Tomato in a Black Hole

Christian Wharton, MA 1958

Subtitled "Love Comedy and Disaster in the life of an avantgarde gallerist" this is the story of a highly successful gallerist in the London Art World of 2002.

Mark has everything he could want including a wife who is perfect from the neck upwards and a mistress who is everything desirable from the neck down. Falling in love with Jane, the director of a small conventional gallery whose business is suffering from the success of Young British Art, he is plagued by a series of mishaps, culminating in a fall in one of the installations in his gallery. These lead him to overcoming his self-deception. But knowing his reputation, Jane also has to overcome her fears.

There are many incidents of high comedy and a range of interesting characters including a criminal and a reluctant earl. Much of the material is based on the author's experience of establishing a reputation as an artist. Although the book can be read as a comedy and love story, it also asks serious questions about the nature and meaning of art.

ISBN: 9781527273658