On this episode I’m joined by Michelle Kuo, Chief Curator at Large and Publisher, of the MoMA, as we discuss Jack Whitten: The Messenger, the first comprehensive retrospective dedicated to the groundbreaking art of Jack Whitten (American, 1939–2018). The exhibition showcased more than 175 works from the 1960s to the 2010s, including paintings, sculptures, rarely shown works on paper, and archival materials to explore the depth and breadth of Whitten’s near six-decade career. 

The show was critically acclaimed, and emotionally impactful. In the episode, Kuo describes the collaborative and intensive five-year process involved in curating the exhibition, highlighting Whitten’s innovative approaches to art, his engagement with technology, and the deep emotional and historical context in his work. 

As Kuo describes Whitten's work alongside canonical figures such as Rothko, Picasso, and Mondrian, she more importantly references the ways in which he reconfigured art history and the abstract expressionist movement with the use of new tools and techniques. Whitten’s oeuvre is marked by a courageous and uncompromising vision to resist the pressures of conformity, and instead carve his own path through abstraction. This episode emphasizes Whitten’s visionary nature and the lasting legacy of his art, which continues to inspire and move audiences.

Thank you to our hosts WSA Podcast Studios. 

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On this episode I’m joined by Brice Yonkeu as we discuss his career in the arts. With a background in political science, Brice transitioned to the arts, seeking to make a more relevant contribution to culture. In this episode, he shares his experiences working in the arts, from opening his own gallery, Bwo Art Gallery in Cameroon, to participating in Amoako Boafo’s residency, dot.ateliers, as the first curator in residency, and showcasing his latest exhibition, a continuation of the show he presented at dot.aterliers upon completion of the residence, on view at Gagosian through August 8. The exhibition, Ever So Present II: Between Home and Elsewhere, brings together the work of four contemporary African artists; Luke Agada, Amoako Boafo, Josèfa Ntjam, and Emma Prempeh, to explore themes of displacement, migration, and the tension between memory and reality. 

Brice reflects on his transition into art curation, and underscores the importance of presenting complex and rich contemporary African art practices. He also recounts his journey into the art field, and the necessity of creating spaces for African artists to showcase their heritage and contributions to global cultural production and ingenuity. 

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On this episode I’m joined by Hugh Hayden as we discuss his newly commissioned work presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as, what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Hugh Hayden was born in Dallas, Texas in 1983 and lives and works in New York City. He holds an MFA from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University. Hugh Hayden’s practice considers the anthropomorphization of the natural world as a visceral lens for exploring the human condition. Hayden transforms familiar objects through a process of selection, carving and juxtaposing to challenge our perceptions of ourselves, others and the environment. Raised in Texas and trained as an architect, his work arises from a deep connection to nature and its organic materials. Hayden utilizes wood as his primary medium, frequently loaded with multi-layered histories in their origin, including objects as varied as discarded trunks, rare indigenous timbers, Christmas trees or souvenir African sculptures. 

In this episode Hugh reflects on his observations on cultural diversity and geographical differences, comparing the US's peripheral status to the vibrant, multicultural hub of Sharjah and the UAE, while emphasizing adaptability and cultural engagement. The discussion delves into how different environments influence his work. 

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On this episode I’m joined by Cassi Namoda as we discuss her newly commissioned work presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as, what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Born in Maputo, Mozambique, Cassi Namoda is known for her strong color palette and narrative approach to painting. Her hybrid narratives are at once wondrous and poignant, every day and fantastical, archival and current. Cassi’s work transfigures the cultural mythologies and historical narratives of life in post-colonial Africa, particularly those of the artist’s familial home of Mozambique. The idiosyncratic subjects who appear and reappear in her paintings also convey this hybridity: they emerge from African indigenous religions just as much as they spring from Western mythologies. 

Cassi’s work is held in the collections of the Pérez Art Museum Miami, Miami; Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore; MACAAL, Marrakesh; and The Studio Museum; New York. 

In the episode, discusses her evolving body of work, including paintings that originated at the Joseph and Annie Albers residency in Connecticut that connect to her current paintings on view for the Sharjah Biennial 16. In the works, she explores themes of climate change and matriarchal societies, while emphasizing the holistic interconnectedness of her art and life. She also reflects on the importance of preserving ancestral knowledge and matriarchal wisdom, the role of women in society, and how her experiences as a mother influence her artistic practice. The conversation underscores the interconnected nature of life and art, advocating for self-attunement and holistic living.

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On this episode I’m joined by Luke Willis Thompson as we discuss his newly commissioned work presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Luke Willis Thompson is a New Zealand artist of Fijian and European descent, currently working primarily in film and across performance, installation and sculpture to tackle traumatic histories of class, racial and social inequality, institutional violence, colonialism and forced migration. 

In this episode, Luke discusses his newly commissioned film, Whakamoemoeā. Set in 2040, it's a fictional state broadcast, where a woman delivering a monologue announces the successful transition of New Zealand from a liberal democracy to an Indigenous governance model. Thompson reflects on the collaborative nature of the project, and the importance of cultural practices, such as following Tikanga, during the production process, which involved a large team working together harmoniously. He also affirms the collective effort behind the project, which serves as a model for the political future he envisions, emphasizing trust and collaboration throughout the creative process.

