arts24

Her images reveal the impossible, the invisible, and the many, many layers behind a photograph. Taryn Simon’s singular and meticulous approach to fine art photography produces pictures that interrogate our political structures, our social conventions and our governing principles. Her latest exhibition “The Game”, on show at the Almine Rech gallery in Paris, zooms in on symbolic and significant moments during the presidential election last year in the United States, questioning the random nature of democratic processes. We talk about the power of photography in a world of smartphones and artificial intelligence and reflect upon the universal moment of mourning during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Film critic Perrine Quennesson joins Eve Jackson to talk about the latest French films of the moment, including a gripping real-life Kabul evacuation thriller that premiered at Cannes this May. "13 Days, 13 Nights" is the latest feature from Martin Bourboulon, the director behind "The Three Musketeers" saga.

As one of a handful of Western photographers working in Afghanistan, Oriane Zerah has a unique perspective on daily life in the country. Her work is on show at the Fragonard museum in Grasse, in the south of France, in an exhibition entitled "Unveiled Women, Men with Flowers: A new face of Afghanistan", with images that upend stereotypes about masculinity and femininity under the Taliban. She tells us about the place of beauty in Afghan culture, about her own experience during the Taliban takeover of 2021 and why art is even being prescribed to young women in Afghanistan who are suffering under the oppressive regime there.

Franco-Swedish artist Herman Düne has made a name for himself since the late 1990s thanks to his delicate rock and indie tones. He's just released "Odysseús", which he began composing when he was stranded in Montreal during the global Covid lockdown. The record led him to feel a connection to Homer's hero. He tells Marjorie Hache more about how this long-term layover in Canada impacted his music.

His looping melodies and bewitching harmonies were the soundtrack to an endless, Californian summer. Brian Wilson's death has prompted an outpouring of affection and admiration, as the music industry pays tribute to a man considered a lyrical genius and a master of harmonies, and whose compositions now constitute the gold standard in pop. Music editor Jennifer Ben Brahim tells us more about Wilson's hits with the Beach Boys, his legacy and his personal struggles. We also check out the frenzied fandom surrounding Billie Eilish's recent concert dates in Paris.

After adapting three of Stephen King's horror stories, director Mike Flanagan opted for the author's sweet and life-affirming novella "The Life of Chuck" for his latest film. Film critic Emma Jones tells us why Tom Hiddleston brings a sweet levity to this uncynical life story, told in reverse. We also discuss the latest big budget live action remake as the "How to Train Your Dragon" series gets a 2025 version, and we find out more about the quirky arranged marriage at the centre of "Sister Midnight", an Anglo-Indian production that amused critics at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Plus we get a preview of some of the highlights at this year's animation festival in the French town of Annecy.

She is Brazil's most compelling defender of Black feminism. Philosopher, writer and professor Djamila Ribeiro has been instrumental in calling out structural racism and pushing for societal change, be it in publishing or in politics. Ribeiro joins us to talk about her deeply personal book "Letters to my grandmother", which recounts her own experience as a young woman and reflects upon the socio-political context that her mother and grandmother were navigating in 20th-century Brazil. Ribeiro has used her public platform to boost feminist and anti-racist campaigns, discussing the "speaking place" that each person inhabits, a key concept in her best-selling text "Where We stand", in which she explains why multiple identities inform individual perspectives.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with UK-based Nigerian musician Obongjayar. He's just released his second album called "Paradise Now", a danceable record inspired by partying. He even hosted a series of parties of the same name in London as he was producing the record. The Ivor Novello-nominated musician moved from Nigeria to London as a teenager and his music is infused with West African rhythms, pop, punk and dance. Aside from nightlife, "Paradise Now" also talks about love, religion, belonging and calling out political inaction – like on the diss track "Jellyfish".

In this special edition for World Oceans Day, we spotlight the urgent, haunting work of Mandy Barker, the award-winning British photographic artist using sea-salvaged fashion waste to expose the truth about plastic pollution. Her cyanotype series "Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections" reimagines the work of 19th-century botanist Anna Atkins, replacing seaweed with clothing scraps collected from 121 beaches around the UK. The result is both poetic and jarring, earning praise from none other than Sir David Attenborough, who supports Barker's work for its power to inspire real change.

In this edition of arts24, Eve Jackson brings you a thrilling lineup of films and exhibitions shaking up the art and entertainment world. First up: a surprising box office showdown in France. Tom Cruise's latest "Mission: Impossible" instalment faces off against a small blue alien – and "Stitch" wins, selling 1.3 million tickets in just one week. It’s the biggest box office opener of 2025 so far! How did this beloved Disney classic from 2002 out-muscle Hollywood's biggest action star? Eve investigates.