The Swedish painter Hilma af Klint died nearly 80 years ago in relative obscurity, but you might not immediately realize this if you look her up today. Her paintings, large-scale, vivid, symbolic, and abstract masterpieces infused with mysticism and spirituality, seem uncannily contemporary. But that is not the only reason; af Klint is also now a bonafide st ... Show More
Sep 11
Why Are Museum Wall Texts So Bad?
The humble wall label at an art exhibition has a funny status. It feels, on the one hand, like a side note or an afterthought. On the other, it is a first point of contact and literal guide for a visitor looking to know more. There is an entire undersung discipline, Visitor Studi ... Show More
42m 15s
Sep 3
The Etruscans Made Astonishing Art. Why Aren't They Better Known?
The ancient Romans called the Mediterranean mare nostrum, "our sea." But before the Romans rose to power, the Etruscans had extensive trade networks in the area and controlled much of the Italian peninsula, the future heart of the Roman Empire. Between around 900 B.C.E. and the f ... Show More
35m 41s
May 2021
04 Modernism: Modern Art, Now with Women
It’s weird that contemporary art isn’t Modern Art, right? Modernism can be confusing, but host Klaire Lockheart will do her best to guide you through it. She will even improve upon the typical art history narrative because she will include women artists, such as Hilma af Klint an ... Show More
35m 25s
Apr 2022
30: Leonor Fini • Mirrors of the Dark Sublime (Part I)
<p>Leonor Fini was one of the most prolific and mysterious artists of the 20th century. Her career spans an impressive 67 years, she completed over 1,100 oil paintings, and her art was featured in over 350 international gallery exhibitions <em>during</em> her lifetime. Yet she is ... Show More
1h 13m
Jun 2023
Ep. 62 - Helen Frankenthaler's "Madame Butterfly" (2000)
Splotches, spills, and stains. They can evoke shapes, moods, energy, even music. Yet no one seemed to appreciate their very beauty with the same intuitive, delicate flair as Helen Frankenthaler, who created something fiercely new "between cocktails and dinner," or, more accuratel ... Show More
27m 8s
Aug 2023
Frida Kahlo: Behind the Canvas
Frida Kahlo was a master of self portraits. Her uncompromising oil paintings, always deeply personal, dealt with identity, the human body and death. It wasn’t until after her own death that she was regarded as a revolutionary artist. In hindsight, it’s easy to see how The Two Fri ... Show More
47m 48s