Art Matters

Art historian and presenter Kate Bryan shares some of the artist's love stories from her book 'The Art of Love'.

Map Librarian Nick Millea discuss the history of map-making and the artists who have explored maps as a subject.

Head Curator at the London Transport Museum Matt Brosnan takes us on a journey through the history of London Transport poster designs.

Artist and food historian Tasha Marks discusses the history and symbolism of food in art.

Historian Rebecca Rideal talks through artworks and illustrations to show explain how fires, plague and war made 1666 one of the most dramatic years in British history.

Psychoanalyst Vanessa Sinclair explains how Freud and psychoanalysis inspired the art of the Surrealists.

Michele Bogart discusses the relationship between artists and ad design since the late nineteenth century.

We speak to Director of Chisenhale Gallery Zoé Whitley about her work co-curating the 'Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power' exhibition and art in the context of Black Lives Matter.

We speak to David Bownes to learn about the history of British railway poster artists and how poster designs developed over the twentieth century.

Writer and classicist James Cahill gives an introduction to mythological themes in art.

Raissa Bretaña tells us how costume designers look to art history to inspire the fashions for films set across history.

We speak to Giovanni Aloi to discover why animals have inspired artists for thousands of years.

Director of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Kim Sajet discusses the origins of the gallery and presidential portraits. (Part 2)

Director of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Kim Sajet discusses the origins of the gallery and presidential portraits. (Part 1)

Tarot expert Rachel Pollack discusses the origins of tarot cards and how artists have engaged with tarot iconography since the 15th century.

We took a trip to the Bank of England to find out about the new J. M. W. Turner £20 note and how money is designed. Guests include Chief Cashier Sarah John, Bank of England Museum Curator Jenni Adam, and banknote designer Debbie Marriott.

We speak to Anna Jamieson about early representations of mental illness in art and how this has developed over the centuries.

Animation critic and historian Charles Solomon tells the story of early Disney cartoons and how fine art inspired the films we've come to love.

We dive into the story of vaginas and vulvas in art with the help of Sarah Creed, curator of the newly-opened Vagina Museum in London.

Take a mental journey to the moon with this discussion on how our lunar companion has influenced artists across centuries.

Caroline A. Jones gives a history of the origins of the world's fair and how art factored into displays industry and innovation.

We speak to Bendor Grosvenor, co-host of 'Britain's Lost Masterpieces' to discuss the latest series.

Discover the story of the museum and cultural professionals who joined the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program during the Second World War to help protect heritage sites and cultural objects. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-monuments-men-and-preserving-art-during-war

We discuss the long history of depicting witches in prints and painting with artist and art historian Deanna Petherbridge.

Michael Ohajuru discusses the journey of the presence of black figures in European art history.

Discover the history behind the UK's (possibly the world's?) online Sculpture Town with guest Kate Harding. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-harlow-the-sculpture-town

Jon Sleigh draws connections between beauty and power across art history.

There’s a new film out titled Mrs. Lowry and Son telling the story of beloved Mancunian artist L. S. Lowry and his relationship with his mother. The film is directed by Adrian Noble, while Lowry is played by Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave plays his mum, Elizabeth. I had a chat with Adrian about the relationship between the artist and his mother, and Adrian’s visual inspiration for the film.

We chat to Rebecca Morril, the Commissioning Editor (Art) at Phaidon, about the new book 'Great Women Artists', which highlights over 400 women artists across 500 years. We dive into why now was the right time to publish this book and the importance of continuing to sharing women's stories. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-writing-about-great-women-artists

Art historian Peter Vergo explains how music theory and mathematical ratios inspired artists for centuries as they aspired to elevate the status of visual art. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-music-theory-maths-and-elevating-visual-art

This episode explores the history of stamps and the stamp design process, featuring guests Paul Skinner, Lead Curator for Philatelic Collections at the British Library, and Antonio Acala, Art Director for the U. S. Postal Service. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-art-of-stamp-design

Architecture & Design Collection Specialist at the MoMA Paul Galloway talks us through the history of emoji and how the Museum of Modern Art came to add them to their design collection. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-story-of-emoji

We speak to Klemens Ludwig, astrologer and author of the book 'Astrology in Art', about the long history of astrology and how artists have engaged with the signs and symbols of the zodiac. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-decoding-astrology-in-art

Curator and author of the book 'Eroticism & Art' Dr Alyce Mahon discusses the subject of eroticism in western art. We find out how to look beyond iconography like nude figures to find ideas around sexuality and love. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-lets-talk-about-erotic-art

Uncover the stories of the artists behind classic Ladybirds Books children's readers like 'Peter and Jane', and find out how the First and Second World Wars influenced the development of the publishing house. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-artists-of-classic-ladybird-books

Dr Michael Newton to guides us through the magical world of fairy tales so we can explore how the stories have inspired artists and writers since the seventeenth century.

