Royal Academy of Arts
245 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★ - 7 ratingsSubscribe for art and ideas. We host conversations with artists, architects and other leading creatives – and we've just posted podcasts from recent Festival of Ideas. Enjoy.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Wolfgang Tillmans Studio Visit Q&A, Monday 25th January 2021
June 15, 2022 13:18 - 1 hour - 59 MBWolfgang Tillmans RA (b.1968) is regarded as one of the most influential figures working within photography today. In 2000, he was the first non-British artist to receive the Turner Prize. Since the early 1990s Tillmans has been challenging the potentiality of making pictures. His work has epitomized a new kind of subjectivity in photography, pairing intimacy and playfulness with social critique and the persistent questioning of existing values and hierarchies. Through his seamless integratio...
Marie de Brugerolle’s Lecture, 15th June 2020
June 15, 2022 13:18 - 1 hour - 98.9 MBMarie de Brugerolle is an art historian, curator and author. She has worked in many institutions at Mnam-Pompidou center, the MoMA in New York, the CNAC-Magasin in Grenoble, France, Carré d’art Nîmes. Her work focuses on the history of performance art, from the 1960s to its current state of dematerialization and absorption by the society of the spectacle. This complements her theoretical project, Post Performance Future. She is the leading authority on the French-born Californian artist Guy d...
Frank B Wilderson III’s lecture, 25th October 2021
June 15, 2022 13:15 - 1 hour - 100 MBEventually Dust: On the Particulars of the Present as Seen Through Its Devices': visual culture and the idea of the end of history, the emergence of the device, the antipathy of the device to dust. Esther Leslie (b.1964) is a lecturer in English and Humanities at Birkbeck and Co-Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities. Her research interests are Marxist theories of aesthetics and culture and critical theory, with a particular focus on the work of Walter Benjamin and TheodorAdorno.
Esther Leslie’s lecture ‘Eventually Dust’ 4th May 2020
June 15, 2022 13:14 - 1 hour - 110 MBEventually Dust: On the Particulars of the Present as Seen Through Its Devices': visual culture and the idea of the end of history, the emergence of the device, the antipathy of the device to dust. Esther Leslie (b.1964) is a lecturer in English and Humanities at Birkbeck and Co-Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities. Her research interests are Marxist theories of aesthetics and culture and critical theory, with a particular focus on the work of Walter Benjamin and Theodor Adorno.
Charlie Fox, Artist Talk 4th Oct 2019
June 15, 2022 13:12 - 1 hour - 35.8 MBCharlie Fox (b. 1991) is a London based writer and curator. Curator of My Head is a Haunted House, Sadie Coles HQ 5 June - 31 August 2019 ‘When I was a weird little kid in suburbia obsessed with horror of all kinds, my grandfather (who isn't alive anymore) built me a haunted house. I could pretend I was a ghost or a bat or a werewolf crying blood over a cardboard tombstone. It was a make-believe world where my imagination could get deranged and it was magic. My Head is a Haunted House grew ou...
A short archive of fragmented audio from the RA Schools lecture programme
June 14, 2022 16:21 - 43 minutes - 100 MBAs the last final year exhibition that will take place in the RA Schools before it enters a significant renovation project, this year’s show celebrates the programme that inhabited the current architecture. Created by Rebecca K. Halliwell-Sutton, this 44 minute audio work is comprised of fragmented audio from the RA Schools lecture programme. The Class of 2022 selected various talks, lectures and seminars that have stayed with them since they started on the programme in 2018, to be included ...
Tracy Emin and David Dawson In Conversation
February 14, 2020 14:35 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBRecorded during our exhibition Lucien Freud: The Self-portraits, Tracey Emin CBE RA and David Dawson(Lucien Freud's assistant and model) discuss their memories of the artist, as well as Emin and Freud’s shared ability to innovate, provoke and soul-search.
Hugh Brody on his documentary 'Inside Australia' and the work of Antony Gormley
January 21, 2020 17:26 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBAnthropologist and director of the documentary 'Inside Australia', Hugh Brody discusses how geology, anthropology and humankind’s connection with the land are represented in Gormley’s work.
