“I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.” - Norman Rockwell
Whether arguing for soft versus hard taco shells or the Neo-Nazi right to march in Skokie, freedom of speech is a fundamental right we all enjoy as Americans. But it turns out that telling people that is pretty complicated, actually. Thank goodness we hav ... Show More
Apr 5
Ep. 69 - Yee Sookyung's "Translated Vase" (2011)
“It is not about fixing or mending, but about celebrating the vulnerability of the object and ultimately myself.” - Yee Sookyung
Shattered porcelain is impossible to repair. As impossible as fully, and accurately, reconstructing the past. But who needs that pressure? What if, ins ... Show More
23m 40s
Feb 2025
Ep. 68 - Felix Gonzalez-Torres' "Untitled (March 5th) #2" (1991)
"The only thing permanent is change." - Felix Gonzalez-Torres
There is no way around it. The work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a gay, Cuban-American artist who responded to - and died during - the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s, is sad. His work is a memorial, both to a lost gener ... Show More
31m 14s
Apr 2024
Distorted Forms: The Power of Grotesque Imagery - Episode 26
In this episode, we delve into the intriguing world of grotesque art, tracing its origins from the Roman grottoes to its profound impact on modern aesthetics. We explore how what began as whimsical, colorful decorations evolved into a broader artistic expression that encompasses ... Show More
32m 8s
May 2024
1130: Cy Twombly's Untitled (Say Goodbye Catullus, to the shores of Asia Minor) by Javier O. Huerta
Today’s poem is Cy Twombly's Untitled (Say Goodbye Catullus, to the shores of Asia Minor) by Javier O. Huerta. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “This week’s episodes are a special feature on ekphrasis – poems which engage with works of ... Show More
7m 7s
May 2022
Paper
Valentines, comic books, cigarette cards and more—all of these objects can be meaningful, but what does it mean to house them in a museum? Paper holds our memories, our stories, our fears, and our desires. How do conservators race against time to make them last? Enter the world o ... Show More
38m 35s
Sep 2024
1200: Lying My Head Off by Cate Marvin
Today’s poem is Lying My Head Off by Cate Marvin. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “One of the great feelings of aging is coming clean about my shortcomings. That honesty is an illuminating relief, because, as today’s surrealist poem sugges ... Show More
7m 14s
Aug 2024
1179: Nude by James Kelly Quigley
Today’s poem is Nude by James Kelly Quigley.
The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “I long to write poems of a mystical nature, where the wisdom of the ages is carried forth in new forms and phrases. Today’s brief poem, in its associative leaps, ... Show More
4m 39s