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Immaterial: 5,000 Years of Art, One Material at a Time podcast

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Immaterial: 5,000 Years of Art, One Material at a Time

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  The Met  

Stories of the materials used in making art are often as thought-provoking and illuminating as the objects themselves. From The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Immaterial examines the materials of art and what they can reveal about history and humanity. Each episode looks at a single material: paper, clay, jade, shells, and others, exploring the qualities and meanings that are often overlooked.

Stories of the materials used in making art are often as thought-provoking and illuminating as the objects themselves. From The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Immaterial examines the materials of art and what they can reveal about history and humanity. Each episode looks at a single material: paper, clay, jade, shells, and others, exploring the qualities and meanings that are often overlooked.

 

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#19

Time: Keeping Digital Art Alive

How do art conservators save video art from obsolescence? If a painting on canvas rips or a marble sculpture shatters to pieces, art conservators are trained to respond accordingly and repair it. Artworks that unfold over time – like videos and software based works – are a different thing altogether. These artworks are made using cutting-edge technologies that are constantly being updated. If the “canvas” or medium an artwork is made on keeps shifting, how do art conservators protect these works from obsolescence? Guests: Jonathan Farbowitz, time-based media conservator Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, artists Ho Tzu Nyen, artist Nora Kennedy, Sherman Fairchild Conservator In Charge, Photograph Conservation Featured artworks: Thomas Tompion (clockmaker) Jasper Braem (case), Longcase clock with calendrical, lunar, and tidal indications, also known as the Graves Tompion, ca. 1677–80: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/209296 Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, Every Shot, Every Episode, 2001: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/284985 Ho Tzu Nyen, The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia, 2017–present: https://cdosea.org Cover art: Joseph Knibb (clockmaker), Longcase clock with calendar, ca. 1680–85: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/205601 For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialtime #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Our production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Laura Barth, Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Mueller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. Special thanks to Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong, Avery Trufelman, associate conservator Jonathan Farbowitz, conservator in charge Nora Kennedy, collections technician Sam Winks, Kevin and Jennifer McCoy, Ho Tzu Nyen, associate curator Lesley Ma, and associate curator Lauren Rosati. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

10 Sep 2024

37 MINS

37:14

10 Sep 2024

#18

Wood: The Most Musical Tree in the World

How did one tree become a world-famous tonewood for guitars? Deep in the forests of Belize, a wood importer from Florida discovered a rare tree that produced a sound unlike anything guitar virtuosos had ever heard before. But why does this material cast such a spell? And at what cost does that come?  Guests: Ellen Ruppel Shell, journalist Ken Parker, luthier Reuben Forsland, luthier Steve Cardenas, guitarist Jennifer Anderson, historian and author of Mahogany: The Cost of Luxury in Early America Althea SullyCole, former Fellow in The Met’s Department of Musical Instruments. Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology in the Schulich School of Music at McGill University Featured artwork: Ken Parker, Archtop guitar, 2016: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/677213 For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialwood #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Our production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Laura Barth, Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Mueller.Original music by Austin Fisher and Salman Ahad Khan.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. Special thanks to Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong, curator Jayson Dobney, conservator Manu Frederickx, educator David Freeman, Dick Boak, Gabriela Guadalajara, and curator Alyce Englund. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

