The Art of Being Bill: Bill Murray and the Many Faces of Awesome

by Ezra Croft and Jennifer Raiser

The Art of Being Bill is the first illustrated collection of Bill Murray, highlighting the star like you’ve never seen him before: Bill Murray at The Last Supper, Bill Murray as an Indian god, Bill Murray as a knight, Bill Murray as Superman, and numerous other artistic tributes that will amuse and inspire you.

Are you Murray obsessed? Then what better way to celebrate everything Bill Murray than through art? The Murray Affair, a traveling Bill Murray art show, does just that. Join in the celebration with The Art of Being Bill, a multifarious, colorful collection of over 150 Bill Murray–inspired artworks, many of which are curated from the show. Just like the man himself, the artwork in The Art of Being Bill is both poignant and funny, from paintings and sketches to digital masterpieces, all highlighting Bill in uniquely creative ways.

Featuring artists from all over the world, details about the inspiration for each piece, fun facts from his groundbreaking movies, and a critical appreciation of some of Murray’s landmark roles—spanning his incredible career from Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day to Lost in Translation and The Royal Tenenbaums—this is the ultimate gift book for the film buff, art lover, and Murray addict in your life.

There’s only one Bill. But he’s a million kinds of awesome.

• ISBN13: 9781631064555
• Publish Date: 11 October 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 4 March 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Race Point Publishing
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 176
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Art of Being Bill is an exhibition catalog and anthology of commentary about Bill Murray and his long career as a cultural icon. Released 9 Oct 2018 by Quarto on their Race Point imprint, it's 176 pages and available in hardcover format.

I can't think of a more versatile actor than Bill Murray. He's been a significant part of movies which run the gamut from poignant drama to utterly silly slapstick and everything in between. He's a gifted actor with an incredibly mobile and expressive face. Combined with the many graphic arts interpretations included in the book, this is a smorgasbord of everything Bill. The varied artist interpretations are as distinct as the artists themselves. There is also a lot of commentary and background information about his movies which was new to me.

I really wish I could've seen the exhibition when it was live.

Four stars, definitely a good choice for film fans, catalogue fans, or Bill Murray fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.