Roberta Jones - Back to the future

What can a 2,000-year-old sculpture and a modern tattoo tell us about who we really are? In this episode, we travel from the Vatican Museums to a contemporary gallery in Milan, tracing a surprising thread between the ancient Laocoön and the tattooed bodies of today. Along the way, we meet Ötzi , Europe's oldest mummy and first known tattooed human, we explore how tattoos went from marks of shame t...

Can there be consent for a swan? In Greek mythology, Leda is a queen who is approached by Zeus, the king of the gods, transformed into a swan. What follows is a story told in many different ways: sometimes as seduction, sometimes as violence, sometimes as consent. From this encounter are born figures who will change history, including Helen of Troy. In this episode, we explore how the myth of Leda...

Who decides what it means to be a man or a woman? And what happens when those definitions blur? In this episode, we explore the fascinating legacy of Hermaphroditus, the mythical child of Hermes and Aphrodite, whose story has challenged gender boundaries for millennia. From ancient Greek myths to Roman sculptures, from Renaissance intrigue to modern queer art, we trace how intersexuality and fluid...

"Do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum?” This bold question from the Guerrilla Girls kicks off our deep dive into the wild world of women in art. For centuries, women were painted, sculpted, and idealized—but rarely seen as artists themselves. So, what changed? From Renaissance rebels like Sofonisba Anguissola to modern rule-breakers like Frida Kahlo, we’re shining a light on the tr...

In this episode, we explore the fascinating intersection of art and magic, beginning with the legendary Bocca della Verità in Rome—a stone face with a mysterious past. We delve into Renaissance paintings that depict witchcraft and sorcery, uncovering the darker side of art’s history. From ancient love potions to modern-day rituals, we trace the enduring power of magic in shaping human desires. Fin...

Join me on another time travelling journey into the evolving world of art and artificial intelligence in this episode on Art in the age of AI and NFTs. We start with a captivating tale of a mechanised Madonna created by Pieter Paul Rubens in Rome in the 17th century, a stunning blend of old-world artistry and ingenious engineering. As we traverse from the cobblestone streets of historical Rome to...

What was it like to be a female artist is Rome in the 17th century?! Well, not easy.....In this episode, we explore the remarkable life and legacy of Artemisia Gentileschi, a pioneering 17th-century painter who overcame societal constraints and personal trauma to become one of the first acclaimed female artists. Born into a male-dominated Rome, Artemisia used her art to express the intimate experi...

In this episode, we delve into the intriguing life of Ulpia Severina, a Roman Empress who stands out as a unique figure in the annals of Roman history. While the details of her life are shrouded in mystery, one aspect that sets her apart is the fascinating episode where she may have been the only Roman Empress and, at a certain point, minted coins featuring a transgendered version of herself. Our...

When people think of the Madonna, wherever in the world they happen to be – even in Africa or Mexico, they are unlikely to picture the Madonna as black or Asian, Indian or brown, as Western tradition has created a careful and lasting propaganda of the image of the Virgin Mary with flawless white skin. But actually, there are around 74o Black Virgin Marys in Europe alone and some other black virgin...

This podcast explores the myth and history of Medusa from Ancient Greece to the modern world; how she went from protective, caring goddess to horrifying evil monster! Her image has suffered a radical transformation over time because she was feared by men and couldn’t thrive in a patriarchal society. Fortunately, one more time Medusa has taken on another role; so much so that she has become the emb...

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Prepare to travel to Crete to discover the magical and incredibly advanced world of the Minoan civilization. You'll hear details about the mastery and engineering of the Palace of Knossos, the legend of the Minotaur, the Snake goddess and the Minoan women. You'll learn about the contemporary Minotaur and how we can gain inspiration from the Minoan civilization to build a more sustainable and equal...

In this episode, Roberta Jones explores the mysterious and mythical past of an ancient cave situated under the Roman Forum, thought to be the site where Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were nurtured by a she-wolf. But the mystery doesn't stop there, you'll hear incredible stories about the fertility rituals that happened in the cave, and how it originally was a sanctuary where 1000s of ye...