Understanding space through art
January 21, 2020 17:16 - 57 minutes - 53 MBTheoretical astrophysicist, Priya Natarajan, joins Semiconductor, the artist duo Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt, to discuss how artists contribute to our understanding of the world around and the relationship between physics, cosmology and art. Part of 'Where language ends: Antony Gormley’s discourse series'.
Anthony Gormley in conversation with Director of the Whitechapel Gallery, Iwona Blazwick
January 21, 2020 16:57 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBAntony Gormley discusses his career spanning over 40 years and explores how his series of installations within the RA’s Main Galleries encouraged visitors to slow down and become aware of their own bodies and environment. Part of 'Where language ends: Antony Gormley’s discourse series'.
What is sculpture good for?
January 21, 2020 15:57 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBOur panel, chaired by art critic, writer & curator, Sacha Craddock, and including Alistair Hudson, Director of the Whitworth and Mariam Zulfiqar, Deputy Director and Chief Curator at UP Projects, questions where sculpture is best exhibited and what impact sculptures have on the spaces they are presented in. Do sculptures act as catalysts for social change and can people connect better with a place when it contains a work of art? Part of 'Where language ends: Antony Gormley’s discourse series'.
Michael Stipe In Conversation
January 20, 2020 17:24 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBArtist and singer/songwriter Michael Stipe talks about his life-long passion for photography and its potential to produce a defining image of our times.
Paul Smith: finding inspiration in the everyday and the extraordinary
November 25, 2019 09:56 - 30 minutes - 41.9 MBWorld renowned designer Sir Paul Smith discusses his humble beginnings, what inspires him, and the lessons he's learnt throughout his career.
Marcus Du Sautoy & Conrad Shawcross RA in conversation
October 18, 2019 16:51 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBAs part of our 'When Science Meers Art' series Mathematician Professor Marcus du Sautoy OBE FRS, artist Conrad Shawcross RA and BBC presenter Samira Ahmed discuss how experimentation, curiosity and creative thinking are central to both science and sculpture. Download slides from this lecture: https://roy.ac/gh4d4
Making a mockery: exploring humour and satire in art
August 02, 2019 15:03 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBCatch up with this panel discussion featuring political satirist Steve Bell, artist Bedwyr Williams and artist duo John Wood and Paul Harrison as they explore humour and satire in art, discussing how it's impacted today’s contemporary art world.
Mali Morris in conversation with Martha Kapos
July 10, 2019 11:12 - 45 minutes - 104 MBMali Morris discusses her latest exhibition and display at the RA, as well as her career and practice, with author and poet Martha Kapos. Acclaimed artist Mali Morris RA focuses on the expressive possibilities of abstract painting. Her work draws on many sources but constantly explores how colour can structure light and space.
An artist's many tools: Peter Blake in conversation
July 10, 2019 11:10 - 42 minutes - 96.4 MBCatch up on this conversation between Peter Blake and the Director of London Original Print Fair, Helen Rosslyn. They discuss Blake’s new project 'Ways of Making', which investigates the diversity and range of processes at the disposal of an artist. Recognised as one of the founders of British Pop Art, painter and printmaker Sir Peter Blake is renowned for his connection with the music industry, having created iconic album covers for the Beatles, Paul Weller, The Who, and Oasis.
In conversation with Thomas Houseago
July 10, 2019 11:06 - 55 minutes - 126 MBCatch up on this conversation with the artist behind this year’s Summer Exhibition courtyard installation, Thomas Houseago, and the show's curator Edith Devaney. Ranging from monumental to smaller-scale works, Houseago’s sculptures simultaneously convey states of power and vulnerability. He uses mediums traditionally associated with classical and modernist sculpture – including carved wood, clay, plaster and bronze – as well as less traditional materials like rebar (reinforcing steel bars) a...
Ken Loach: “If you don’t draw blood then they won’t care about you”
June 17, 2019 13:54 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MBAward-winning director Ken Loach discusses the politics and processes behind his films, as well as the effects of Brexit on the british film industry with writer and critic, Francine Stock.
