Verbal visuality

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Throughout literary history, the visual arts have captivated writers, and since the late 20th century, intermedial narratives that blend word and image have gained popularity. This work explores the forms and functions of art in contemporary Anglophone fiction, focusing on novels and short stories where iconography and aesthetics are central. It evaluates how art discourses shape narratives and their broader implications beyond the text. In these narratives, plot, character development, and text structure, often enhanced by ekphrasis, reveal a deep connection to the visual arts. Characters often define themselves through art movements or specific works, while art objects serve as sources of consolation. The evaluation of individual works evolves into a universal discourse on the role of the arts. These texts emerge as significant hybrids, allowing readers to navigate between word and image, transforming narratives into artefacts that engage with pressing socio-political and socio-cultural issues. This analysis delves into these themes, drawing on a range of contemporary art narratives, including works by Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith, Patricia Schonstein-Pinnock, Nick Hornby, and Siri Hustvedt.