James Cahill talks to Stephen Fry

Author James Cahill considers art, artists and selling out in this discussion with Hay Festival President Stephen Fry. Cahill’s new novel The Violet Hour follows Thomas Haller, who has achieved the kind of fame that most artists only dream of, but the vision he presents of being an untouchable genius at the top of his game is a lie.

On the eve of his latest show, the luminaries of the art world gather. But a chain of events begins that will lead the friends back into the past, to confront who they have become. The Violet Hour exposes the unsettling underbelly of the art world, asking questions about who is granted admission and who is left outside.

Cahill has worked in the art world and academia for 15 years. His debut novel, Tiepolo Blue, was shortlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award.