Excuse Me...

In this episode of Excuse Me, Erin-Atlanta Argun is joined by Jean Wainwright – art historian, critic, curator, and one of the most experienced artist interviewers working today. Since 1996, Jean has interviewed more than 1,800 artists through her Audio Arts archive, while also writing extensively on contemporary art, photography, and the market across major publications. Their conversation begins with Jean’s long-standing engagement with Andy Warhol, from her doctoral research into his audiotapes to the intimate, often unexpected picture of the artist that emerged through years of archival listening and conversations with those who knew him best. Together, Erin and Jean explore what the artist interview can reveal, how authenticity and performance coexist in the stories artists tell, and why Warhol continues to open up new ways of thinking about art, media, celebrity, and history. As always, the episode then turns to the Excuse Me question. Jean’s fantasy collection brings together works by Andy Warhol, Yinka Shonibare, Catherine Yass, Tracey Emin, and Natalia Edenmont – a group of artworks connected by a common narrative, Jean’s memories, history, light, and the sea. Across the conversation, Jean reflects on what it means to live with art, the pieces she still wishes she’d bought, and the stories that make certain works impossible to forget.Excuse Me is a podcast by MyArtBroker, exploring art, culture, and the stories behind the images that shape how we see the world.

In this episode of Excuse Me, Erin-Atlanta Argun is joined by Ricky Wilson: frontman of the Kaiser Chiefs, former coach on The Voice UK, and this season’s celebrity artist on the BBC’s Extraordinary Portraits.Best known to many as one of the defining voices of British indie rock, Ricky has spent the last two decades on stage and on our screens. But behind his music career is a much longer relationship with art. Before the Kaiser Chiefs took off, Ricky studied art and design, completed two degrees in the subject, and went on to teach at Leeds College of Art. The visual arts shape how he sees the world, and it comes through clearly as Ricky delves into the works of art he’d most love to own.Together, Erin and Ricky talk about the strange milestone of 20 years since the Kaiser Chiefs’ debut album Employment, the creative life he might have had if the band had never broken through, and why teaching and making space for creativity in younger people still matters to him. They also discuss his long-standing interest in visual culture, from his CBBC art programmes to his recent appearance on Extraordinary Portraits, where he created a portrait of wildlife sanctuary owner Lindsay. Along the way, Ricky reflects on what art means to him personally and why certain images stay with us for life.Extraordinary Portraits is available now on iPlayer, and all six original artworks from the series will be on display at a free exhibition at The Loading Bay, Bradford, from 1 May.

In this episode of The Excuse Me Podcast, Erin-Atlanta Argun is joined by Tabish Khan, widely known as London Art Critic.Making art accessible is at the heart of Tabish’s work as a critic, writer, curator, speaker, and fellow podcaster. Writing regularly for Londonist and FAD, he visits and reviews hundreds of exhibitions every year, spanning major institutional shows and London’s emerging art scene alike. Alongside Anna Gammans, Tabish also co-hosts The Good The Bad And The Arty, a podcast dedicated to making art feel more open and egaging. He is also a trustee of the City & Guilds London Art School and Discerning Eye, an honorary trustee of ArtCan, and a familiar voice across talks, panels, and prizes in the London art world.In this episode, Tabish and Erin explore accessibility in the art world, what it means to be a critic, and how we can create space for more people to engage with art. And, of course, Tabish answers the Excuse Me question by sharing his five dream artworks to own and the varied stories behind them…Season 2, Episode 3

In the first episode of Season 2, Erin-Atlanta Argun is joined by art historian and author Katy Hessel, who has made it her life’s work to champion women artists.Many listeners will know Katy from her Instagram account and podcast, The Great Women Artists, which she launched in 2015 after visiting an art fair in London and realising that not a single woman artist was being exhibited Since then, she has transformed that frustration with the male-centric infrastructure of the art world into a daily practice of storytelling – foregrounding the artists too often omitted from the canon.Katy’s first book, The Story of Art Without Men, became a defining entrypoint for readers looking for a fuller, fairer history of art. She has now released an adaptation of this book, The Story of Art Without Men: An Illustrated Guide to Amazing Women, which is out now. Designed for younger readers, teachers, and anyone building confidence in how to look at and engage with art.Across the conversation, Erin and Katy talk about what it means to “own” art. Katy reflects on taking children through museums and classrooms to understand what holds their attention, and how visual culture shapes the way we come to understand the world. And, of course, she answers the Excuse Me question, sharing her five dream artworks and the stories behind them… which you’ll uncover in this episode.Season 2, Episode 1 of the Excuse Me podcast by MyArtBroker.

In this episode, Erin sits down with photographer Charles Moriarty, whose intimate images have shaped some of the most recognisable moments in contemporary culture. Born in Dublin and drawn to London at eighteen, Charles quickly found himself behind the camera in the music industry, where in 2003 he photographed the iconic cover for Amy Winehouse’s debut album Frank. The portrait, tender and quietly electric, captures not just an artist at the beginning of her ascent, but the genuine friendship at the heart of their connection.Since then, Charles’ work has spanned institutions and publications including TATE, VICE, DIESEL, Highsnobiety, and Phoenix Magazine. He has published three deeply personal photographic books: Before Frank, a tribute to Amy and the trust they shared; X, a decade-long exploration of masculinity through portraiture; and Brock, his forthcoming release documenting four formative years with actor and bodybuilder Brock Yurich.This year also marks the launch of The Decisive Moment, the podcast he co-hosts with Carrie Kania of Iconic Images Gallery, where the pair explore the ever-evolving, multi-faceted world of photography.Charles appeared on our social series last year, choosing a Francis Bacon, so we are especially excited to see what he brings to the table today. In this conversation, he reflects on the images that have shaped him, the stories behind his most intimate portraits, and the emotional weight a photograph can hold. Thoughtful, open, and rich with the visual sensitivity that defines his work, this episode offers a rare window into the mind of an artist who sees people with extraordinary clarity.Season 1, episode 3 of the Excuse Me podcast by MyArtBroker.

In our very first episode, Erin-Atlanta Argun sits down with Professor Alan Read, whose unforgettable street interview outside Somerset House became one of the most loved moments in the Excuse Me series. Alan is the first Chair of Theatre at King’s College London, a writer, broadcaster, and lifelong champion of the arts, and his original response to our question captured the imagination of more than three million viewers.In this conversation, Alan opens up about the five artworks he would dream of owning and why. He talks about the power of looking, the responsibility of putting things on walls, and the role art plays in shaping who we become. From his deep affection for Chaim Soutine’s Pastry Chef, to the raw emotional pull of Pat Douthwaite’s Green Shield Stamps collage, to the quiet charge of Vija Celmins’ heater, and the dignity of street musicians captured on film, Alan brings each work to life with rare clarity and generosity.He also reflects on his own relationship with painting, mental health, protest, public space, theatre, and the stories that shape us. It is thoughtful, moving, surprising, and full of the spirited curiosity that made his original street moment go viral.A fitting start to the Excuse Me podcast by MyArtBroker.See more here: https://www.myartbroker.com/articles/excuse-me