27 Aug 2024

41 MINS

41:16

27 Aug 2024

#17

Trash: The Archaeology of Rubbish

An archaeologist and an artist walk into a dump…  For most of us, we throw our garbage to the curb, and it disappears from our lives. But to some, that’s just the beginning of trash’s story. In this episode, we follow two people who seek the truth in trash—an archaeologist who excavates ancient rubbish in Turkmenistan and an artist who spotlights the people responsible for making trash vanish. Guests: Martina Rugiadi, associate curator, Department of Islamic Art, The Met sTo Len, artist Andy Blancero, development officer, Freshkills Park Alliance Featured artworks: Chakaia Booker, Raw Attraction, 2001: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/492175] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/492175) Bowl with Green, Yellow, and Brown Splashed Decoration. Excavated in Iran, Nishapur, 10th century: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449348] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449348) Stone Oil Lamp. Excavated in Iran, Nishapur, 9th century: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449328] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449328) Painted Dado Panels. Excavated in Iran, Nishapur, 9th century: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449862] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449862) James Hampton, The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly, ca. 1950-1964: [https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/throne-third-heaven-nations-millennium-general-assembly-9897] (https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/throne-third-heaven-nations-millennium-general-assembly-9897) Fragment of a Wall Painting with a Fox or a Dog (and Painted Layers). Excavated in Iran, Nishapur, 12th century: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/708593] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/708593) For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit [metmuseum.org/immaterialtrash] (http://metmuseum.org/immaterialtrash) #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Our production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Laura Barth, Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Mueller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. Special thanks to Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong, Avery Trufelman, Brinda Kumar, Navina Haider. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

13 Aug 2024

34 MINS

34:58

13 Aug 2024

#16

Chia: Beyond Superfoods and Infomercials

What can the tiny chia seed reveal about the history of oil painting? For centuries, one of the most prized mediums of art at museums like the Met has been oil painting, a European tradition embodied by the so-called "old masters." This is the story of how the oil of the chia seed — yes, the same one that’s a staple add-on for smoothies and acai bowls — and its origins in Mexico could help us look at oil painting and our world with fresh eyes.  Guests: Elsa Arroyo, Mexican paintings conservator Ronda Kasl, Curator of Latin American Art, The American Wing, The Met Monica Katz, Conservator, Hispanic Society José Luis Lazarte Luna, Assistant Conservator, Paintings Conservation, The Met Roger Danilo Carmona, General Manager, Kremer Pigments Inc. Julie Arslanoglu, Research Scientist, The Met Mario Gaspar, Lacquerware artist Featured artworks: José Manuel de la Cerda, Turnus Provoked into War by Aeneas, ca. 1764: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/841656] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/841656) Juan Correa, The Virgin of Valvanera, ca. 1710: [https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/object/2008.832] (https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/object/2008.832) Juan Correa, Allegory of the Holy Sacrament, ca. 1690: [https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/object/2015.570] (https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/object/2015.570) Juran Correa, Angel Carrying a Cypress (Ángel portando un ciprés), ca. 1680-1690: [https://collections.lacma.org/node/1034999] (https://collections.lacma.org/node/1034999) For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialchia #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Our production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum,  Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Laura Barth, Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Muller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman.Special thanks to Adwoa Gyimyah-Brempong. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. And special thanks to Aleks Popowich, Alfonso Miranda Marquez, Beatriz Ortega, Marco Leona, and Avery Trufelman. The research presented within has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

30 Jul 2024

44 MINS

44:11

30 Jul 2024

#15

Blankets and Quilts: Threads of Identity

What happens when our most intimate possessions end up in art museums? Blankets comfort and keep us warm. They accompany us through our lives. They are keepers of some of our most intimate stories. We look at a group of artists who harness this power of blankets and quilts as totems for memory, community and cultural survival. Guests: Loretta Pettway Bennett, Gee's Bend quilt maker Marie Watt, artist Ally Barlow, associate conservator, Department of Textile Conservation, The Met Louisiana P. Bendolph, Gee's Bend quilt maker Louise Williams, board president, Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy Featured artworks: Qunnie Pettway, Housetop, ca. 1975: https://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/artist/qunnie-pettway/work/housetop Marie Watt, Untitled (Dream Catcher), 2014: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/849042] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/849042) Louisiana P. Bendolph, Housetop quilt, 2003: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/654095] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/654095) Annie E. Pettway, “Flying Geese” Variation, ca. 1935: [https://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/artist/annie-e-pettway/work/flying-geese-variation] (https://www.soulsgrowndeep.org/artist/annie-e-pettway/work/flying-geese-variation) Willie "Ma Willie" Abrams, Roman Stripes quilt, ca. 1975: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/654081] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/654081) For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialblankets #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Our production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Laura Barth, Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Muller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman.Sensitivity listening by Adwoa Gyimyah-Brempong. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. Special thanks to Eva Labson, Scott Browning, Curator Amelia Peck, and Avery Trufelman. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

