Lean back into an audial world of art history and art futures with our pick of inspiring culture and art podcasts. From the personal anecdotes and witty repartee of art advocate Russell Tovey's Talk Art, to meetings of creative minds in Chanel Connects, the conversations start here.
Chanel Connects
Now in its fourth season, Chanel Connects pairs the best minds in the creative landscape to delve into the future of film, art, dance, music and far beyond. Some featured figures are old friends; others are meeting for the first time, and all are trailblazers across their respective fields. Spearheaded by Chanel Arts & Culture, season two sees photographer Misan Harriman and artist Kehinde Wiley unpack ‘Myth Making’, while actor Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and musician Grimes go deep ‘Into the Metaverse’, and artist Anicka Yi discusses what makes us human with filmmaker John Akomfrah. The most recent season of the podcast went behind the scenes at the Venice Biennale to meet the artists and thinkers shaping culture today.
The Art World: What if...?
From the team behind Hope & Dread – another art pod we love – comes 'What If...? Hosted by art advisor Allan Schwartzman and art journalist, Charlotte Burns, the episodes asks museum leaders, collectors and artists; what if we reimagined everything in culture? Expect big thinking conversations with no boundaries, delivered with humour and wit.
Prix Pictet’s: A Lens on Sustainability
In Prix Pictet’s ‘A Lens on Sustainability’, creators and thinkers share ideas on photography’s relationship and responsibilities towards our world, positioning photography as an influential and responsive medium. The prize is positioned as the global award in photography and sustainability and episodes are themed accordingly: Power, Oceans, Workspace, Food, and Regeneration, featuring on-location interviews and panel discussions. Featuring the likes of Don McCullin, Hannah Starkey, Sebastião Salgado and Taryn Simon, this is an innovative look at contemporary issues through an ever-evolving field.
Are We On Air?
The inner lives of artists; it’s a constant subject of fascination and mystery. Music has long been a means of charting lives and anchoring memories and forms the foundation of the podcast Are We On Air?, created by music curator Arman Naféei. His guests – as star-studded as they are varied – span the intersecting worlds of music, art, film, design and science. Seasons one and two welcomed the likes of Michèle Lamy, Dua Lipa and Marina Abramović. The final episodes of 2024 featured an equally eclectic mix of artists and voices including Willem Defoe, Alexa Chung and Sir Paul Smith
Intersections: The Art Basel podcast
Spanning art, architecture, music, fashion, design, literature, the new podcast by art fair Art Basel offers listeners access to the voices at the forefront of the creative industries. Presented by UBS, bi-weekly episodes will be hosted by Marc Spiegler, Art Basel’s global director who will invite industry-leading guests to take part in one-on-one conversations. The podcast launched with renowned Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye, and another with producer, rapper and collector Kasseem Dean, aka Swizz Beatz. Other guests have included Lisa Spellman, Kim Gordon and Pamela Joyner.
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Creative Characters
Creative Characters by font and technology specialists Monotype goes behind the typeface to share stories of those shaping the future of design and creative culture. The bi-monthly series features experts across the creative industries who delve into the evolution of design and offer tips for navigating a career in the field. The launch comes after Monotype unveiled ‘Up and Coming’, a series spotlighting new and upcoming voices in the world of typography. Guests so far have included Scott Starrett, co-founder and Principal of NYC design firm Tandem and James Sommerville, lettering artist Jenna Blazevich and James Sommerville co-founder of Known_Unknown and former VP of global design the Coca-Cola Company.
This Being Human
This Being Human explores the global, kaleidoscopic experiences of contemporary Muslim life through the lens of arts and culture. Conceived by Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum and hosted by journalist and educator Abdul-Rehman Malik, the podcast aims to amplify cultural luminaries who are redefining what it means to be Muslim today. So far, the podcast has seen interviews with the likes of Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and art collector and founder of the Sharjah-based Barjeel Art Foundation Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi.
