Art Slice - A Palatable Serving of Art History

We are back, we are wide-eyed, almost Bratz Dolls eyed (!) and South of the Border 🇲🇽 This time diving into the work of Rosa Rolanda, who metamorphosis-ized 🦋 from a famous Broadway dancer into a Surrealist late in life. Full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-CVdxpnwBc Along the way she crossed paths with figures like Man Ray. It's likely she even learned the photogram process from him, which she then made uniquely her own. Her photograms feel like intimate journal doodles crossed with the raw energy of punk zines from the early '90s.She also met her soon-to-be partner and collaborator, the Mexican artist Miguel Covarrubias—also known as 'El Chamaco.' Together, they became Mexico's first artistic power couple, predating even Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Their groundbreaking work, the book "Island of Bali," was the first comprehensive account of Balinese culture for the Western world, detailing its art, music, dance, and rituals.But it's her paintings that have this incredible, haunting feeling of anemoia—a nostalgia for a time you've never known. This gives them a distinct '90s or early 2000s vibe. On the surface, they seem simple and illustrative, but on a second, third, or even fourth look, you start to peel back all these incredible visual and narrative layers."Topics include:Bratz Dolls and Crazy TownFrida Kahlo and Arte Popular at the Museum of Fine Arts in Bostonthe Museo de Arte ModernoCrystal Bridges Museum of American ArtSmart and Final yellowMarion Morgan’s Morgan DancersMan Ray’s photograms or Rayograms Rat Fink for some reasonMexico City’s first artist power couple Tina Modotti, Nickolas Muray, Frida Kahlo, Diego RiveraGwen Stefani's Harajuku Girls Miguel Covarribus and Rosa Rolanda’s Island of Bali book from 1937 Las Mañanitas scene from “El Rapto” starring Maria FelixThe 60th Venice Biennale “Foreigners Everywhere”LACMA’s 2012 exhibition “In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States”And what Visual Art can learn from performative art like dance--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Support the show!Patreon ➫ http://patreon.com/artslicepod Merch ➫ https://artslicepod-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/all More Merch ➫ https://www.artslicepod.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The featured song was “Cascades” from Kris Keogh’s new album Processed Harp Works, Volume 3 on the Japanese imprint - Muzan Editions.https://muzaneditions.bandcamp.com/album/processed-harp-works-volume-3 The album is amazing - It’s like drifting off in a meditative trance, being brought back to awareness, before drifting again. If you like artists like The Caretaker - you really need to spend time with these albums. Other tracks featured:Elvenheim - “At Night” https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Shamil_Elvenheim/momentumHolizna - “First Snow” https://holiznacc0.bandcamp.com/album/winter-lo-fi-2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CREDITS:Writing and Research by Stephanie Duenas and Russell ShoemakerEditing, Production and Sound Design by Russell ShoemakerLogo Design by Russell ShoemakerTheme by Russell Shoemaker and Betta Music ProEnding Theme by Russell Shoemaker and Underwood BeatsSocial Media by Stephanie Duenas and Russell ShoemakerNewsletter by Stephanie DuenasAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/gK2OcbuE7OoWhen the dazzling German actress Maria Lani arrived in Paris in the late 1920s, her presence set the art world abuzz. She quickly recruited over fifty artists—including Pierre Bonnard, Jean Cocteau, Marc Chagall, André Derain, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso (he said no), Man Ray, Georges-Henri Rouault, Fernand Léger, and Suzanne Valadon—to depict her in paintings, photographs, and sculptures for an upcoming film.There was just one problem: "Maria Lani" was a construct. She wasn’t a famous actress—she wasn’t even "Maria Lani." So what did she plan to do with all these artworks?Sign up for our algorithm free newsletter ➫ https://www.artslicepod.com/When Maria Lani disappeared along with the pieces, rumors spread that she had stolen the works and sold them to unsuspecting collectors in the United States. Was this the art heist of the century? Or was something else going on?We sit down with Author and Illustrator - Jonathan Lackman and Zachary J. Pinson - to uncover the truth—and discuss The Woman with Fifty Faces, a stunning new graphic novel from Fantagraphics that explores the enigmatic life of this maligned figure.Support the show!Patreon ➫ http://patreon.com/artslicepodMerch ➫ https://artslicepod-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/allMore Merch ➫ https://www.artslicepod.com/For more on Maria Lani ➫ https://marialani.com/https://jonlackman.com/To see more of Zachary's work ➫ https://www.instagram.com/zachary_j_pinson/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

