Max Beckmann was a German painter born on February 12, 1884. While he is often associated with the expressionist movement, he actually rejected that label. He was a part of the New Objectivity movement which shared some similarities with expressionists, but while the expressionists sought to portray their inner self for the world to see, the new objectivity ... Show More
Today
Hahn v Duveen | The Case of the American Leonardo (encore)
An artist’s skillful application of paint will make an artwork good, but a good story makes that artwork great. In 2010, a painting went on auction at Sotheby’s and sold for $1.5 million and I would argue that price is not because of the image, or the artist, but rather the story ... Show More
14m 20s
Jan 2021
Art attacks & the new year
On this episode of Thick & Thin we are exploring the mysterious Stendhal Syndrome, AKA an “Art Attack” brought on from being exposed to objects, artworks, or phenomena of great beauty. Plus, I talk about what’s been going on in my life recently; a flooded apartment, a new foster ... Show More
47m 40s
Sep 30
A brush with… Wolfgang Tillmans
Wolfgang Tillmans talks to Ben Luke about his influences—from writers to musicians, film-makers and, of course, other artists—and the cultural experiences that have shaped his life and work. Tillmans, born in Remscheid, Germany, in 1968, has changed the history of photography. He ... Show More
1h 11m
May 2025
Go To the Artists Among Us
Kelly shares the remarkable story of Armia Khalil, a Metropolitan Museum of Art security guard with a secret talent. As a child, Armia played in the mud and created little sculptures by the Nile River. Years later, the artistic young man immigrated to the US with just $375 and a ... Show More
7m 30s
Oct 1
Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis: an interview with Dr. Valerie Steele
It's Freud x fashion this week as Dr. Valerie Steele joins us to speak about her exhibition Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis which is currently on view at The Museum at FIT through January 4, 2026. The exhibition--which is the first of its kind--explores "key ... Show More
57m 59s
Sep 12
Psychedelics and the structure of reality | Julian Baggini, Eileen Hall, and James Rucker
<p><strong>Truth, delusion and psychedelic reality</strong></p><p>Do psychedelics reveal hidden layers of reality, or are we simply tripping?</p><p>Psychedelics are back in the cultural zeitgeist, this time as a treatment for mental health issues. However, critics argue that psyc ... Show More
46m 51s
Aug 2024
Re-Air: Andrew Bolton, The Reanimator: Life, Death, and Sleeping Beauties at the Met
There is a lot to unpack—literally and figuratively—in the Metropolitan Museum’s Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” which closes on September 2.
It’s about nature and the cycle of life (and as it turns out, there is a lot about death). It also touches on chemistry, biology, ... Show More
38m 43s
Mar 2025
George the Poet on Music, Memory, and the War on Blackness (Part One)
George Mpanga, known as George the Poet, is seen by many as one of the UK’s most compelling voices in poetry, music, and social commentary.
Originally hailing from St Raphael’s Estate in Neasden, Mpanga has spent over a decade working at the intersection of art and politics ref ... Show More
26m 24s