16 Jul 2024

40 MINS

40:37

16 Jul 2024

#14

Space, Part 2: Behind the Scenes at The Met

What is hidden in the 'empty' spaces of an art museum? The Met is more than a museum of art. It is a city unto itself: population 2,000, with a transient population of 5 million. The Met is 21 buildings nested together like puzzle pieces, and it takes 400,000 light bulbs to illuminate all the spaces. But who actually changes those light bulbs? In this episode, peek behind the curtain and meet the people who maintain the hidden ecosystem of The Met. Guests: Marco Leona, David H. Koch Scientist in Charge, The Met Eric Breitung, research scientist, The Met Anna Serotta, conservator, Objects Conservation, The Met Louisa Lam, security officer, The Met Frida Escobedo, architect Featured artworks: Coffin of Irtirutja, 332–250 BCE. Egypt: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/551163] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/551163) Vincent Van Gogh, Cypresses, 1889: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437980] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437980) For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialspacepart2 #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Our production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Muller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. Special thanks to Maureen Catbagan, Iva Keselicova, Michael Millican, Elizabeth Reyes Moreno, Sarah Freshnock, Avery Trufelman, and Jennie C. Jones. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

02 Jul 2024

38 MINS

38:39

02 Jul 2024

#13

Space, Part 1: Giving Form to a Feeling

How does an artist give presence to absence? Bronze, wood, paint, and stone—classic materials for art making. But what if you're trying and struggling to convey a vast expanse, a terrible loss or a haunting presence? In this episode we'll look at two artists who turned to the material of space to express what nothing else could. Guests: Rachel Whiteread, sculptor Brinda Kumar, Associate Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, The Met Shania Hall, photographer Featured artworks: Rachel Whiteread, Untitled (Three Tables), 1995/1996: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/816239] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/816239) Shania Hall, Where the Vast Sky Meets the Flat Earth (unofficial title), ca. 2015: [https://www.metmuseum.org/articles/framing-plains-indians] (https://www.metmuseum.org/articles/framing-plains-indians) For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialspaceart #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Muller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. Special thanks to Exhibition Design Manager Dan Kershaw, Associate Curator Patricia Norby, and Curator Sylvia Yount See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

18 Jun 2024

32 MINS

32:56

18 Jun 2024

#12

Stone: Making and Breaking Legacies

What happens when the unbreakable breaks? Throughout art museums around the world, you’ll find ancient stone statues of rulers and marble monuments immortalizing noblemen. These objects were made to survive decay and destruction, to remain intact and whole. But from the moment that stone is extracted from the earth, it is bound to become a more fragmented version of itself–chiseled, chipped, and sometimes shattered over time.  In this episode, we examine the many ways that stone breaks. How can a statue’s cracks and cavities tell a more complex story of our humanity? Guests: Jack Soultanian, Conservator, Objects Conservation, The Met Carolyn Riccardelli, Conservator, Objects Conservation, The Met Robert Macfarlane, nature writer and mountaineer Erhan Tamur, former Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow, The Met Sarah Graff, Curator, Ancient Near Eastern Art, The Met Featured artworks: Tullio Lombardo, Adam, ca. 1490–95: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/197822 ] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/197822 ) Statues of Gudea, Neo-Sumerian, ca. 2120–2090 BCE: [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/329072] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/329072) [https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/324061] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/324061) [https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010119539] (https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010119539) For a transcript of the episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterialstone #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. Production staff includes Salman Ahad Khan, Ann Collins, Samantha Henig, Eric Nuzum, Emma Vecchione, Sarah Wambold, and Jamie York. Additional staff includes Julia Bordelon, Skyla Choi, Maria Kozanecka, and Rachel Smith. Sound design by Ariana Martinez and Kristin Muller.Original music by Austin Fisher.Fact-checking by Mary Mathis and Claire Hyman. Immaterial is made possible by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos. Additional support is provided by the Zodiac Fund. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

