Having taken up crochet again, I find myself in need of listening material. I think this results from my idea that if something goes wrong with what I’m crocheting then at least I’ll have done something other than spending 5 hours doing treble crochets only to revert them back into a skein of yarn. It’s not all doom and gloom, because listening to art podcasts whilst making has elevated my own creative projects greatly – such incredible inspiration! They provide a dose of intellectual stimulation whilst simultaneously being a joy to listen and naturally, highlight the importance that art in isolation can have.

It comes as no surprise that I should recommend The Great Women Artists, after having mentioned it briefly in my post on accessing art at home. Hosted by curator and art historian Katy Hessel, she interviews artists, curators, writers and creatives on the female artist or artists who mean the most to them. Delving into their art, as well as their life, often in a very personal vicinity, my particular favourite is the episode on Leonora Carrington (a surrealist icon!). I eagerly await every new release. It’s also worth browsing @thegreatwomenartists Instagram as well if you’re seeking everyday exposure to incredible female artists.

My picks:

• Joanna Moorhead on Leonora Carrington
• Jessie Burton on Frida Kahlo
• Olivia Laing on Chantal Joffe, Sarah Lucas and Ana Mendieta

Hosted by the wonderful Asyia Iftikhar and Manvir Dobb, the Audacious Aunties podcast delves into art outside the Western World. Not simply focusing on artists but poetry as well (which is unequivocally still an art form), these short insights into creative’s lives are well worth the listen; for both the girls’ comedic value and an insight into art that is often untold.

My picks:

• A discussion on the poet Audre Lorde
• On Leonora Carrington
• An insight into the artist Margaret Keane

Actor and art collector Robert Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament host Talk Art, a podcast spanning a whole range of art topics. From interviews with critics, artists and art lovers, I’ve found some of the topics I didn’t expect to be interesting, so interesting. I really enjoyed the episode with Jerry Saltz, an art critic who’s candid philosophy on the future of art after COVID as well as his unconventional route into the art world enthralling.

My picks:

• Jerry Saltz (QuarARTine special episode)
• Amoako Boafo (QuarARTine special episode)
• Maria Balshaw CBE (Director of the Tate) (QuarARTine special episode)

One of the most diverse art podcasts and one that I have scrolled back into the archives of is Art Matters. The topics discussed are so diverse, exploring the ways in which art meets culture as well as the unconventional manners in which art may express itself (think discussions in relation to the art of RuPaul’s Drag Race). The topics are such that there is something for every art lover.

My picks:

• Writing About Great Women Artists ft. Rebecca Morrill (on her book ‘Great Women Artists’)
• Virginia Woolf, Feminism and Women Painting Women ft. Laura Smith
• Decoding fashion in paintings ft. Amber Butchart

A recent find that aims to ‘return art history to the masses’ through its examination of one painting per episode is The Lonely Palette. Interviewing museum visitors on the piece before diving deeper into the intricacies of the painting as well as its social context, meaning and movement. It’s fascinating to learn more about great works that we often admire, but fail to know more about. If you like engaging in singular pieces of art, or want a springboard into well-known artists then this podcast is the one for you.

My picks:

• Frida Kahlo’s ‘Dos Mujeres (Salvadora y Herminia)’
• Katsushika Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa‘
• Carmen Herrera’s ‘Blanco y Verde (no. 1)’

Art Curious, a podcast that makes art seem like a game of find and seek; seeking out the slightly odd and unexpected aspects of the art world. From ‘the coolest artists you’ve never heard of’ to questioning ‘did Van Gogh really commit suicide?’, history is deeply entrenched within this podcast and I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an episode without doing further research after, although this is the case with most of the art podcasts I’ve listened to. This is a definite recommendation if you prefer the history behind art, or something a little different (think true crime meets art history in some episodes).

My picks:

• Shock Art: David’s The Death of Marat
• The Coolest Artists You Didn’t Know: Rosa Bonheur
• True Crime/Fine Art: Caravaggio the Murderer, and Murdered?

Please let me know if you have any other suggestions for podcasts, art or otherwise. The connection I’ve seemed to develop with art over quarantine has resulted from a distraction, both from the minute annoyances of crochet mistakes to the great issues we’re presently facing. It can be a great connector in its disassociation, as well as association, with the present climate and a catalyst for debate; inspired further by these podcasts.

lots of love, eleanor xx