No doubt you have already watched all the Netflix movies and miniseries and read all those books that have piled up over the years so …. now that we know that the NGV will be closed until the end of June (at the earliest) and this year’s MWM on Pierre Bonnard has been deferred to 2023, it is time to embrace home study more enthusiastically. To ease our way into the return to learning, I am going to suggest some art-related podcasts that we might want to listen to. Not only are they informative and entertaining, they can also be enjoyed while we continue to ‘Marie Kondo’ our domestic worlds. As an added advantage, they are removed from the everyday doom and gloom news cycle.
ArtCurious by Jennifer Dasal: The website tells us that ArtCurious is about ‘the unexpected, the slightly odd, and the strangely wonderful in Art History’. Contemporary art curator Jennifer Dasal hosts this fascinating podcast which ‘shines a light into the unseen corners of art history’ and seeks to answer its biggest questions: What’s the story behind Mona Lisa? Did Van Gogh commit suicide? Was Caravaggio a murderer? The episodes are short and Dasal divides the seasons thematically with past themes including World War II, Shock Art and True Crime/Fine Art. http://www.artcuriouspodcast.com/
Art Detective by Janina Ramirez: Perhaps you are interested in what David Attenborough thinks of Turner’s ‘Thames paintings’ or what Professor Mary Beard might have in mind with the ‘Shock of the Nude’ or decide that today is the day to explore ‘Olmec Art’ – then this series is for you. This series is designed to give bite-sized insights into the world of Art History, bringing one image to life across 20 minutes through discussion with experts. https://www.janinaramirez.co.uk/podcasts
Art History for All by Allyson Healey: Art History for All is dedicated to increasing the accessibility of visual art by discussing how art from throughout human history is relevant to us right now. This podcast looks beyond the traditional art historical canon and considers a global history of art and material culture in a casual, conversational way. The core question we return to over and over again is essentially “so what?” Why would or should anyone care about a given work of art? What relevance does something from hundreds of years ago or thousands of miles away have to people in the here and now? For example, in Episode 13 titled ‘Namatjira’s Creek’, Allyson goes down under and discusses the life of Albert Namatjira, his watercolor painting Catherine Creek, Northern Territory (circa 1950), and the situation of Aboriginal Australians in the early to mid-twentieth century. These podcasts also provide episode transcripts and suggestions for further reading. https://arthistoryforall.com/
ArtHoles by Michael Anthony: Comedian host Michael Anthony is upfront about not having a background in art history – which is why listening to him go down art-historical rabbit holes is so delightful. Anthony conducts painstaking research on the infamously tumultuous lives of artists. Though you may laugh at the host’s exasperation with the behaviours of certain artists you will learn a vast amount of details about the lives and times of some of the most famous artists including Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Caravaggio and Frida Kahlo. https://artholes.podbean.com/
Dr Great Art by Dr Mark Staff Brandl: Described as “short, fun Art History Artecdotes” this series provides ‘bite-sized’ information ranging from ‘Metaphor, What is It?’. To ‘Grief in Art’ to ‘Artists’ Side Jobs’. https://drgreatart.libsyn.com/
The Great Woman Artists by Katy Hessel: Art historian Katy Hessel goal is to shed light on disenfranchised women artists, from antiquity, to modernity, contemporary practice., and to share their powerful voices. In each episode of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Hessel interviews a contemporary artist, curator or historian about a past or present woman artist. Of relevance to the NGV is her interviews with artist Shirin Neshat. It’s a must-listen for anyone who considers themselves a feminist, an art history buff, or both. https://www.thegreatwomenartists.com/
The Lonely Palette by Tamar Avishai: The Lonely Palette’s ‘mission’ is to “return art history to the masses, one object at a time”. Each episode takes place at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, focusing on one exhibit. It opens with museum-goers talking about what they see and feel, followed by Avishai’s insightful delineation of each artist’s process. Suddenly, infamously esoteric artworks make sense, from Mark Rothko’s two-tone canvases to Yoko Ono’s performance art – an absolute delight! http://www.thelonelypalette.com/
The Modern Art Notes by Tyler Green: The Modern Art Notes Podcast is a weekly, hour-long interview program featuring artists, historians, authors, curators and conservators, where you can get a taste of the extraordinary things happening in the contemporary art world at the moment. https://manpodcast.com/
Happy listening!!
Been listening to ArtHoles. Michael Anthony on Caravaggio, hilarious if irreverent. Haven’t laughed so much since early February.
Extraordinary storytelling but … probably not for the sensitive!