04 Jun 2024

42 MINS

42:51

04 Jun 2024

#11

Introducing: Immaterial Season 2

What is hiding in the material choices of artists and makers? Immaterial, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s marquee podcast, is back with eight more episodes that reveal the emotional origins and transformative power of art through the lens of materials. This season we learn from Mexican artisans keeping centuries-old traditions alive; we go to ancient Mesopotamia to understand time travel; and we find a mythical tree in Belize that’s been making music for decades. From traditional materials like stone and wood, to more abstract ones like space and time, the podcast explores how these materials shape the inner lives of artworks and the human experiences they reflect. Season 2 of Immaterial drops June 4. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

21 May 2024

02 MINS

02:50

21 May 2024

#10

Bonus Episode: Tarot

Grab a cup of tea and join us for a bonus episode on tarot. We learn about the cards from their patrician origins to the present day, when tarot is being used to subvert limiting tropes of gender and sexuality. A tarot deck begs some questions: what makes something art? And who decides? Some of the answers may surprise you. We meet the artists behind a queer, Southern, collective tarot deck, and hear from an educator at The Met how tarot can be a source of both beauty and resistance. Plus: Camille Dungy, host and tarot skeptic, gets a slightly apocalyptic reading from a fellow poet. Producers Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong and Eleanor Kagan take us behind the scenes: probing something that's not quite a material, but whose story is too dynamic not to share. Guests: Suhaly Bautista-Carolina, creator of Moon Mother Apothecary and senior managing educator of audience development, Education, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Marco Leona, David H. Koch Scientist in Charge, Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Allison Rudnick, associate curator, Drawings and Prints, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Alexander Chee, poet, author, and professor of English and creative writing, Dartmouth College Camille Dungy, poet and host of Immaterial Slow Holler Tarot Artists: JB Brager Corina Dross Miranda Javid Nic Jenkins Objects mentioned in this episode: Niki de Saint-Phalle (American, 1930–2004). [Niki de Saint Phalle tarot cards] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/843056) , 2002. 22 cards: illustrations ; Height: 5 1/2 in. (14 cm) ; Width: 3 1/8 in. (8 cm) + 1 booklet (48 unnumbered pages ; Height: 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (N6853.S255 S25 2002) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise. This episode was produced by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong and Eleanor Kagan. Special thanks to Holly Phillips, Jessica Ranne-Cardona, Maria Schurr, E. Henderson, and Rachel Pollack. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

14 Sep 2022

26 MINS

26:10

14 Sep 2022

#9

Metals, Part Two

In the second part of our alchemical journey, we meet what ancient philosophers called the “noble” metals: mercury, silver, and gold. How did a nineteenth-century set designer harness one of the most captivating—and toxic—materials in the world and wind up as one of the fathers of photography? When does a coin go from a piece of stamped metal to an act of faith? And how did gold in Ghana go from dust in the water to a touchstone of language, story, and the strength of an empire? Guests: Yaëlle Biro, former associate curator for the Arts of Africa, African Art in The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Daniel Carrillo, studio photographer Benjamin Harnett, independent scholar of ancient technology and digital engineer, The New York Times Marco Leona, David H. Koch Scientist in Charge, Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Irene Soto Marín, economic historian and assistant professor of ancient history, Harvard University Yaw Nyarko, professor of Economics, New York University Stephen Pinson, curator, Photographs, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Objects featured in this episode: [Works of Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Louis-Jacques-Mand%C3%A9+Daguerre&department=19) (various) [Roman coins] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=coin&department=13&geolocation=Roman+Empire) (various) [Staff of Office: Figures, spider web and spider motif (ȯkyeame)] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/314925) , 19th–early 20th century. Ghana. Akan peoples, Asante group. Wood, gold foil, nails, H. 61 5/8 x W. 5 3/4 x D. 2 1/4 in. (156.5 x 14.6 x 5.7 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of the Richard J. Faletti Family, 1986 (1986.475a-c) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong. Special thanks to Alan Shapiro, Bobby Walsh, Lauren Johnson, and Kwabena and Rose Gyimah-Brempong. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

