Museum Confidential

We hear the word "viral" all the time. But very few things actually go viral. A recent exception is "Who Is the Bad Art Friend?," a nearly ten-thousand-word feature in The New York Times by Robert Kolker. The story identifies a dispute between two writers that involves Facebook, a kidney donation, and explores the question, "who owns our personal stories?" Journalist Sarah Cascone joins us to disc...

On the occasion of her first career retrospective, we sit down with legendary artist/feminist Judy Chicago. The exhibition , now on view at San Francisco's de Young Museum, includes approximately 130 paintings, prints, drawings, and ceramic sculptures, in addition to ephemera, several films, and a documentary. We also talk about smoke sculptures. What's a smoke sculpture? We'll get to that.

Many people have been incorrectly hailed as a "Renaissance Man," but it perfectly describes Mr. John Lurie. Music, acting, painting, writing, he's done it all. With a long-gestating memoir just out and a second season of HBO's "Painting with John" now in production, we recently caught up with Lurie for a wide-ranging chat.        

The long-awaited Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap just dropped. The set includes 129 tracks on 9 discs and a hefty 300–page book with original design by Cey Adams, acclaimed artist and founding creative director of Def Jam Recordings. From his early subway graffiti days alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat to designing classic albums for Beastie Boys and LL Cool J, Adams has bee...

What is an "outsider artist?" Do we even call them that anymore? In recent years the term shifted to "self-taught artist." Sounds different. But does it mean the same thing? On this episode we chat with Dr. Katherine Jentleson, the Merrie and Dan Boone Curator of Folk and Self-Taught Art at the High Museum in Atlanta. The High recently opened two companion shows focusing on this very topic.

The secret's out! Season 6 of Museum Confidential starts Friday 9/3! Enjoy this early listen to our new season theme song performed by Oklahoma's own Broncho. Written by Broncho's Ryan Lindsey and MC Host Jeff Martin. 

On the season finale of Museum Confidential 2021 we sit down with Philbrook President/CEO Scott Stulen and Phil Armstrong, Project Director for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission. Phil has been leading the effort to open Greenwood Rising, a history center located at the gateway to Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District. Greenwood Rising honors the icons of Black Wall Street, memoriali...

Through the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality, the new exhibit, THE LEGACY OF SURVIVAL, allows anyone to interact with and interview the centenarian survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. This episode includes remarks from Dr. Tiffany Crutcher (Terence Crutcher Foundation), Greg Robinson (Tulsa Community Remembrance Coalition), and Mother Viola Fletcher (age 107). "The Legac...

The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection tells the story of African American triumphs and accomplishments from 1595 to present day. From May 22-June 30, the collection will be on view at the Greenwood Cultural Center and the Gathering Place. Two locations. One show. This episode presents a live conversation with Bernard and Khalil Kinsey, Michelle Brown (Greenwood Cultural Center), and...

Rick Lowe is one of the two Lead Artists for the Greenwood Art Project alongside William Cordova. Born in Alabama, but a longtime resident of Houston, Lowe's work is widely acclaimed and collected. He was awarded a coveted MacArthur "Genius Grant" in 2014. On this episode we chat with Lowe about the ongoing work of the Greenwood Art Project and the upcoming centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massac...

On this 75th episode of Museum Confidential we chat with Mikeal Vaughn of the Urban Coders Guild. This spring the Urban Coders Guild student cohorts will use their acquired web and mobile application development skills to create a collection of websites and an accompanying mobile app for the businesses lost in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Co-hosted by Greenwood Art Project Program Director Jerica...

On this episode we road trip to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art to chat with Associate Curator, Allison Glenn. Promise, Witness, Remembrance at Louisville, Kentucky's Speed Art Museum, guest-curated by Glenn, reflects on the life of Breonna Taylor, her killing in 2020, and the year of protests that followed. The exhibition is organized around the three words of its title, which emerged from...

Acclaimed documentary director, editor, and producer Sam Pollard joins us to talk about his recent films Black Art: In the Absence of Light , MLK/FBI , and his storied career. From serving as Spike Lee's longtime editor ( Jungle Fever , Clockers , 4 Little Girls ) to directing one of the earliest films on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre (Goin' Back to T-Town, 1993), Pollard has made an indelible impa...