Michael Palin on bringing forgotten artists onto our screens
May 29, 2019 12:11 - 42 minutes - 57.7 MBActor, writer, comedian and presenter, Michael Palin explores the life and work of under-appreciated artists with journalist and broadcaster, Martha Kearney.
A conversation between the creators of ‘Charlie and Lola’
May 28, 2019 16:34 - 52 minutes - 72.2 MBAuthor and illustrator Lauren Child sat down with her collaborator, designer David Mackintosh, to discuss the process of making best-selling children’s books – from font snobbery to wrestling over front covers and the merits of staring into space.
Hofesh Shechter: "Dance changed my life"
May 24, 2019 16:15 - 50 minutes - 70 MBWorld-famous dancer, choreographer and composer, Hofesh Shechter, discusses his life and career – and why indifference is the worst possible response to his work.
Clio Barnard on the ethical minefield of making documentaries
May 23, 2019 14:58 - 47 minutes - 64.6 MBPoetic and unflinching, Clio Barnard’s films explore the beauty and terror in rural English landscapes. Honing in on the lives and hardships of working-class Englanders, her films offer an unblinking account of life on the margins. In this interview with Matthew Sweet, she discusses her recent film, Dark River (2017), alongside The Selfish Giant (2013), which developed from her experimental documentary, The Arbor (2010), based on Bradford playwright, Andrea Dunbar.
Cressida Cowell and Chris Riddell’s storytelling secrets
May 23, 2019 14:55 - 53 minutes - 73.3 MBBetween them, Cressida Cowell and Chris Riddell have created some of the most iconic characters in children’s literature. In this conversation from our 2019 Festival of Ideas, the talented storytellers discuss how images and words can work together, and how to stoke the fires of creativity – from making space for accidents, to the importance of a “naughty drawer”.
Michael Rosen on the systems squeezing creativity out of education
May 23, 2019 14:31 - 47 minutes - 65 MBCelebrated author, poet and broadcaster, Michael Rosen joins writer and broadcaster Sarah Crompton at the RA’s Festival of Ideas, to discuss the limitations of testing and the suppression of an individual’s interpretation in schools today.
Elif Shafak: writing through the eyes of women
May 23, 2019 11:51 - 38 minutes - 53.2 MBThe writer of 17 books in 50 languages, the British-Turkish writer and activist Elif Shafak was put on trial for her work in Turkey and accused of being a "pawn for western powers". Speaking to journalist and broadcaster Razia Iqbal in this podcast from the 2019 Festival of Ideas, Shafak talks about the feeling of being an outsider in your motherland, the urgent need for reform in the Turkish political landscape, and the role of novels in a country without free speech. Elif Shafak is the aut...
Kwame Kwei-Armah: “We’re all born with our own superpowers.”
May 22, 2019 14:15 - 48 minutes - 66.1 MBActor, director, writer, producer, and recently appointed Artistic Director of London’s Young Vic theatre, Kwame Kwei-Armah joins broadcaster Sarah Crompton to discuss mistakes, family, loneliness, getting death threats, serving the next generation of artists, the fun of theatre, and the enduring difficulties of getting your play on stage.
Where are we now? Reflections on the nude in the arts
April 24, 2019 10:07 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBCatch up on a panel discussion between Dame Mary Beard, Adrian Rifkin, Jemima Stehli and Jacky Klein as they take our 'Renaissance Nude' exhibition as a starting point to explore how we depict, look at and respond to the nude across historical and contemporary arts. How have our attitudes on the nude changed throughout history? How does representation of the nude differ throughout the creative arts? How have topics such as gender, sexuality, power and beauty been represented and affected thr...
The making of historical films: a panel discussion with director Mike Leigh
April 24, 2019 10:07 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MBCatch up on this panel discussion between British filmmaker Mike Leigh, historical consultant and author Jacqueline Riding, and Oscar-nominated production designer Suzie Davies, as they discuss the importance of truth, storytelling and revealing hidden histories in film. What is the balance between fact and fiction? How does a director’s style influence the development of character, place and narrative? What is the significance of the historical film today? This panel discussion was held to...