31 Aug 2022

49 MINS

49:33

31 Aug 2022

#8

Metals, Part One

Philosophers and scientists have tried for millennia to crack the code of alchemy: the art of turning lead into gold. But alchemy goes much deeper than that—it gives us a framework for turning metal into story. In the first of a two-part episode on the metals of alchemy, we explore iron, bronze, lead, and copper. Our stories go deep into the basement of The Met, and back in time to a waterlogged ancient tomb. You’ll hear about books that dazzle, puppets that weep, and the long lost sound of a 2000-year-old bell. Guests: Edward Hunter, armorer and conservator, Arms and Armor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Marco Leona, David H. Koch Scientist in Charge, Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Ali Olomi, professor of Middle East, Islamic, and Global Southern history, Penn State Abington Kannia Rifatulzia, translator, In-depth Creative Defri Simatupang, archaeologist, North Sumatera Archaeology Center, Indonesia Zhixin Jason Sun, Brooke Russell Astor Curator of Chinese Art, Asian Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Yana Van Dyke, conservator, Paper Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Objects featured in this episode: [European armor] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=iron+armor&department=4&geolocation=Europe) (various) [Zhong bells] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=zhong+bell&searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&pageSize=0&material=Bells) (various) [Puppet Head (Si Gale-gale)] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/315894) , late 19th–early 20th century. Indonesia, Sumatra. Toba Batak people. Wood, copper alloy, lead alloy, water buffalo horn, paint, H. (without pull rope) 13 1/4 in. x W. 6 in. x D. 6 1/2 in. (33.7 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Fred and Rita Richman, 1987 (1987.453.6) [Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp] (https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/shnm/hd_shnm.htm) , ca. 1525–30. Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Arthur A. Houghton Jr., 1970 (1970.301.1–78) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong. Field production by Tanita Rahmani. Special thanks to Sheila Blair, Lauren Johnson, and G. Willow Wilson. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

17 Aug 2022

56 MINS

56:48

17 Aug 2022

#7

Linen

Take a spin through The Met and you’ll find thousands of items made from linen. From a 3,500 year old sheet from Ancient Egypt, to a Giorgio Armani suit from the 1980s, linen has been a symbol of wealth and authority. But it's also been a tool for the oppression and exploitation of enslaved people in the American South, and an engine of work and comfort in the Victorian era. Suit up as we undress the legacy of linen through its complex, layered symbolism. Guests: Catharine H. Roehrig, curator emerita, Egyptian Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Rachel Tashijian, fashion critic and fashion news director, Harper’s Bazaar Jonathan Square, The Gerald and Mary Ellen Ritter Memorial Fund Fellow, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Cora Harrington, lingerie expert, founder of The Lingerie Addict, and author of In Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear, and Love Lingerie Objects featured in this episode: [Length of Very Sheer Linen Cloth] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/545138) , ca. 1492–1473 B.C. Egypt, New Kingdom. Linen, Greatest length 515 cm (202 3/4 in); Greatest width 161 cm (63 3/8 in); Weight 140 grams (5 oz.); 46 warp x 30 weft per sq. cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Rogers Fund, 1936 (36.3.111) [Armani linen suits] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=armani&material=Linen) (various) [Nineteenth-century lingerie] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=lingerie&material=Linen) (various) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Eleanor Kagan. Special thanks to Emilia Cortes, Jessica Regan, Mellissa Huber, Janina Poskrobko, Cristina Carr, Kristine Kamiya, Minsun Hwang, and Dr. Vanessa Holden. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