Talk Art
This is a podcast with one core goal: to make art accessible. Talk Art was founded in 2018 by actor and avid art collector Russell Tovey and gallerist and former electro-pop band frontman Robert Diament. Through witty, personal and anecdotal insight into the lives of the hosts and their guests, listeners can navigate the important themes and the curiosities of the art world and its relationship to contemporary society. As for the guests, it’s unsurprisingly a world-class, cross-disciplinary roster: from Alice Rawsthorn, Paul Smith and Vik Muniz, to Tracey Emin and Edward Enninful. Now a global sensation, the podcast offers all the familial tone of zesty enthusiasts relishing the opportunity to exercise their infectious passion for art. Talk Art: Everything you wanted to know about contemporary art but were afraid to ask, published by Ilex Press.
The Great Women Artists
The Great Women Artists Podcast, as its name suggests, is a jubilant, varied and insightful celebration of pioneering women in art. Founded by London-based art historian and curator Katy Hessel, the podcast was created off the back of The Great Women Artists Instagram account and invites curators, writers, artists and art enthusiasts to discuss the female trailblazers who have inspired them. From deep-diving into war photographer Lee Miller’s career to interviews with leading female contemporary artists including Cecily Brown, Cornelia Parker and Shirin Neshat, the platform highlights how women, past and present, have shaped visual culture. Season five kicked off with the ‘Legends’ series, which promises episodes on painters Helen Frankenthaler and Pauline Boty and an interview with American painter and mixed-media artist Howardena Pindell.
The Messy Truth
Setting out to bring the mysterious inner workings of the photography industry into open conversation, writer and photo director Gem Fletcher launched The Messy Truth art podcast in 2019. Following acclaim from both photographers and the wider creative community, Fletcher has now launched the fourth season, beginning with Farah Al Qasimi then Quil Lemons. Laia Abril is a recent guest, with Ekow Eshun, Coco Capitan and more to come. In the meantime, we recommend exploring previous seasons for conversations with the likes of Carmen Winant, Antwaun Sargent and Eva O’Leary as they discuss visual culture and what it means to be a photographer today. Fletcher sums it up as ‘a framework to explore, share, question and debate and most importantly embolden curiosity’.
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Six Indian artists reframe the ladies compartment of a Mumbai local trainAn exhibition by Method (India) at Galerie Melike Bilir in Hamburg explores a gendered space
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Frank Lloyd Wright’s The Fountainhead – a shining example of Usonian design – is now on the marketThis quintessential Wright home – built in a vibrant mid-century neighbourhood – was named after a novel inspired by the architect
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The best over-ear headphones, tested by expertsThis round up of the best over-ear headphones reveals how leading products from Apple, Bose, Focal, Sennheiser, and Sony matched up when we put them to the test
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Ceramic artists: top trail-glazers breaking the mouldA way with clay: discover the contemporary ceramic artists firing up a new age for the medium
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The best art gifts for the creative in your lifeGet inspired with our ongoing guide to the best art gifts
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10 best art exhibitions to see in 2023, picked by Wallpaper* arts editor Harriet Lloyd-SmithTo usher in the new year, Wallpaper’s arts editor Harriet Lloyd-Smith highlights the best art exhibitions to see in 2023, and there’s a lot to look forward to
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Veronica Ryan wins the 2022 Turner PrizeVeronica Ryan, the artist who honoured the Windrush generation, has been named winner of the 2022 Turner Prize in a ceremony held in Liverpool
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Textile artists: the pioneers of a new material worldThese contemporary textile artists are weaving together the rich tapestry of fibre art in new ways
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The Audley: a first look inside Artfarm’s new art-filled Mayfair pubFor its first London project, hospitality company Artfarm has given new life to the 18th-century Audley Public House which opens today in Mayfair. We offer a first look inside the new pub, which is a hub for history, community, hospitality and world-class contemporary art
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At home with Daniel ArshamSpeaking from New York, prolific pan-creative Daniel Arsham discusses dream collaborators, Star Wars, and advice for the next generation, and shares images of his work, travels and home on Long Island
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At home with Russell ToveyCelebrated actor, art advocate and podcaster, Russell Tovey talks to Wallpaper* about emerging artists, queer art, his hopes for the Talk Art franchise, and his ongoing collaborations with artist Navot Miller