Ahead of the 2019 Met Gala themed on 'camp', curator Zorian Clayton helps explain the origins of the camp aesthetic, how it's developed and where to look for it within fine art. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-an-introduction-to-the-camp-aesthetic

We sit down for chat with actor and art collector Russell Tovey. Surrounded by some of the beautiful pieces in his collection, we discussed his ever-growing passion for art, the new 'Talk Art' podcast, which artist he’d love to paint his portrait and, of course, his gorgeous French bulldog Rocky, who’s a star in his own right. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-talking-art-with-russell-tovey

We speak to Anna Fineman and Sally Booth from the charity VocalEyes to learn about how blind and partially sighted people engage with visual art materials and institutions. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-how-blind-and-partially-sighted-people-engage-with-visual-art

This week we speak to Zing Tsjeng, UK editor for Broadly and author of the 'Forgotten Women' series, about how women's contributions can get lost in history and discuss some brilliant women artists you may not have heard of. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-forgotten-women-artists

Step into the Technicolour world of polychromy as we speak to Cecilie Brøns, Senior Researcher at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, about colour classical sculptures from Ancient Greece and Rome.

We speak to Head of Art on the Underground, Eleanor Pinfield, to find out the long history of the Tube's collaborations with artists and see what has the team 'on edge' in 2019. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-art-on-the-underground

Time travel back to the 1950s with us as we look into the history of the paint by number craze with our guest, William L. Bird, Jr. Find out how the art hobby became so popular, inspiring artists like Warhol and Damien Hirst. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-history-of-paint-by-number

We speak to John Holmes about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's use of scientific methods in their art practice. What was the extent of their relationship with science, and how can we see their work in a new context if we re-examine it through this lens? https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-pre-raphaelites-relationship-with-science

We speak to author and Historical Consultant for the award-winning BBC series 'Horrible Histories', Greg Jenner about weird and wonderful Christmas cards from the Victorian era. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-weird-dark-and-wonderful-victorian-christmas-cards

We speak to art crime specialist Noah Charney on lost art, stolen paintings and why art crimes are the third highest grossing criminal trade behind drug and arms dealing. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-lost-art-forgeries-and-the-theft-of-the-mona-lisa

We speak to Jaleen Grove – artist and researcher in the history of illustration – about fine artists who've illustrated books, and why there's historically been a distinction been artists and illustrators. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-artists-as-book-illustrators

We chat with writer and self-proclaimed Alfred Hitchcock geek, Joel Gunz, about Alfred Hitchcock’s deep love of art and the ways the director worked with artists to incorporate fine art references in his iconic films. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-how-alfred-hitchcock-created-artful-suspense

We speak with curator Bee Tajudeen and artist Rosa Uddoh about what #blackgirlmagic means and what it means to be a black woman working in art.

We speak with Katy Barrett, Curator of Art Collections at the Science Museum, London, about how the Science Museum Group incorporates art into its collection and exhibitions. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-art-in-the-science-museum

We talk to Corrie and Natalie from the Art History Babes podcast about the pop culture phenomenon, RuPauls Drag Race. We discuss the ‘Pop Art Ball’ episode of the series, the shows creative queens, and touch on some of the overlaps between the worlds of drag and art. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-art-of-rupauls-drag-race

As the third series of the BBC series 'Britain's Lost Masterpieces' comes to a close, I sat down with presenter Dr Bendor Grosvenor to discuss the paintings featured in the three episodes, and to get some behind-the-scenes insight into how the show is put together. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-finding-britains-lost-masterpieces

There's a touring exhibition called 'Virginia Woolf: An Exhibition Inspired by Her Writings' exploring art through the lens of Virginia Woolf's work. We speak to the curator of the exhibition, Laura Smith, about the exhibition, feminism, and women artists' representation of self. We also catch up with contemporary artist, Venetia Berry, to get her perspective on female nudes in art history. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-virginia-woolf-feminism-and-women-painting-women

In this episode, we speak with self-proclaimed mermaid hunter, Sacha Coward, about the connections between the queer community and mythological creatures. We discuss how some of these connections came about, origins of The Little Mermaid, and where to look for these mythical creatures within art and heritage. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-mermaids-and-mythical-creatures-in-art-and-the-queer-community

This week, we have a conversation with Emily VanDerWerff, critic at large for Vox, discussing the iconic series, 'The Simpsons', and how the cartoon has used art as a way to deepen conversations around pop culture and 20th C Americana. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-the-simpsons-art-and-capturing-20th-century-america

In this special episode, we look at Beyoncé and Jay Z's recently released video for 'APESH**T'. Set in the Louvre and filled with some of the most famous art in the world, the video feels like an ode to the history of art. We discuss the cultural impact of the video and how Beyoncé has been building up to this artistic moment for over a decade. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-when-beyonce-goes-apest

How have paintings played a part in medical education? How has our approach to treating illness changed over time? And why are there so many paintings of physicians examining urine? This week’s guest, Dr Jack Hartnell, tells us about why medieval medicine doesn’t deserve its bad rap, the role art played in practising medicine, and how human anatomy was considered so important to artists that it was taught at the Royal Academy of Art. This episode's guest: Dr Jack Hartnell is an art history lecturer at the University of East Anglia and author of the new book Medieval Bodies: Life, Death and Art in the Middle Ages. His book is published with the Wellcome Collection, and is an exploration of the ways in which people thought about medicine and the human body in the medieval period. In addition to studies in medical imagery, his medieval research explores cultural exchanges during the period between Europe and the Middle East. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/a-surgeon-letting-blood-from-a-womans-arm-and-a-physician-examining-a-urine-flask-125864 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/an-operator-making-an-incision-behind-the-ear-of-a-seated-patient-125987 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/a-vergers-dream-saints-cosmas-and-damian-performing-a-miraculous-cure-by-transplantation-of-a-leg-126111 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/a-standing-dissected-man-posterior-view-with-separate-sections-of-the-brain-125906 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/william-hunter-17181783-192542 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/a-physician-with-a-urine-sample-141796

Why did the Futurists want Italians to stop eating pasta? Would you try Henri Toulouse-Lautrec sheep’s feet recipe? On this episode we discuss the relationship between art and food via creative cookbooks by artists and chefs. Discover some famous artists who have dabbled in gastronomy and determine whether you would be brave enough to try their recipes. Cookbooks discussed: 'The Futurists Cookbook' by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti 'The Art of Cuisine' by Henri de-Toulouse-Lautrec and Maurice Joyant 'Cooking for Artists' by Mina Stone 'Food for Thought' by Ferran Adria, edited by Richard Hamilton 'Wild Raspberries' by Andy Warhol and Suzie Frankfurt This episode's guest: Cedar is an artist, writer, and curator who frequently explores the crossover between art and gastronomy. He’s worked with institutions like Tate and the British Council, and also taught classes on the history of food and art for the Royal Academy. He’s currently curator of a three-year project, Outside The Cube, for HangarBicocca foundation in Milan. Images: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O136797/reine-de-joie-poster-toulouse-lautrec-henri/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/hamburger-229855/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/dancer-ballerina-sea-132976 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/towards-a-definitive-statement-on-the-coming-trends-in-mens-wear-and-accessories-a-together-let-us-explore-the-stars-199110/

Have you ever thought much about the politics of fashion? How can paintings help us understand the social context of fashion throughout history? Is the woman in the famous Arnolfini portrait pregnant or does her dress make it appear that way? This week we chat with Amber Butchart, fashion historian and host of BBC’s ‘Stitch in Time’ series, about the hidden meanings we can glean from the fashions in paintings. This episode's guest: Amber Butchart is a fashion historian exploring the intersections between dress, politics and culture. She began her career as the Head Buyer for Beyond Retro, where she also helped establish their print and design archive. Amber went on to presented the six-part BBC series ‘A Stitch in Time’ wherein she explored the stories of figures in paintings via the clothing they wore. She’s also written four books on fashion for the British Library, Thames & Hudson, and the Octopus Publishing Group on nautical fashion, fashion in film, and fashion illustration. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/called-john-rose-16191677-the-royal-gardener-presenting-a-pineapple-to-king-charles-ii-16301685-217099 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/portrait-of-giovanni-arnolfini-and-his-wife-115018/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/la-belle-iseult-117726/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/study-for-the-private-view-1881-231652/

Painting and pigments are intimately connected, but have you ever given much thought to artists’ historical relationship with colour? Yves Klein had his blue and Malevich loved black; the Impressionists formed an entire movement around light and colour. On this episode, we speak with artist Stuart Semple (creator of the pinkest pink and blackest black acrylic paints commercially available) about artists’ love of colour and how he went about making his colouriest colour collection. This episode's guest: Stuart Semple is an innovative artist whose work has been shown at galleries in New York, London and Hong Kong. He first garnered notice in 2009 through his project ‘HappyCloud’ in which he released thousands of smiley-faced soap clouds from Tate Modern. He curated an exhibition in 2011 at the Old Vic Tunnels featuring works by Tracey Emin, Matt Collishaw, himself and others to support mental health, and in 2016 he released his pinkest pink pigment for sale online to ALMOST any artist. He has since released a yellowiest yellow, greenest green, loveliest blue, and very black black as well. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/sunflowers-115371/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-supper-at-emmaus-115858/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/almanac-117788/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/dynamic-suprematism-supremus-117758/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/pont-de-londres-charing-cross-bridge-london-218566/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/andre-derain-200726/

The Met Gala is one of the biggest cultural events of the season, seeing the collision of art, celebrity and fashion. Ahead of the gala, we sit down with the ladies of Tabloid Art History to discuss the history of the event, which celebrities to watch out for, and this year’s theme of ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’. Why is Catholic imagery so inspirational for artists, and how can you decode some of the religious references in fashion and art? This episode's guests: Listen to our previous episode with Tabloid Art History discussing celebrity culture. Tabloid Art History was created by Elise Bell, Chloe Esslemont and Mayanne Soret in November 2016, and has built a community of over 40,000 followers over the last year. They’ve been featured in Vanity Fair, Dazed, Vogue, i-D and Vox. They also produce a zine looking at the intersection of pop culture and art history. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/adam-and-eve-207100/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/saint-jerome-as-cardinal-115159/

Are artists obsessed with redheads? Would your hairstyle be considered sexually suggestive in the past? We chat with Rachael Gibson of the Instagram account @thehairhistorian about hair trends in art history from the Egyptians to present, and decode some of the hidden messaging behind some hairstyles in art. This episode's guest: Rachael is a freelance hair editor, working for hair brands including Schwarzkopf Professional and Mastered, where she creates their online session styling courses with Guido and Sam McKnight. She also runs the Instagram account @thehairhistorian, where she explores her love for art history and hair history. Rachael studied Fashion Design at Manchester Metropolitan University and also obtained an MA in Fashion Journalism from the London College of Fashion. Previously she worked as web editor for Hairdressers Journal International – the online home of the 135-year-old title Hairdressers Journal – and was also editor at the Scissorhands Media portfolio of consumer hair titles. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-cholmondeley-ladies-117741/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/sancta-lilias-201561/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/eve-tempted-206097/ https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/combing-the-hair-la-coiffure-114482 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/no-1-dressing-room-150657/

Why can some people taste words? Do you see colours while listening music? What is synaesthesia, and where does it come from? Musicians like Pharrell Williams and Billy Joel have the condition; David Hockney has discussed having sound-colour synaesthesia, and Kandinsky and Van Gogh also experienced this phenomenon. This week we explore the fascinating neurological condition that connects two or more senses and ask how it can impact the way an artist creates. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-synaesthesia-in-art

Jay Z created a performance art piece with Marina Abramović and wrote a song called 'Picasso Baby'; Kanye West made a video inspired by a Vincent Desiderio painting. How – and why – have recent hip hop artists made extensive references to art in their music? This episode takes a look at how the relationship between art and hip hop has evolved, how graffiti art and hip hop grew up together, and why referencing Basquiat in a song may be about more than just status. This episode's guest: James Braxton Peterson is a writer. He is the author of several books, including: The Hip Hop Underground and African American Culture, Prison Industrial Complex for Beginners and Hip Hop Headphones: A Scholar’s Critical Playlist. He is also the founder of Hip Hop Scholars, Inc., an association of hip hop generational scholars dedicated to researching and developing the cultural and educational potential of hip hop, urban, and youth cultures. Peterson has written for Fortune.com, Newsweek.com, The Guardian, The LA Times, Reuters, and The Daily Beast. He is a media commentator and has appeared on MSNBC, Al-Jazeera, CNN, HLN, Fox News, and other networks as an expert on race, politics, and popular culture.

