Originally released January 2, 2017
LEGO portraits, sunflower seeds, & the middle finger are just a few of the images that come to mind when thinking of contemporary artist and activist, Ai Weiwei. Join the Babes as they discuss his work, influences, political activism, & tumultuous relationship with the Chinese government.
Censored version available:
https://www.arthistorybabes.com/censored-episodes-1/2018/8/5/episode-22-ai-wei-or-the-highway-censored
Check out our Summer Days Vlog:
youtu.be/8aUyAjomzXc
Related Episodes
Art History BB: Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds
https://www.arthistorybabes.com/episode-97-art-history-bb-ai-weiweis-sunflower-seeds
Marcel, Marcel, I Love You Like Hell
https://www.arthistorybabes.com/episode-70-marcel-marcel-i-love-you-like-hell

Featured Artist: Zach Clark
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Ai Wei or the Highway

~life is short, art is long~
Corrie, Nat, Ginny, & Jen discuss all things visual culture
*Regular episodes: hanging out, talking about art - kind of like a college seminar and house party combined.
*Art History Babe Briefs (Art History BBs) : quick art history facts minus the expletives.
*Hot Takes: The Babes mix it up, chatting about topics outside the realm of established art history.

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We recap our trip to Mexico (thx again everyone for joining us and making this trip magic) and do a deep dive on some traditional Mexican Folk Art (El Arte Popular de Mexico) including discussion of ex votos, la cartoneria, talavera poblana, and alebrijes.
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Mexican Folk Art

Jen and Corrie are talking hungry bois! Judgement, hellfire, hybrid alligator/lion/hippos, the primal fear of being eaten - all this and more in this episode on medieval hellmouth imagery.
support us on patreon// https://www.patreon.com/arthistorybabes
ig // @arthistorybabespodcast
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Hellmouths: Hungry Bois of Hades

For our final Virtual Realism episode, Ginny and Jen talk with another artist featured in the exhibition–Deborah Root. Deborah is a visual artist, cultural critic and writer. Ginny and Jen discuss her art practice and figurative painting “The Nordstrom Box” featured in Virtual Realism. In addition to her art practice, Deborah is the author of various works including Cannibal Culture: Art, Appropriation and the Commodification of Difference which had a particular on Jen’s thesis research during grad school. This delightful conversation took place in fall of 2021 so thank you for your patience in its release. Virtual Realism Online ExhibitionD // Deborah's website // Deborah's Instagram // Zach's website // Zach's instagram // THE AHB CENTER FOR EROTIC ART// https://www.onlyfans.com/artbabes SUPPORT THE AHB// https://www.patreon.com/arthistorybabes ORDER THE HONEST ART DICTIONARY// https://www.arthistorybabes.com/get-our-book IG// @arthistorybabespodcast
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Virtual Realism Artist Talks: Deborah Root

Jen, Ginny, Nat, & Corrie take a tour through the colossal of history toys, asking the age-old question, why do we love a little guy?
Outline:
1 since the dawn of time, ppl have wanted other ppl to check out the little guy they made.
2 imitative and instructive
3 the earliest toys
4 enlightenment era toys
5 industrialization of toys
6 once plastic hits the scene, it’s all over
7 toys reflect contemporary technologies and cultural values
8 kids, possession over toys, and holiday gift culture 
9 love language tangent
10 toys and child development
11 jacks: sharp but not
12 playdough is timeless
13 everything is a ceremony
14 everybody loves a log
15 cass holman
16 good toys make good people
17 fostering creative thinking vs. pre-destining a child’s future
18 play is life
19 the sucklord
20 designer toys/ art collectible toys/ “urban vinyl”
21 hypebeast collectors
22 kaws
23 the beanie babies craze
24 tamagotchis
25 furbys are creepy
travel to mexico w us// https://trovatrip.com/trips/mexico-with-art-history-babes-may-2022
support us on patreon// https://www.patreon.com/arthistorybabes
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The History of Toys (or Why Do We Love a Little Guy?)

JP (Josephine) Morrison Lans and Nicci Arnold join Nat and Zach to discuss their work in the online exhibition Virtual Realism. Topics include parenthood, identity, living and making art in the midwest, just making art and living in general during the pandemic. We get to discuss their different processes––encaustic painting currently for JP, and printmaking for Nicci. This delightful conversation took place in fall of 2021 so thank you for your patience in its release. (*apologies for the mysterious clicking sound and the glitchy moment in the middle. remote recording comes with its challenges.) Virtual Realism Online Exhibition JP's website // JP's instagram // Nicci's website // Nicci's instagram // Zach's website // Zach's instagram // TRAVEL TO MEXICO W US// https://trovatrip.com/trips/mexico-with-art-history-babes-may-2022 //THE AHB CENTER FOR EROTIC ART// https://www.onlyfans.com/artbabes SUPPORT THE AHB// https://www.patreon.com/arthistorybabes ORDER THE HONEST ART DICTIONARY// https://www.arthistorybabes.com/get-our-book IG// @arthistorybabespodcast
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Ai Wei or the Highway

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