ლ(o◡oლ) MAGIC MIND ლ(o◡oლ) helped fuel our noggins during the making of this episode -to give your brain some choice fuel, use ARTSLICEJUNE for 50% off your order HERE:➩ ➪ ➩ ➪ https://magicmind.com/ARTSLICEJUNEJoin our FREE algorithm-free newsletter for updates! ➩ ➪ ➩ ➪ https://artslicepod.substack.com/We highly recommend watching this one if possible as Violeta Parra’s works are so breathtaking and impactful:➩ ➪ ➩ ➪ https://youtu.be/g0vESB_nKvEThis month, we dive into Violeta Parra’s (1917-1967) multifaceted legacy with her biographer, Ericka Verba.You can find Ericka’s book, “Thanks to Life” on her website: www.erickaverba.com as well as more Violeta Parra resources.Violeta’s artistic journey has many parallels to Frida Kahlo’s: both artists began painting while bedridden; drew from their personal experience with the folk arts of their country, Frida in Mexico and Violeta in Chile.They both lived and worked during a time when their respective countries were at a crossroads and made it their mission to capture the folk culture of their countries:Frida with a paint brush and Violeta through song, poem, painting and arpilleras (embroidery).And while most of us have only heard of Frida Kahlo, both artists achieved international fame in their lifetime and their legacies continue to this day.Violeta Parra became the first Latin American artist (period) to have a solo exhibition at the Louvre in Paris in 1964 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.And more recently, her arpilleras were featured in the 2022 Venice Biennale “Milk of Dreams” which also featured some Art Slice favorites like Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo and Dorothea Tanning, to name a few.While she was putting her own twist on this traditional folk medium during her lifetime, arpilleras took on a much different meaning under the brutal, US-backed Pinochet dictatorship several years (1973-1990) after her sudden death (suicide) in 1967:They became a protest symbol and tool of resistance against the regime for Chilean women, as well as a way for them to grieve their disappeared loved ones.But before arpilleras, Violeta had become internationally known for her music. When she began her artistic career, she started with painting.Her paintings explore deep emotions and personal experiences. The planes of color and vague interiors really mind us of Richard Diebenkorn and Florine Stettheimer.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Our SCARY releases continue . . . well, RE-RUN in this case. WATCH HERE: https://youtu.be/hYONIhxxKUQIn celebration of our new 2025 Creature Double Feature episodes, we went back to the vault and added VISUALS to our Creature Feature episode with Japanese printmaker Hokusai (1760-1849) and Celtic Spook School alum Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh (1864-1933) and their terrifying contributions to spooky art history.Both works were inspired by female protagonists who were WRONGED: one from ancient Japanese folklore and the other via the imagination of a fascist Italian playwright.Real talk: this was one of our favorite episodes we recorded years ago! Hope you enjoy it, NEW EPISODE OUT SOON. <3 Russell + StephanieAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Listeners, we are excited to share a very special interview with Orna Tsultem, curator and art historian of Mongolian art, where we dive into the origins of Mongol Zurag, the art of resistance.We cover A LOT of images in this one so we highly recommend watching when you have the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QchXwHybmfk&ab_channel=ArtSlicePodYou can also follow along here: https://www.artslicepod.com/episodes/mongol-zurag-art-of-resistanceIn this episode, we discuss the origins of Mongol Zurag which began as benign secular painting, which was a significant change from the traditional Buddhist thangka paintings.After Mongolia became a Soviet satellite state, Mongol Zurag, slowly but surely, became the voice of resistance from Mongolian artists looking to rediscover their cultural heritage.The Mongol Zurag style continues today and the Mongolian artists’ message which most of us can relate to in the year 2025 living under neo-liberalism and capital greed.You can learn more about Mongolian Art here:https://www.artmongolia.org/MUSIC: Yesterday Album - Lofi And Chill Artist - HoliznaCC0 https://holiznacc0.bandcamp.com/album... 01 Album - 2013 Toyota Corolla Artist - 2003 Toyota Corolla https://hanahata.bandcamp.com/album/2...Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION HERE (and if you do please like, subscribe, and comment - we are trying to get our videos some traction): https://youtu.be/vQZ0yMxdfuE¡ ¡ W E ‘ R E B A C K, Y ’ A L L ! !This time getting lost in the weird and wonderful world of painter, photographer and printmaker Yasuo Kuniyoshi’s early works (Part 1) that feature wonky landscapes populated by dream logic, lumpy babies, curvaceous women, angular farm animals, and Japanese folk tales as well as American folk influences.Yas’ early works became an amalgamation of his lifelong journey of self-identity, expertly blending sentimental past memories, like that of Japanese folktale Momotaro, with present feelings of fear and isolation due to the growing racism and tension he was experiencing on the daily.As an Asian American immigrant, and like many other Nikkei, Yas found himself trapped somewhere in the middle - considered neither Japanese nor American enough - as relations between the US and Japan escalated. We discuss “Little Joe with Cow” 1923, “Bad Dream” 1924, and “Self-Portrait as Golf Player” 1927. Topics include shedding your husk, Weezer dance-a-thons, dual cup-holder LaZ boys, censoring comics and mermaids . . . and so much more!!Music: "A flower blooms in complete darkness"From the album: "Visions, Prophecies, and Night Terrors" by The Hathaway Family PlotCheck out the album on Spotify or Bandcamp https://thehathawayfamilyplot.bandcamp.com/album/visions-prophecies-and-night-terrorsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jack Shoulder and Mark Small of Museum Bums fame take us on a curvy tour of Art Historical Gluteal Clefts!If you’d rather watch - you can do so here: https://youtu.be/1mCpKG4nuoUTopics include counting museum rumps, apotropaic blessings from Goddesses heinies, Kappa Yokai looking for soul spheres in your rear…We’re all still stumped about what was up with Hieronymus Bosch’s… erhm… interest in butts. And of course, the coded queerness hiding just between the cheeks of artists like Michelangelo and Henry Scott Tuke. For your daily dose of bum - follow @museumbums on social, and while you’re at it pick up Museum Bums: A Cheeky Look at Butts in Art from (preferably) your local bookstore.The featured song was Ｓ ｔ ｏ ｃ ｋ Ｍ ｕ ｓ ｉ ｃ from Anonymous420's album ＳＴＡＲＴＵＰ ＮＡＴＩＯＮ Support the making of this show and get access to bonus content on our Patreon - patreon.com/artslicepodAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Want to watch instead of listen? Do so here: https://youtu.be/Qw4YLLwleD0For its SEVENTH installment, the Art Slice Museum Laboratories Division of Color Theory and Color Studies brings you the extra-spectral, enigmatic (and sometimes controversial) PURPLE - and we have artist, illustrator, animator and (duncle) Caldwell Tanner of Not Another DnD Podcast (NaddPod), Drawfee, Big City Greens - on deck to help sort it out.Is it actually violet? Or have color manufacturers fudged the visuals? Or is purple hidden in plain sight, filling in the voids of our imaginations and our physical world?We get into all of this - discussing purple’s history - its ancient lineage beginning often laborious flora origins, its unwavering sense of mystery and wonder yet it’s reincarnation into pop cultural characters - as well as it's characteristics, and your color associations!Key moments include: Grimace (original), Qin Shi Huang, world wide mollusk milking, purple kimonos, Klasky Csupo, Cleopatra, Grimace (current day), colorful Giallo horror flicks, Harry Clarke, Lois Dodd, and what kind of pants robots could wear...Check out Caldwell's work here: https://twitter.com/caldy?lang=enCheck out NaddPod here: https://naddpod.com/Music: Soft and Furious - Diving in the Self https://chezmonplaisir.bandcamp.com/album/diving-in-the-selfSupport us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/artslicepod and/or grab some merch: https://www.artslicepod.com/shopAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Want to watch instead of listen? Do so here: https://youtu.be/8qKNVCNWQaAFor its SIXTH installment, the Art Slice Museum Laboratories Division of Color Theory and Color Studies brings you our most controversial color so far. . . PINK (!!!) Is this color just a light red? Or is the extra-spectral tone of our… life… energy…?We dig through the history, characteristics, and your color associations with, artist, curator, activist - and creator of the Pinkest Pink - Stuart Semple @stuartsemple And try - TRY - to make some sense of the sorted history of Pink, from its humble algae origins to its 20th century capitalist feminine turn.Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/artslicepod and/or grab some merch: https://www.artslicepod.com/shopKey moments include Barbie’s girlhood domination, Pinko Pigment, the Pink Tide, Giovanni Barrista Moroni, Pontormo, Simpsons Pink, Portia Munson, Ketchup and Mayo mixed, and so much more.