Phyllida Barlow in conversation with art critic Gilda Williams
April 24, 2019 10:07 - 49 minutes - 45 MBCatch up on this event with renowned artist Phyllida Barlow CBE RA discussing her practice, career and current exhibition at the RA with contemporary art critic, Gilda Williams. For more than 50 years, Phyllida Barlow has taken inspiration from her surroundings to create imposing installations. She creates anti-monumental sculptures from inexpensive, low-grade materials such as cardboard, fabric, plywood, polystyrene, scrim and cement. The seams of their construction are left at times visibl...
Gatekeepers of censorship: contemporary erotic art in a digital age
March 12, 2019 11:16 - 52 minutes - 48 MBIn this panel discussion recorded in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, Julia Farrington, Associate Arts Producer at Index on Censorship, Psychoanalyst and Professor, Adam Phillips, and artist Celia Hempton explore the challenges in creating erotic art in today’s contemporary art world. The talk was chaired by journalist and broadcaster, Kirsty Wark.
Rose Wylie RA in conversation with Frances Morris
March 08, 2019 10:28 - 58 minutes - 53.3 MBAs part of our 2019 International Women’s Day programme, Feminist Time, Rose Wylie RA is joined by the Director of Tate Modern, Francis Morris to discuss her projects and achievements, and explore the difficulties she has encountered in the art world. Find out more about this year's International Women's Day programme: https://roy.ac/2VH74ml
Jacques Rancière and Farshid Moussavi on space and politics
February 27, 2019 15:08 - 1 hour - 78.2 MBThis event is part of a series of conversations between philosophers and architects which examine the relationship between architecture, politics, the environment and gender. For the second conversation in the ‘Aesthetics and Architecture’ series, philosopher Jacques Rancière will be joined by architect Farshid Moussavi RA to discuss aesthetics and architecture, and their connection with space and politics. Warning: contains strong language!
Indy Johar & Kate Raworth In Conversation
February 27, 2019 15:06 - 1 hour - 96 MBPart of our Architecture series, this conversation looks at the effect of today’s technological revolution, on what it means to be human and how we can reshape London in response. Acclaimed economist Kate Raworth joins architect and Dark Matter Laboratories founder Indy Johar as as they explore how technology can enable the visualisation and transformation of the values and parameters defining contemporary cities, and proposing new models for a more equitable urban environment. Please note, ...
Barbara Rae RA in conversation with Tim Marlow
February 27, 2019 14:57 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBIn this talk recorded in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, internationally renowned artist Barbara Rae RA discusses her career and recent body of work, ‘The Northwest Passage’, inspired by her recent journeys to the Arctic. Barbara Rae's book on the project is available in the RA Shop: https://roy.ac/2Ubecam
Lisa Reihana in conversation with Tim Marlow
February 22, 2019 11:54 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBCatch up with this conversation with acclaimed New Zealand artist Lisa Reihana, as she discusses the panoramic video installation that was on show as part of 'Oceania' last year. This landmark exhibition showcased diverse art of the region of Oceania, from the historic to the contemporary – but if you missed it, you can also catch up with our series of Oceania stories here: https://roy.ac/2NU90rA If you'd rather watch a video of Lisa Reihana in conversation, you'll find it here: https://roy....
Lauren Child on where ideas come from
February 12, 2019 17:17 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MB"Sometimes we need to spend time doing nothing – just stare into space. We need that fallow time," says Lauren Child, when journalist and author Nicolette Jones poses the question "how do you come up with your ideas?" This, and many more thoughts about creativity, from the 'Charlie and Lola' author and Waterstones Children's Laureate, in this inspiring talk from the RA's Festival of Ideas.
Artist Question Time with Michael Craig-Martin RA, Sonia Boyce RA and more
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 57 minutes - 52.3 MBFour leading artists are put on the spot with questions about art, culture and creativity, debating the importance of arts education, the civic role of museums and galleries, and artistic inspiration. Chaired by the RA’s Artistic Director Tim Marlow, the event formed the finale of the RA Festival of Ideas. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas line-up, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Dementia and the power of art
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBThriller writer Nicci Gerrard talks about how everyday creativity can keep a person connected to the world around them. In conversation with academic Hannah Zeilig, Gerrard discusses how the arts can keep people well, aid recovery and support longer lives, better lived. Come to the next Festival of Ideas live in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre – line-up coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Akram Khan on ego, influences and Anish Kapoor
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 49 minutes - 44.9 MBOne of the most respected dance artists working in the UK today, Akram Khan joins writer and broadcaster Sarah Crompton at the RA’s Festival of Ideas, opening up on his influences, his work with the “godfather of visual art”, the challenges of creative collaboration, and the process of ageing as a dancer. Come to the next Festival of Ideas live in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre – line-up coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
English National Ballet’s Tamara Rojo on pain, passion and proving herself
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBRenowned as one of the most sublime dancers of her generation, Tamara Rojo speaks to broadcaster John Wilson about her role as Artistic Director and Lead Principal dancer of the English National Ballet. Speaking at the RA Festival of Ideas, Rojo shares how she discovered ballet, the euphoria of being on stage and coming to terms with the physical limitations of age. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Artist Yinka Shonibare on how race, class and art
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBTurner Prize-nominee Yinka Shonibare RA discusses his interdisciplinary art practice – critiquing the establishment, money and power in the art world and emerging art markets. He speaks to critic and author Louisa Buck, as part of the RA's Festival of Ideas. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Thomas Heatherwick on problem-solving with architecture
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBDesigner Thomas Heatherwick speaks to the RA’s Head of Architecture Kate Goodwin at the RA Festival of Ideas, about some of his most celebrated architectural projects, including the Rolling Bridge in London, the 2012 Olympic Cauldron and the newly opened Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas line-up, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
David Bailey on Picasso, portaits and where you put the camera
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBThe legendary British portrait photographer David Bailey joins RA Artistic Director Tim Marlow to share how he fell in love with Picasso, life in fashion and the arts – “it’s terrible” – and his approach to models and portraiture. Come to the next Festival of Ideas live in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre – line-up coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
From Beyoncé to the Barbican: Es Devlin on designing kinetic sets
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBExperimental artist and designer Es Devlin provides an insight into her process for creating unique kinetic sculptures for theatre, opera and pop concerts, museums and galleries at the Festival of Ideas. With clients ranging from Beyoncé and Kanye West to the Barbican, Devlin is an expert at creating a stage to enhance any performance. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas line-up, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Goldie on how creativity saved his life
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MBGoldie sits down with broadcaster and journalist Nihal Arthanayake to discuss the story behind his passion for both music – and his place in the birth of drum ‘n’ bass – and visual art, with his success as a graffiti artist in the 1980s. Following a traumatic childhood, which he describes in his memoir 'All Things Remembered', Goldie believes creative expression saved his life. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Rupert Goold and James Graham on why theatre matters
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBRupert Goold, Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre, and playwright James Graham discuss the importance of the theatre in the current cultural climate. Chaired by journalist and broadcaster Sarah Crompton at the RA's Festival of Ideas, the speakers emphasise the value of creating communities through live theatre. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas line-up, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
Class and creativity: what needs to change
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 53 minutes - 49 MBWorking-class artists continue to be underrepresented in the arts. How has this inequality shaped the practice of contemporary artists? Has it helped or hindered their creativity? Oscar- and Grammy-winning film director Asif Kapadia, award-winning crime novelist Dreda Say Mitchell, and the artist Bob and Roberta Smith RA, as they reflect on their own experiences of class and its influence on their work. Chaired by the writer and broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, the panel will also look at what ...
Don McCullin on war and poverty seen through a camera lens
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBCelebrated photojournalist Don McCullin describes his experiences of war, poverty and suffering across the world during his 50-year career. Part of the Festival of Ideas programme, McCullin talks of sacrifices and consequences that have resulted from his commitment to the camera. Come to the next Festival of Ideas live in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre – line-up coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019
David Cannadine on Churchill and art
December 21, 2018 00:00 - 52 minutes - 48 MBIn a lecture at the RA's first Festival of Ideas, author and historian David Cannadine reveals how Sir Winston Churchill’s passion for art went beyond that of a private hobby, forming an essential part of his public persona. Look out for details of the next Festival of Ideas, coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019