03 Aug 2022

44 MINS

44:08

03 Aug 2022

#6

Jade

Deep in the riverbeds of Aotearoa New Zealand’s South Island, you’ll find a stone that’s as hard as steel and as green as the first breath of the earth. It’s called pounamu, or nephrite jade. It’s been formed into everything from adzes to earrings, including hei tiki, greenstone pendants handed down in Māori families for generations. Meet a pair of hei tiki—one with two hundred years of family history, and one that's being brought back to life in The Met. From their start as colonial institutions, you'll hear about the role museums can play in setting taonga, or treasures, free. Guests: Dougal Austin, senior curator, Mātauranga Māori, Te Papa Tongarewa The Museum of New Zealand Dan Hikuroa, senior lecturer in Māori Studies, University of Auckland Maia Nuku, Evelyn A. J. Hall and John A. Friede Associate Curator for Oceanic Art, Oceanic Art in The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Lisa Ruaka Reweti, public programs presenter, Whanganui Regional Museum Featured object: [Greenstone pendant (hei tiki)] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/43721) . Aotearoa New Zealand, Maori. Nephrite jade (pounamu), H. 6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm); W. 3 in. (7.6 cm); D. 1 in. (2.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.315) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong and Rachel Smith. Special thanks to Chanel Clarke and Cellia Joe-Olsen. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

20 Jul 2022

41 MINS

41:02

20 Jul 2022

#5

Shells

It all begins with a sea creature—a snail called a conch—and the mathematically perfect spiral it transforms into a home, which we humans then put to our lips and play like a trumpet. Throughout time and cultures, conch shells have been used to communicate across great distances, from signaling on the battlefield to connecting with the divine. Hear stories about a jazz musician who plays the conch to connect with his ancestors, why a sacred Incan site way up in the Andes became a ceremonial conch concert hall, and how a conch shell made its way from the depths of the ocean to echoing through the Great Hall of The Met. Guests: Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, curator, Musical Instruments, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Markus Sesko, associate curator of Asian arms and armor, Arms and Armor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Steve Turre, master jazz trombonist and seashellist Jim Waterman, founder and owner of Shell World Miriam A. Kolar, scholar of archaeoacoustics and  lead investigator for the Chavín de Huántar Archaeological Acoustics Project Featured object: [Conch Shell Trumpet] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/501400) , late 19th century. Vanuatu, Melanesian. Conch shell, 12 x 6 in. (30.5 x 15.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889 (89.4.772) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Elyse Blennerhassett. Music in this episode performed and composed by Steve Turre, Lemon Guo, Sophia Shen, Elyse Blennerhassett, Austin Fisher, and Chris Zabriskie. Shell recordings from Chavin provided by Miriam Kolar and performed by Miriam Kolar, Robert Silva, Ricardo Guerrero La Luna, Riemann Ramirez, Ronald San Miguel, and Tito La Rosa. Special thanks to Tim Caster, Markus Sesko, John Guy, Maia Nuku, James Doyle, Julia Waterman, Paul Schneider, and Peter Rinaldi. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

06 Jul 2022

39 MINS

39:42

06 Jul 2022

#4

Clay

In seventeenth-century Europe, some of the wealthiest women in the world were doing something strange with the ceramic jars in their curiosity cabinets. They were eating them. But these clay pieces from Mexico—called búcaros—weren't just some bizarre snack. They were seen as a piece of the “New World,” one you could touch, smell, and taste. They were so well known that they even made it into the foreground of masterpiece paintings. But what is the real story behind these jars? Who is preserving this centuries-old ceramic tradition, and what does it mean to be one of the few artists who still works with this specific, sensuous clay? Guests: Fernando Jimón Melchor, master ceramics artisan from Tonalà, Mexico Federico Carò, research scientist, Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Margaret Connors McQuade, Deputy Director & Curator of Decorative Arts, The Hispanic Society Museum & Library Ronda Kasl, curator of Latin American Art, The American Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra, professor and historian of science and medicine at the University of Texas Featured object: [Covered jar (Búcaros)] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/662163) , ca. 1675–1700. Mexico, Tonalà. Earthenware, burnished, with white paint and silver leaf, 27 3/4 in. (70.5 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Sansbury-Mills Fund, 2015 (2015.45.2a, b) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Eleanor Kagan and Ariana Martinez. Translation, photos and field production by Fernando Hernandez Becerra of Esto no es radio. Special thanks to Marie Clapot, Monika Bincsik, Sarah Cowan, Lam Thuy Vo, and ArtShack Brooklyn. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

22 Jun 2022

49 MINS

49:33

22 Jun 2022

#3

Concrete

Concrete is full of contradictions. First it’s dust, then liquid, then hard as stone. It’s both rough and smooth, it’s modern and ancient, it can preserve history or play a hand in destroying it. Unsurprisingly, concrete is all about the gray area. Hear about this material from its supporters and detractors alike: why it’s so controversial, why it’s so often used in memorials, and how Colombian artist Doris Salcedo uses it to address grief and mourning. Guests: Nadine M. Orenstein, Drue Heinz Curator in Charge, Drawings and Prints, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Abraham Thomas, Daniel Brodsky Curator of Modern Architecture, Design, and Decorative Arts, Modern and Contemporary Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Adrian Forty, professor of architectural history, University College London, and author of Concrete and Culture (2012) Marco Leona, David H. Koch Scientist in Charge, Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Iria Candela, Estrellita B. Brodsky Curator of Latin American Art, Modern and Contemporary Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Featured object: Doris Salcedo (Colombian, b. 1958), [Untitled] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/838202) , 1997–99. Wood, concrete, and steel, 32 x 15 1/4 x 16 1/2 in. (81.3 x 38.7 x 41.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift and Latin American Art Initiative Gift, 2020 (2020.25) For a transcript of this episode and more information, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camile Dungy. This episode was produced by Eleanor Kagan. Special thanks to Doris Salcedo, Laura Ubate, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Harvard Art Museums, and the Nasher Sculpture Center. Audio © President and Fellows of Harvard College. Recorded by Danny Hoshino on November 2, 2016, Harvard Art Museums See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

08 Jun 2022

37 MINS

37:05

08 Jun 2022

#2

Paper

Valentines, comic books, cigarette cards and more—all of these objects can be meaningful, but what does it mean to house them in a museum? Paper holds our memories, our stories, our fears, and our desires. How do conservators race against time to make them last? Enter the world of handheld ephemera, where keeping these objects in our hands or in our pockets keeps them close to our hearts. Guests: Taz Ahmed, author, activist, and visual artist Rachel Mustalish, conservator, Paper Conservation, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Nancy Rosin, valentine researcher and scholar and volunteer cataloger in the Department of Drawings and Prints, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Allison Rudnick, associate curator, Drawings and Prints, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Objects featured in this episode: [Omene cigarette cards] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=omene&department=9) (various) [Esther Howland valentines] (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Esther+Howland+Valentine&department=9) (various) For an exclusive interview with Omene’s granddaughter, a transcript of this episode and more, visit metmuseum.org/immaterial #MetImmaterial Immaterial is produced by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Magnificent Noise and hosted by Camille Dungy. This episode was produced by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong and Eleanor Kagan. Special thanks to Mindell Dubansky and Nadine Orenstein. See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

25 May 2022

38 MINS

38:35

25 May 2022

#1

Introducing: Immaterial

Introducing Immaterial, a brand new podcast from The Met. Hosted by poet Camille T. Dungy, Immaterial examines the materials of art and what they can reveal about history, humanity, and the world at large. Launching May 25th; new episodes publish every other Wednesday. For a transcript and more information, please visit [www.metmuseum.org/immaterial] (http://www.metmuseum.org/immaterial) See [omnystudio.com/listener] (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. ... Read more

08 May 2022

03 MINS

03:54

08 May 2022