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We are back (!) picking up where we left off with Francisco de Goya in PART ONE as we finally discuss Los Caprichos, but not before diving into the revelatory hidden imagery in La familia de Carlos IV, and Goya's infamous witch series: Witches' Flight, The Spell, Witches' Sabbath, The Witches' Kitchen, and The Bewitched Man / Devil's Lamp. We also address the myth that Goya went ‘crazy’ after a certain point in his life. Turns out, the answer was ‘no’ but also not that simple.Full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRxVZRzDicIWe will be following up our Goya episodes with a wrap up ‘sode on our Patreon very soon where we will talk about all the things, thoughts, feelings that went behind making this trio of Goya/Spanish culture related episodes: http://www.patreon.com/artslicepod--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Art Pantry this week is AQUATINT brought to you by our first Pantry guests Mirand & Reinaldo from Hello, Print Friend - a podcast about all things printmaking. Follow them on IG @helloprintfriend for amazing print content and tutorials!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The featured music today was “That feeling when you are stuck in a libertarian world and don’t like it” by Soft and Furious Go pick up the album! https://chezmonplaisir.bandcamp.com/track/that-feeling-when-you-get-stuck-in-a-libertarian-world-and-you-really-dont-like-it--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRAVEL WITH US!!! Go to http://www.artslicepod.com/travel to take a quick 2 min survey and let us know WHERE do you want to go? WHAT do you want to see? WHEN would you like to go?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

TRAVEL WITH US!!! Go to www.artslicepod.com/travel to take a quick 2 min survey and let us know WHERE do you want to go? WHAT do you want to see? WHEN would you like to go?We are officially back for Season Dos of Art Slice with Francisco Goya’s epic series of 80 prints - Los Caprichos. Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ9US22i0iE&t=2717s&ab_channel=ArtSlicePodBut before diving in, we look at Goya’s early career which coincided with the rise of French imported Enlightenment ideals and the rejection of said ideals in the Majo/a street style of the lower classes.Topics include trolling gods, straw mannequins, art worms, French simps, and the uncanny parallels between the lil homies / lil palermos and Goya’s Majomies. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

For its fifth installment, the Art Slice Museum Laboratories Division of Color Theory and Color Studies (finally) presents a true primary color. . . COBALT BLUE with guest Isabella Segalovich @interstellar_isabellar on TikTok and Instagram - Professor of Interior Design at Kean University and member of the New York Crit Club faculty. She is also a writer, teacher, and content creator who educates on the intersections of art, design, and politics and regular contributor to Hyperallergic. Support us on Patreon here and/or grab some merch: https://www.artslicepod.com/shopJoin us as we discuss an abbreviated history of blue - from its fleeting and rare presence in nature, to humanity’s attempts to harness and assign meaning to it. Key moments include Egyptian blue, Ultramarine and YINmn blue.Through a scientific breakthrough in the early 19th century, cobalt blue would become the steadfast true blue pigment missing on the painter’s palette, leading artists like Eugene Delacroix, Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh and Richard Diebenkorn to use cobalt in their varied and expressive visions.And lastly, we also dig into our associations with COBALT BLUE - which ranged from ocean hues, expansive skies, otherworldliness, happiness or even fresh crispness - all through data compiled by the Art Slice Pantrémon from clinical participants.If you would like to participate in the next color survey, submit your thoughts here:GOLD SURVEYThe song featured in this episode was “I need to do it to be alive” by Soft and Furious from the album Diving in the Self which is one of a hundred incredible songs by Rrrrrose of Loyalty Freak Music. Support Rrrrrose’s mission to create queer, free music against Capitalism and Fascism on Patreon. Consider supporting their work! ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿Support us on Patreon here and/or grab some merch: https://www.artslicepod.com/shopReviewing, subscribing, liking, and sharing really helps support the show:Follow us on twitter, tiktok, youtube, and instagram.Consider subscribing and leaving us a review on apple podcasts!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy