Who Arted: Weekly Art History for All Ages

Édouard Manet, born in Paris in 1832, defied his privileged upbringing to pursue art, despite initial family opposition. Studying under Thomas Couture, Manet diverged from academic traditions, favoring scenes of modern Parisian life. His controversial works, such as Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe and Olympia, challenged artistic and social norms by depicting contemporary figures in realistic settings, notably nudes without mythological context, sparking public outrage but inspiring avant-garde artists. Although not an official Impressionist, Manet's innovative style, characterized by bold brushstrokes and stark contrasts, influenced many in the movement. His final major work, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, further exemplifies his fascination with modern life, using complex perspectives and reflections to explore themes of reality, illusion, and the social complexities of urban environments. Manet's art redefined the depiction of modern life, challenging accepted artistic and social standards. He moved beyond historical or allegorical subjects, portraying bustling Parisian streets, cafes, and ordinary people. His bold style laid the groundwork for modern art. Despite facing constant criticism and rejection from official art circles, Manet became a pivotal figure, mentoring and inspiring many later Impressionists. His legacy endures through his significant contribution to the evolution of painting, notably his departure from academic rules and commitment to depicting the nuances of everyday life, culminating in his complex and thought-provoking final masterpiece. Related episodes: Diego Velazquez Claude Monet Berthe Morisot Edgar Degas The Salon des Refuses Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) stands as a titan in the realm of Japanese woodblock prints of the ukiyo-e period. His tranquil landscapes, meticulously detailed cityscapes, and captivating depictions of flora and fauna continue to resonate with viewers centuries after their creation. Hiroshige's life, however, was far from a serene stroll through the picturesque scenes he immortalized. Born into a humble background and navigating a rapidly changing artistic landscape, Hiroshige's artistic journey mirrored the dynamism of his era. Related episodes: ⁠Who ARTed | Katsushika Hokusai⁠ ⁠Art Smart | Ukiyo-e Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) was a significant 20th-century artist known for his elongated, attenuated sculptures that often embody post-war existential themes. Born in Switzerland, he was influenced by his artist father and later by Renaissance, Egyptian, and African art. He moved to Paris, studied sculpture, and was briefly involved with the Surrealists before breaking away to focus on working from live models. Giacometti's intense artistic process involved obsessive observation and self-criticism, often leading to the destruction and reworking of his pieces. His later work, characterized by signature elongated figures, resonated deeply in the post-war era, reflecting themes of isolation, fragility, and the human condition, and were linked by philosophers like Sartre to Existentialism. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I thought it would be fun to switch things up a little bit. Instead of focusing on just one artist and artwork, I’ve got 5 artists who work with food in ways most people would never consider. Jason Mecier creates mosaic portraits of celebrities using their favorite snacks, vices, and trash, making him a prominent figure in "junk art." Vik Muniz recreates famous paintings on a large scale using discarded materials, including garbage and chocolate syrup. Conrad Engelhardt crafts pointillist-style mosaics using wine corks, capitalizing on the various wine stains as his color palette. Jim Bachor fills city potholes with custom-made glass and marble tile mosaics, creating unexpected street art. Finally, Kristen Cumings uses thousands of Jelly Belly jelly beans to create vibrant mosaic masterpieces, including portraits and recreations of famous artworks. Cover art for this episode was Big Bird (breakfast cereal) by Jason Mecier. Image courtesy of the artist. If you like mini episode with fun facts, check out my other podcast  Fun Facts Daily Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles and Ray Eames were an iconic husband-and-wife design team who became leaders of the Mid-Century Modern movement. Their partnership began at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, merging Charles's architectural and structural background with Ray's keen artistic eye for color and form. A critical development in their career was perfecting a method for molding plywood into complex shapes, a technique they developed while making leg splints for the U.S. Navy during WWII. They famously applied this innovation to furniture, with their most enduring creation being the 1956 Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Designed to have the "warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt," the chair combined luxurious materials with ergonomic comfort, becoming an instant classic and a symbol of sophisticated taste that is still in production today. Beyond furniture, their influential Eames Office also created pioneering films, toys, and architecture, including their own modular Eames House, all driven by the goal of making thoughtful, high-quality design accessible to improve everyday life. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Petra, the ancient city carved into the sandstone cliffs of Jordan, is a testament to the ingenuity and artistry of the Nabataean civilization. Established in the 4th century BC, Petra's strategic location along trade routes fueled its prosperity. The Nabataeans carved impressive structures like the Treasury and the Monastery directly into the rock face using chisels, hammers, and picks. The city's architecture reflects a blend of Hellenistic, Egyptian, and Assyrian influences. Petra's intricate carvings, water systems, and monumental tombs highlight their advanced skills and cultural beliefs. Though the city declined after an earthquake and shifting trade routes, its rediscovery in the 19th century unveiled its remarkable legacy. Many people today first laid eyes on Petra when it was featured in the popular movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Today, Petra stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, captivating visitors with its unique blend of history, architecture, and artistry. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mariko Mori, born in Tokyo in 1967, is a Japanese artist whose work blends traditional Buddhist iconography with futuristic digital art. With a background influenced by her father's inventiveness and her mother's art history knowledge, Mori initially studied fashion design before pursuing visual arts in London and New York. Her early pieces featured herself in elaborate costumes, exploring identity and technology. Mori's notable work, "Pure Land," created between 1996 and 1998, reflects her shift towards spirituality and transcendence. She combines photography with digital manipulation to create surreal, otherworldly scenes, often featuring herself as a goddess figure surrounded by symbolic elements, drawing inspiration from Buddhist art, Japanese mythology, and personal experiences like sleep paralysis. Her art explores themes of enlightenment, technology, and the intersection of tradition and the future. Please note: I will mostly be playing mini episodes through the summer. I have a few full length episodes coming in June and July, but for scheduling reasons, I am mostly going to be making solo mini episodes for a while. Links: AP Art History Cram Session playlist on Spotify Fun Facts Daily on your favorite podcast app. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sandro Botticelli, born Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, was a renowned Florentine painter during the Renaissance. By the 1470s, Botticelli established his own workshop and gained recognition for his unique style. He received commissions from wealthy patrons, including the powerful Medici family. For the Medici, Botticelli painted portraits and created allegorical and mythological works that showcased his mastery of line, color, and composition. His most famous paintings, "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera," were created during this period. "The Birth of Venus" depicts the arrival of the goddess Venus on the shore after emerging from the sea. The painting is rich in symbolism, drawing from classical mythology, Neoplatonic philosophy, and Christian theology. Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, is the central figure. Her nudity, while controversial today, was associated with purity in classical art. The painting is filled with symbolic elements, like the wind gods Zephyrus and Aura representing the forces of nature, and the Hora of Spring welcoming Venus with flowers, signifying her connection to fertility. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is Michelle Young, author of The Art Spy. During WWII, French museum curator Rose Valland risked her life to sabotage the Nazi art theft machine, secretly documenting their plunder and saving countless masterpieces. The book is thoroughly researched to not only verify the facts of Valland's work preserving art, but also to gain insights into Valland as a human being. In our interview, Young shared some of her insights into a largely overlooked but incredibly consequential hero of the French Resistance. Buy THE ART SPY: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland (HarperOne; 5/13/25) from your favorite book seller. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2009, a television presenter from the BBC, a guy by the name of James May, gathered about 2,000 volunteers and approximately 3.2 million bricks donated by LEGO to create a two-story house out of Legos. He created this for a series called James May's Toy Stories. The house even went so far as it had working plumbing, like it had a working shower and toilet all made of LEGO. May actually spent the night in his LEGO house and he made two important discoveries. First, he found out that a LEGO bed is not the least bit comfortable. And secondly, he discovered the structure that he had built was not waterproof. When it was time for the house to come down, May and LEGO donated all of those bricks to charity. There's something beautiful about the fact that after May got to live out his childhood dream of building a life sized LEGO house, he paid it forward by passing on those bricks to other people in need so that everyone could have a chance to build their vision and live their dreams. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices