Banksy first appeared on the scene in Bristol in the early 90s, working principally as a freestyle artist. According to Kelly Grovier, Banksy experienced a breakthrough moment after being chased by Transport Police while attempting to create a 'late again' tag for commuters. This led him to adopt stencilling as his primary technique, allowing him to produce more elaborate works from the safety of home. Stencilling soon became Banksy signature style, helping him to create impactful pieces quickly, often hidden in plain sight
In this episode, Grovier – cultural critic, writer and author of 'How Banksy Saved Art History' – dissects Banksy’s engagement with art history and his deep, often hidden commentary on contemporary issues. Grovier goes on to highlight Banksy's ability to reinvigorate classic works, such as the Mona Lisa with an AK-47, and Degas' ballerina with a gas mask. He also emphasizes Banksy's ephemeral style and the temporary nature of his street art, which adds to its impact.
1 May 2024
Podcast: The boundless imagination of Eileen Agar
In this episode, artist Olivia Fraser offers a personal glimpse inside the incandescent life and art of her great aunt Eileen Agar, a pioneering figure in Surrealism.
At once a painter, collagist, photographer, sculptor, hatmaker and more, Eileen Agar moved fluidly between what she called ‘the different facets of my artistic personality’. Her long and vibrant life spanned Buenos Aires, Paris and London, and was enriched by friendships and relationships with other major cultural figures, including Paul Nash, Lee Miller, Henry Moore, Man Ray, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Ezra Pound.
In this podcast episode, artist Olivia Fraser remembers Agar as an insatiably imaginative figure whose kaleidoscopic studio was its own work of art. Olivia shares how beachcombing was a powerful source of inspiration for Agar, and how themes of chance and coincidence played into her work. Living through two World Wars, Agar retained an incredible resilience and an innate capacity for joy. She had, in Olivia’s words, an ability ‘to see the surreal in everything’.
Out now, 'A Look at My Life' is a new edition of Eileen Agar’s life story in her own words.
1 Dec 2023
Podcast: Collaboration: A Potential History of Photography
In this episode, Wendy Ewald, Susan Meiselas and Laura Wexler - three of the co-authors of 'Collaboration: A Potential History of Photography' – delve behind the scenes of their groundbreaking book, exploring the genesis of the project and its ambitious aim. They offer up an alternative understanding of photography as something that is inherently collaborative, and explore the countless complex relationships between photographer, subject, viewer, camera and more.
This wide-ranging conversation spotlights a revolutionary experiment in portraiture by Frederick Douglass, questions the fixed nature of history, and celebrates where ‘the human spirit collaborates with the camera’.
'Collaboration' is also co-authored by Ariella Aïsha Azoulay and Leigh Raiford.
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