They bring out the voyeur in us. And the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art is full of them. In three short letters, we offer a glimpse of tender moments in the complex lives of others.
Guests:
Josh T. Franco, Head of Collecting at the Archives of American Art.
Liza Kirwin, Interim Director of the Archives of American Art.
Jenny Williams, Associa ... Show More
Apr 15
Broad Stripes, Bright Stars, and White Lies
As we approach the nation's 250th birthday, we are looking back at some of the most important moments in American history. One of those moments is when Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag. But, as we discovered, there’s actually no proof that Ross sewed the first flag. In fa ... Show More
30m 33s
Jun 2023
118. Allison Berg
<p>Allison Berg, Founder and Executive Director of the A&L Berg
Foundation, is a lawyer turned arts and culture writer, philanthropist,
museum trustee, art collector, producer and more. Her work is informed by the desire to ensure everyone has access to equity in career
... Show More
57m 48s
Nov 2019
Noelle Giuffrida, "Separating Sheep from Goats: Sherman E. Lee and Chinese Art Collecting in Postwar America" (U California Press, 2018)
Noelle Giuffrida’s book, Separating Sheep from Goats: Sherman E. Lee and Chinese Art Collecting in Postwar America (University of California Press, 2018), tells the history of collecting and exhibiting Chinese art through the story of renowned curator and museum director Sherman ... Show More
1h 21m
Sep 2021
Susanna Phillips Newbury, "The Speculative City: Art, Real Estate, and the Making of Global Los Angeles" (U Minnesota Press, 2021)
Underlying every great city is a rich and vibrant culture that shapes the texture of life within. In The Speculative City: Art, Real Estate, and the Making of Global Los Angeles (U Minnesota Press, 2021), Susanna Phillips Newbury teases out how art and Los Angeles shaped one anot ... Show More
35m 21s
Dec 2019
Stanley Tucci and Giacometti's Head of a Man on a Rod
Art critic Alastair Sooke, in the company of some of the leading creatives of our age, takes us on a deep dive into the stunning works in the Museum of Modern Art's collection, whilst exploring what it really means “to see” art. Leading cultural figures in the series include Gram ... Show More
13m 57s
Jun 2022
EP343: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions, The Museum Dedicated to Bad Art and The Opportunistic Patriot
On this episode of Our American Stories, author, Andrew Thompson shares another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these baffling mini mysteries of the English language. tells us about the museum in Somerville, Massachusetts with a collection of over 600 examples of b ... Show More
38m 13s