TheRese Aduni has been hard at work on her documentary, "Rebuilding Black Wall Street." The film uses 16mm film footage shot by TheRese's father and chronicles the men and women who rebuilt Greenwood in the aftermath of 1921. This episode also features artist William Cordova, one of the Greenwood Art Project's two lead artists. Co-hosted by GAP Project Director, Jerica Wortham. 

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the classic crime film SHAFT, directed Gordon Parks. Parks was a filmmaker, writer, musician, and one of the 20th century's great photographers. A recent piece in the New York Times called him, "The Godfather of Cool." Not bad for the youngest of 15 children from Fort Scott, Kansas. Fort Scott is now home to the Gordon Parks Museum. On this episode we catch up wi...

A new season begins in partnership with the Greenwood Art Project, an initiative of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission. To get a broader view of the project we chat with anthropologist/archivist Marlon Hall who handles the project's unique use of social media, Kode Ransom who runs the GAP mobile outreach efforts, and Program Director, Jerica Wortham. Jerica will serve as Co-Host on...

On the final episode of OUR PEOPLE, Rebecca Nagle chats with artist Susan Billy (Pomo) about family, traditions, basketry, and more. Susan is the granddaughter of Pomo basket weaver Susan Santiago Billy. Presented in connection with the landmark special exhibition, "Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists" (through 1/3/21). Hosted by journalist/podcaster, Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee). Music by Okla...

On the penultimate episode of OUR PEOPLE, Rebecca chats with artist Kelly Church (Ottawa/Pottawatomi) about basketry, invasive bugs, sustainability, and more. Presented in connection with the landmark special exhibition, "Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists" (through 1/3/21). Hosted by journalist/podcaster, Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee). Music by Oklahoma musician, Kalyn Fay (Cherokee/Muscogee)....

Let's go back to Arizona. In part 2 of our look at the impact of the COVID-19 era on the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, we go a bit deeper and chat with the department heads who keep the wheels turning. Recorded live on-site at Taliesin West. 

On the third episode of OUR PEOPLE, Rebecca sits down (virtually) with artist/photographer, Cara Romero (Chemehuevi ). Now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Cara grew up alternating between the rural Chemehuevi reservation in Mojave Desert, CA and the urban sprawl of Houston, TX. Presented in connection with the landmark special exhibition, "Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists" (on view throug...

Our intrepid host reports from an unforgettable desert journey to Taliesin West in Arizona, home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. In late 2019 we were invited by the Foundation to do a live show for a real, human audience (remember those?). But then the world changed. We kept our promise, took the trip, and left with a deep-dive exploration of how cultural sites are surviving the COVID-19 era...

On this episode of OUR PEOPLE, Rebecca chats with acclaimed artist and First American Art Magazine editor, America Meredith (Cherokee) about her work, family, and more. Presented in connection with the landmark special exhibition, "Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists" (on view through 1/3/21). Hosted by journalist/podcaster, Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee). Music by Oklahoma musician, Kalyn Fay (C...

In connection with the landmark special exhibition, Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists (on view through 1/3/21), Museum Confidential presents a new limited series hosted by journalist/podcaster, Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee) highlighting artists in the exhibition. Music for the series provided by Oklahoma musician, Kalyn Fay (Cherokee/Muscogee). New episodes every week in December. On this epis...

Docents, volunteers, tour guides, whatever you want to call them, have been and remain an important part of the museum visitor experience. As the world and demographics change, how do museums make sure volunteers keep up with the change and remain relevant to modern audiences and concerns? On this episode we chat with journalist Sophie Haigney about her recent Slate article, "Museums Have a Docent...

Agnes Gund is a legend in the art world for her collection, her philanthropy, and her decision in 2017 to sell a painting by Roy Lichtenstein for $165 million and launch the Art for Justice Fund. She's also the subject of the new documentary, AGGIE. The film was directed by Agnes' daughter and acclaimed documentarian, Catherine Gund. The film is available now in virtual theaters and on demand. On...