'The rise of the far right and authoritarianism in our own time makes this book vital reading for everybody concerned with visual culture' - Peter Kennard, Professor Emeritus of Political Art, Royal College of Art 'Friends book tells the story of the AIA dispassionately and with clarity: a triumph, given the subjects organisational and moral complexities. It also reintroduces artists who, for reasons of those complexities, tend to have faded from history: Rowe and Angus both deserve to be better known than they are' - Charles Darwent, TLS 'Comrades in Art tells a largely unknown story. Friend, who has written acclaimed studies of the painters Ravilious and John Nash, has done an exemplary job' - Stephen Smith, Observer 'Compelling ... this thought-provoking, readable and beautifully illustrated book is a huge contribution to our understanding of the cultural landscape in the mid-20th century' - Ariane Bankes, The Spectator 'A thorough account of a turbulent period in history and art that deserves to be widely publicised and read ... this is absolutely a book for our times' - ArtBookReview 'A remarkable book The rise of authoritarian attacks on free speech is clear, and the responsibility of artists appears ever more pressing. The story of the AIA presents a model of how to respond. Escape from Escapism, the title of a 1937 article by the painter Graham Bell in Left Review cited by Friend, might be a good motto for our time' - John-Paul Stonard, The Art Newspaper 'A remarkable excavation of a decade when British art and politics collided with an urgency rarely seen before... In an age where we again are seeing the rise of the far right in Britain, Friends book feels urgent. Comrades in Art restores to view a generation that believed art could intervene in the world, not merely decorate it. For anyone interested in the politics of culture, it is essential reading' - Artlyst 'Friend has made a significant contribution to our knowledge of the group's heyday, advancing our understanding and appreciation of its remarkable and far-reaching impact. With, in 2025, the looming spectre of fascism propelled by rising authoritarianism and far-right populism around the world, his revelatory study feels timely. Surely there is much to learn from the AIA's example' - The Art Newspaper 'A very handsome book' - Robert Elms, BBC Radio London 'Andy Friends illuminating book Comrades in Art reveals a rich seam of committed art that dispels cliches about the Red Decade. It also reopens pressing discussions about the functions of art in a time of political crisis' - Matt Taunton, Apollo 'An absorbing and detailed book, its subjects simmering with energy and dedication, as well as a sense of unlikely comrades pulling together through a prolonged emergency' - Literary Review
