Your Art, Unlocked

Art UK

A new podcast series by Art UK about unexpected objects in museum collections.

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16 episodes
weekly
Avg 17 min
English

Episodes 16

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S3 · E3
Tuesday · 23 min
Masimba Hwati’s striking self portrait at Manchester Art Gallery
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, opera singer, visual artist and writer Peter Brathwaite visits Manchester Art Gallery to unlock an intriguing photograph by Masimba Hwati. The portrait is of a Black man and he’s wearing a stiff ruff and holding an African flywhisk. There's something ceremonial about it – a tintype black and white photograph that feels like it belongs to another century. But this is a contemporary artwork made in 2020. Join Peter as he chats to Fiona Corridan, Content Lead at Manchester Art Gallery, about what this work can tell us about identity, and hear from Masimba Hwati about how he was inspired by his father’s photographs and diaries from the 1960s. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let’s get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producers: Imelda Barnard and Maria Clara Montoya
S3 · E2
October 20 · 17 min
Helen Chadwick’s cube about childhood at Nottingham Castle
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, writer and art historian Lydia Figes visits Nottingham Castle to unlock a unique wooden sculpture by Helen Chadwick. On this wooden cube we catch glimpses of a woman’s body – in one image she’s crouched down, in another she’s wearing a white bra. The work, which belongs to a wider series charting the artist's childhood and early adulthood, is made more poignant because of Chadwick’s sudden and premature death at the age of 42. Join Lydia as she chats to Abigail Spinks, Curator of Fine and Decorative Art at Nottingham City Museums, about Chadwick’s feminist practice and the unique legacy she left behind. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let’s get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producers: Imelda Barnard and Maria Clara Montoya.
S3 · E1
October 13 · 26 min
John Constable’s copy of a Dutch landscape at Dulwich Picture Gallery, London
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked art historian and curator Nicola Moorby visits Dulwich Picture Gallery to uncover why the English artist John Constable copied a moody Dutch landscape by Jacob van Ruisdael. Join Nicola as she gets to grips with not one but two windmills, and hear from Jennifer Scott, the director of Dulwich Picture Gallery, about the subtle differences between these seemingly identical works. Painter Kate Giles also offers a contemporary perspective on how artists are influenced by those who have gone before. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let’s get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producers: Imelda Barnard and Maria Clara Montoya
S2 · E6
August 4 · 19 min
Alice Maher’s fragile frock at the Ulster Museum, Belfast
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, writer and critic Gemma Tipton visits the Ulster Museum in Belfast to unlock a sculpture by artist Alice Maher made using a very surprising material. Picture a small girl’s party dress. It isn’t frilly or fancy. There is, maybe, something a little 1950s about it. There are no sequins or cartoon unicorns on this frock. Instead, it is made entirely of bees. Now that you know this, are you thinking about honey or about stings? Join Gemma as she chats to Alice about her fascination with bees and her interest in women’s bodies, and listen to Anna Liesching, Curator of Art at the Ulster Museum, explain the challenges of looking after this fragile object. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producers: Imelda Barnard and Maria Clara Montoya Music credits: Bumblebee by Art Flower, Free Music Archive (CC0 1.0)
S2 · E5
July 28 · 15 min
Japanese woodblock prints at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, journalist, author and editor Holly E. J. Black visits Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery to unlock a remarkable collection of Japanese prints that transport us to Japan’s ‘floating world’. The extremely popular collection of Japanese ukiyo-e at Blackburn includes intricate, colourful woodblocks by the likes of master artists Hiroshige and Hokusai. But how did hundreds of these prints end up in a town in Lancashire? Holly tries to answer this question by talking to Anthea Purkis, Curator of Art at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery, who tells us about the origins of the collection, while printmaker Adrian Holmes gives some sense of the detailed work that goes into making a woodblock print. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producers: Imelda Barnard and Maria Clara Montoya
S2 · E4
July 21 · 20 min
Nina Saunders’ decorative dustpan at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, art historian, writer and educator Melissa Baksh visits Pallant House Gallery in Chichester to unlock a subversive sculpture by artist Nina Saunders. This object resembles a dustpan but it’s covered in a rich red and gold fabric, and it appears soft rather than sturdy. It feels both familiar and strange – but what exactly is it and what era does it belong to? Turns out it has a lot to do with the Victorian designer William Morris and his belief that ordinary household objects should be both useful and beautiful. Melissa talks to Nina about her love of Morris and why she can't stop transforming furniture, while Miriam O’Connor Perks, curator at Pallant House Gallery, explains how this unsettling sculpture came about. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producers: Imelda Barnard and Maria Clara Montoya Music credits: Gitano Waltz by Art Flower, Free Music Archive (CC0 1.0)
S2 · E3
July 14 · 18 min
Anya Paintsil’s tactile textile at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, artist and researcher Adéọlá Dewis visits the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea to unlock a very personal work by Welsh and Ghanaian artist Anya Paintsil. The background of this unusual portrait looks to be made from a rug and there’s an image of a figure stitched together using different fabrics and materials – including real hair. The sitter isn't a well-known person but instead a member of the artist's family, and she's crying, holding a toy duck! Join Adéọlá as she chats to Karen MacKinnon, Curator at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, about how Anya’s work challenges Welsh identity and hear Anya herself explain the thinking behind her tactile, tapestry-like creations. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp Music credits: Pacing, Ketsa, Free Music Archive (CC BY 4.0); Ketsa, Kinship, Free Music Archive (CC BY 4.0); Gagmesharkoff, Downpour, Free Music Archive (CC BY 4.0); Ketsa, No One Asked Free Music Archive (CC BY 4.0)
S2 · E2
