Astonishing the Gods

BY Ben Okri

Recommended by: Phylicia Ghee, was a 2022 Artist-In-Residence

“Astonishing the Gods has been one of the most influential books in my practice. It is a poetic meditation on invisibility, perception, and the thresholds between the seen and the unseen. Rather than offering answers, it invites a different way of moving through the world; one that embraces ambiguity, transformation, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. The work I created at The Nicholson Project during my residency in 2023 was all about this. I believe it would be especially meaningful for artists because it expands the imagination beyond what is immediately visible, encouraging us to create from places of mystery, transition, and deep attention.”

Book Description: This is a modern fable about the relationship between love, suffering and creativity. Set on an enchanted island, Astonishing the Gods is shot through with the gentle magic of Ben Okri's imaginative prose.