’s varied talents; his parents both worked in graphic design when he was growing up and he dabbled in design after university, before taking up painting around a decade ago.

The purpose behind his charmingly silly artworks, which he regularly shares on social, is often to punch upwards. “It’s an act of rebellion just to be making a piece of art,” he told CR last year. “It’s really exciting when it can do something else, like make you laugh, change your mind about something, or embarrass a company CEO.”

Having previously released a book documenting the underrated beauty of bins and organised a collaborative exhibition with his mum Helen (aka Mummy’s Mummy), his latest oeuvre is the aptly titled Joe Lycett’s Art Hole.

Adorned with an image of Lycett’s face quite literally poking out from a hole in the cover, the beautifully designed coffee table book also comes in a special edition featuring a holographic foil artwork and various other goodies.

Inside its pages are the backstories for some of his best-known slogan paintings and portraits of significant cultural figures. From the time that Harry Styles reportedly bought Lycett’s painting of him for £6 and a Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter, to how he convinced Priti Patel to sit for him off the back of a shared passion for fly-tipping (she’s fondly referred to in the book as the GOAT – Greatest Of All Tippers), some of the tales are arguably more believable than others.

 

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Alongside a foreword by Leonardo da Vinci’s ghost, who describes Lycett’s work as “the greatest artistic contribution to humanity since my own, during those batshit crazy days of the Renaissance, lol”, the book also includes an introduction by the comedian himself.

Reflecting on the lofty ambitions behind his most expansive work yet, Lycett writes: “I hope my Art Hole delights, fascinates and perhaps inspires you to pick up a paint brush, insert yourself at the heart of contemporary British public life, and do some absolutely wank paintings of celebs.”

Joe Lycett’s Art Hole will be published by Trapeze on September 26; joelycett.com