In this episode, we look at art that's skin-deep, displayed – not in galleries – but on the human body. Where does the history of tattooing meet the history of art? How have tattooed people been represented in paintings – and in the media? Why have some tattooers resisted the label of 'artist'? How did the fashion for Japanese prints among the Impressionists impact the world of tattooing? And who are the Da Vincis of the tattoo world? This episode's guest: Dr Matt Lodder is a lecturer in contemporary art and Director of American Studies at the University of Essex. His research primarily concerns the application of art-historical methods to the history of Western tattooing from the seventeenth century to the present day, with a focus on the professional era from the 1880s onwards. He has given invited lectures at venues including the V&A, the National Museum of Scotland, and the Museum of London. He has published academic papers in publications including Sculpture Journal and contributed forewords for over a dozen popular books on tattooing. He has contributed articles to the Royal Academy Magazine, History Today, The Guardian and others, and appeared on broadcast media across the globe. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/tattoo-artist-85336 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/ecce-homo-94341 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/blackgame-218477

On this episode of Art Matters, we speak with Katy Hessel, the woman behind the Instagram account, The Great Women Artists. We discuss how digital tools can help champion women artists, and how social platforms offer a voice to underrepresented communities. With this year marking 100 years since women began to gain voting rights in the UK, and International Women’s Day approaching on 8 March, it’s the perfect time to highlight and celebrate great, overlooked women artists. This episode's guest: Katy Hessel is the woman behind the Instagram-based blog @thegreatwomenartists. Having completed a BA in Art History at UCL in 2015, Katy began the account in October 2015 to highlight and celebrate female artists through daily posts. The women featured range from emerging artists to lesser-known women artists from the Baroque and Renaissance periods, as well as well-known female artists like Frida Kahlo. The Great Women Artists seeks to reinsert women back into the art historical narrative in an accessible way, and Katy has written this subject for numerous publications including i-D, It's Nice That, and Dazed. In November 2017, Katy curated her first exhibition, ‘The Great Women Artists: Women on Instagram’ at Mother London, showcasing a range of women artists who use Instagram as a platform for their artistic careers. Katy lives and works in London. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/in-spinster-salts-collection-231094 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/self-portrait-in-a-straw-hat-115310 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/cane-river-cotton-gin-40920

In the second episode of Art Matters, we’re talking to the creators of Tabloid Art History, a Twitter account that joins up the celebrity images of today with paintings from art history. We discuss how Lindsay Lohan gives off Caravaggio vibes; the artistic merit to be found in the Real Housewives of Atlanta; and how Lady Gaga and Beyoncé have used art historical images to promote themselves and their music. This episode's guests: Elise Bell, Chloe Esslemont and Mayanne Soret are the brains behind Tabloid Art History. TAH was created in November 2016 by University of Edinburgh students Elise and Chloe, has built a community of over 40,000 followers over the last year, and has been featured in Vanity Fair, Dazed, Vogue, i-D and Vox. In April 2017, the duo were commissioned an exhibition piece by art collective CWDT. They produced a zine looking at the intersection of pop culture and art history, through which Mayanne, a UCL graduate, joined the team. The zine sold over 180 copies worldwide, and is still available to read online for free through the website. In 2018, Tabloid Art History is extending to Instagram, and will work to produce more art history content to help democratise the subject. Images: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-virgin-of-guadalupe-126418 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/marilyn-diptych-117797 https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/joan-collins-158768

We talk to Dr Justin Bengry about queer culture and art history. Dr Bengry is a Lecturer in Queer History at Goldsmiths, University of London and convenor of the first MA in Queer History. 2017 marked 50 years since the beginning of decriminalisation of male homosexuality in the United Kingdom. It also saw Tate Britain put on a landmark exhibition, ‘Queer British Art’, looking at the impact queer culture and people have had on the art world: from Simeon Solomon through to the Bloomsbury Group, up to the work of Francis Bacon and David Hockney. We talk about coded expressions of queer identity – from when it was still illegal through to today – artists who challenged gender norms, and how more informed attitudes towards gender and sexual identity today impact the way that we approach the discussion of art. https://artuk.org/discover/stories/art-matters-podcast-queer-culture