July 7 · 19 min
Laura Ford’s pensive cat at the University of Warwick Art Collection
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, curator and art historian Natalie Rudd visits the campus at the University of Warwick to unlock a puzzling outdoor sculpture by Laura Ford. This is a hybrid creature, part human, part cat. What is it doing here and why does it look so preoccupied? Join Natalie as she tries to answer these questions by chatting to Sarah Shalgosky, Principal Curator at the University of Warwick, and Laura herself, who explains the origins of this strange creature – and her wider love of children’s stories. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp Music credits: Dances and Dames, Kevin Macleod, Free Music Archive (CC BY 3.0); Backed Vibes Clean, Kevin Macleod, Free Music Archive (CC BY 3.0)
S2 · E1
June 30 · 17 min
John Duncan Fergusson’s whirling nudes at the Hunterian, Glasgow
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, writer and broadcaster Damian Barr visits the Hunterian in Glasgow to unlock a very large and very naked painting by Scottish painter John Duncan Fergusson. Join Damian as he gets to grips with Fergusson's six dancing figures and listen to Anne Dulau, Art Curator at the Hunterian, tell us about the influence of Paris on this famous Scottish Colourist. But more importantly, find out how many bums you can fit in one picture! This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
S1 · E6
June 16 · 21 min
Matt Smith’s cheeky ceramic at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, arts educator, learning officer and curator Jon Sleigh visits the Walker Art Gallery to unlock a cheeky ceramic piece by Matt Smith. Two figures are linked together, one wearing a dress and one trousers. But look closely and you'll see that they are both sporting the most indulgent mutton chop sideburns! The two figures are in fact male presenting – the work was made to mark the 2013 UK marriage equality act. Jon talks to Matt about queer representation and his love of camp, while Charlotte Keenan, Head of the Walker Art Gallery, explains how Matt's work prompted her to radically rethink the Walker's own collection. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
S1 · E5
June 9 · 17 min
Megan Watts Hughes’ Voice Figures at Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, curator, facilitator and artist support worker, Steph Roberts visits Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery in Merthyr Tydfil to unlock an unusual series of visual sound works by singer and scientist Megan Watts Hughes. Megan’s ‘Voice Figures’ were made in the nineteenth century using glass plates, powders and coloured pastes. But the secret ingredient? The human voice. In her quest to discover more about these pioneering works, Steph talks to Rob Mullender Ross about how Megan recorded her voice, while contemporary sound artist Cheryl Beer reveals the impact the Voice Figures has had on her own work. At Cyfarthfa, Michelle Lewis details how these fragile works entered the collection. So what does the human voice look like? Let’s find out! This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
S1 · E4
June 2 · 12 min
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's enigmatic portrait at The Box Plymouth
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, arts journalist and writer Precious Adesina unlocks a quietly subversive work by British painter Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. Against a loosely painted background, a woman in a green jumper looks away from the viewer. Who is she and why isn’t she looking at us? Hear Precious explain how Lynette’s paintings are based on fictional figures, and listen to Rhys Morgan, curator at The Box, tell us about how this work fits into a wider history of portraiture. What's more, find out how Lynette's spontaneous approach is inspired by the improvisational rhythm of jazz. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
S1 · E3
May 26 · 18 min
F. E. McWilliam's Chocolate Soldier at F. E. McWilliam Gallery and Studio
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, art dealer and art historian Dickon Hall visits the F. E. McWilliam Gallery and Studio in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, to unlock a surreal, headless sculpture by Frederick Edward McWilliam. As curator Dr Riann Coulter explains, McWilliam used many found objects in his work, including things we might think of as rubbish. Chocolate Soldier (1977) was in fact cast from the insides of a chocolate box, so this is no ordinary military figure. What does an old chocolate box have to do with art? Quite a lot actually! This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
S1 · E2
May 18 · 16 min
Donald Urquhart’s Scottish alphabet at Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, writer and lecturer Shane Strachan unlocks a playful print by Scottish artist Donald Urquhart in the collection of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums. Taking the form of an alphabet, the work challenges us to think about what or who represents Scotland – the Loch Ness Monster perhaps, or Irn Bru and Sean Connery? Hear from Griffin Coe, Art Curator at Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums, who tells Shane not to be fooled by the simplicity of an Urquhart print – there’s a lot of personality and wit hiding inside! This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
S1 · E1
May 12 · 16 min
Jann Haworth's soft sculpture at Wolverhampton Art Gallery
In this episode of Your Art, Unlocked, writer and curator Ruth Millington visits Wolverhampton Art Gallery to unlock a curious work by the American artist Jann Haworth. Hear Ruth talk to Jann about soft sculpture and sexism, and listen to senior curator Sanna Moore explain the importance of this 1962 work to Wolverhampton's unrivalled Pop art collection. But more importantly, find out what donuts have to do with modern art… This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let's get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK and supported by Bloomberg Connects. Producer: Imelda Barnard Sound editor: Chris Sharp
May 5 · 1 min
Your Art, Unlocked: Trailer
What’s a soft sculpture? How do you make art using your voice? And do you need to paint a real person for it to count as a portrait? Find out in Your Art, Unlocked, a new podcast that brings to life some unexpected objects in museum collections. Join our six hosts as they visit the UK’s museums and galleries to unlock some surprising art treasures. This is your art in your museums and galleries, so let’s get to know it a little better. Your Art, Unlocked is produced by Art UK, the online home of the UK’s public art collection. This podcast is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture platform that provides access to over 1,300 museums, galleries and cultural spaces around the world.

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