For many, the enjoyment of visual art comes with an intimidation factor, as anxiety about “not getting it” can deter people from engaging at all. Similarly, even though studies show there are health benefits to creating art for its own sake, the fear that their talent tops out at drawing stick figures keeps a lot of people from picking up a sketchbook.
These six podcasts all seek to decode and democratize art, providing expert insight into art history, analysis of famous artworks and practical tips on cultivating an artistic habit of your own.
‘The Lonely Palette’
This podcast’s stated aim is to demystify art history and “return it to the masses,” one painting at a time. To that end, each episode begins with a montage of clips in which Tamar Avishai, an art historian, conducts off-the-cuff interviews with museum visitors, who share their impressions of famous paintings they’re standing in front of. Their insights drive home the point that you don’t need to be an expert to have meaningful things to say about art. Avishai then goes on to discuss the artwork’s creation and social context in depth, often with input from other art experts. Running the gamut from the Renaissance through to modern pop art, “The Lonely Palette” delivers accessible but detailed lessons with warmth and clarity.
Starter episode: “Sandro Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’”
‘Last Seen’
Each season of this anthology series from the public radio station WBUR investigates a different mysterious disappearance. The first season, produced with The Boston Globe, came out in 2016 and focused on the most high-value art heist in history, when 13 works — including pieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer — were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990, never to be seen again. Throughout the 10-episode season, Kelly Horan and Jack Rodolico, reporters from WBUR, and Stephen Kurkjian, of The Globe, combine archival research and extensive interviews to unravel the astonishing series of events, which saw two men disguise themselves as police officers in order to pull off the heist. There’s an intriguing mismatch between the sheer scale and complexity of the crime and the seemingly careless, haphazard execution — not to mention the fact that the thieves completely overlooked the most valuable artwork in the museum. The case remains unsolved — the museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the works’ recovery — and that lack of resolution lends a haunting quality to the whole saga.
Starter episode: “81 Minutes”
‘Art Smart’
This series focuses on art as a hobby that’s accessible to everyone, no matter their level of technical skill. The host, Kyle Wood, is an elementary school art teacher, and throughout the show’s first season he takes listeners through Art 101, with each episode focusing on a different foundational element like line, shape, color and so on. Season 2 explores art movements and eras throughout history, and the latest season delves into different artistic formats, including clay, screen printing and photography. Episodes are concise, running for 15 minutes or less, which enhances the accessible and easygoing tone of the podcast.
Starter episode: “Elements of Art: Line”
‘ArtHoles’
While most podcasts in this space are hosted by art historians, “ArtHoles” is hosted by a self-described “art idiot.” That self-deprecating label downplays the meticulous research and intellectual curiosity that the host, Michael Anthony, brings to each episode, delving into the lives of artists like Picasso, Caravaggio and Kahlo. Four to seven episodes are dedicated to each artist, and Anthony weaves in enough esoteric digressions and comedic asides during these detailed investigations to make for entertaining listening.
Starter episode: “Picasso: Origin Story — Meet the Parents”
‘Art Detective’
Janina Ramirez, an art historian, was inspired to start her own podcast in 2016 after her frustrating experience making a series of documentaries for the BBC where she did not have final cut. “Art Detective” became a space for “pure, uninterrupted and unedited discussion on art,” where her conversations with other experts can unfold in full. Most episodes center on a piece of art — which could be a painting, a tapestry or a building — and unpack its cultural significance. It’s an appealing blend of close visual analysis and thematic conversations about how images can communicate human experiences across centuries.
Starter episode: “Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci — with Martin Kemp”
‘Talk Art’
Hosted by Russell Tovey, an actor best known for his roles in “Being Human” and “The History Boys,” and Robert Diament, director of the Carl Freedman Gallery in Margate, England, this show welcomes guests from different creative industries, including filmmakers, designers and musicians, in addition to artists and curators. This broad spectrum keeps things fresh, and while notable interviewees have included Elton John, Pedro Pascal and Tracy Emin, “Talk Art” also gives a platform to emerging artists. The focus is less deliberately educational than many art podcasts, but you’re still bound to learn a lot from the conversations, which see guests reflecting on their own creative processes as well as the works of art most meaningful to them.
Starter episode: “Joan Snyder”
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