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On this episode I’m joined by Rita Mawuena Benissan as we discuss her newly commissioned works presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Born in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire in 1995 to Ghanaian parents, Rita's journey led her to the United States as a baby, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Apparel and Textile Design from Michigan State University in 2017, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in photography and an African Studies Program Certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021.

Rita is a Ghanaian-American interdisciplinary artist, on a mission to reimagine the royal umbrella, transforming it from a mere protective object into a potent symbol of Ghanaian identity. With a profound passion for art and cultural history, Rita collaborates with traditional artisans to breathe life into archival photos, immortalizing individual figures and communal scenes while embodying the beauty and power of her people.

In this episode, Rita discusses her newly commissioned work 'You Must Cross and Seek.' The installation features photography, installations, and well-known umbrella works. Rita explains how the title and the works reflect themes of ancestral calls, cultural legacy, and the fishing community in the Volta region where her family is from. She emphasizes the need for cultural preservation, especially through her foundation, Si Hene, which focuses on documenting and archiving Ghanaian chieftaincy and traditional culture. Rita also discusses the challenges of accessing cultural archives and the importance of creating spaces for contemporary African art, urging a collaborative approach between communities and institutions. 

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On this episode I’m joined by Kaloki Nyamai as we discuss his newly commissioned works presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Kaloki Nyamai is a multidisciplinary artist working with installation, painting, and sculpture living and working in Nairobi. Born in Kenya, from an early age, his mother introduced him to painting and taught him to draw, fostering an ever-lasting interest in art throughout his life. He studied Interior Design at the Buruburu Institute Of Fine Arts (BIFA) and then pursued painting after working in other creative fields. His large-scale paintings and mixed-media installations intricately explore historical narratives, examining their resonance in the present. Using materials like acrylic paint, sisal rope, photo transfers, and stitched yarn, Nyamai’s free-hanging pieces evoke the healing of historical wounds and a collective yearning for renewal. Rooted in Kenya’s rich heritage—particularly of the Kamba people—Nyamai draws inspiration from traditions passed down to him by his mother and grandmother, and the dynamic rhythms of contemporary life in Nairobi. 

In this episode, he reflects on the themes of community and new beginnings expressed in his work on display. Nyamai delves into his inspiration drawn from ancestral storytelling and the importance of maintaining cultural heritage through art. He emphasizes the impact of oral traditions in African cultures and shares insights into his unique use of materials that link his art to cultural and historical narratives. Additionally, Nyamai highlights the Kamene Art Residency he launched in 2023 to promote artistic growth and cultural exchange in Nairobi, which has blossomed into a cultural center.

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On this episode I’m joined by Rajni Perera as we discuss his newly commissioned works presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage? 

Rajni Perera was born in Sri Lanka in 1985 and lives and works in Toronto. She explores issues of hybridity, futurity, ancestorship, migrant and marginalized identities/cultures, monsters and dream worlds. These themes come together to fuel explorations within a multimedia practice that includes drawing and painting, clay, wood, lanterns, new media sculpture, textile, and most recently, synthetic taxidermy. 

In this episode, Rajni discusses how the dual influences of Canadian and Sri Lankan cultures shape her art, while highlighting the importance of contrasting her artisanal roots with Western art school experiences and hands-on, skill-based creation. She also goes into greater detail discussing the work  'Gatekeeper,' which explores themes of birth, motherhood, and the complexities around these subjects. The site of her installation, an old hospital, holds significance as a site of history and memory. 

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On this episode I’m joined by Daniel Boyd as we discuss his newly commissioned work presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as, what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Born in 1982 in Cairns Australia, Daniel Boyd is one of Australia’s most highly regarded artists. In 2014, Boyd became the first indigenous artist to win the prestigious Bulgari Art Prize, for his work, Untitled (2014), that referenced Australia’s long but little known history of slavery. The painting is both a personal and social account of history, Pentecost Island was home to Daniel’s great, great paternal grandfather before he was taken as slave to the sugarcane fields in Queensland. Through his artistic practice, he seeks to negotiate the identity of art, history and cultural survival through his investigations of oppressed and colonial culture. Daniel has been showing in Australia and internationally since 2005, and he participated in the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015, as curated by Okwui Enwezor.

In this episode, Daniel discusses his installation for the Sharjah Biennial 16 and his use of black vinyl to create an immersive environment in the iconic star-shaped building, The Flying Saucer. He talks about his artistic approach, which engages with the history of modernism, the built environment, and First Nations Australian perspectives on placemaking. He also reflects on his responsibility as an Aboriginal artist to share his people's stories and how art can offer a counter-narrative to Australia's oppressive history. He elaborates on the importance of art in slowing down and engaging deeply, mentioning influences like the American artist Bruce Nauman and the Martinican literary titan and influential philosopher, Edouard Glissant. 

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On this episode I’m joined by Zadie Xa as we discuss her newly commissioned works presented for 16 edition of the Sharjah Biennial, elucidated through the curatorial theme, to carry. Asking questions such as what does it mean to carry a home, a history, a language, a legacy, and a lineage.

Zadie Xa was born in Vancouver, Canada on unceded, ancestral and continually asserted territories of several tribes of First Nations Peoples and is now based in London, UK. Her practice focuses on familial legacies, interspecies communication and diasporic worlding. Throughout her practice, Xa uses water and marine ecologies as metaphors for exploring the unknown whilst also alluding to abstract notions of homeland. She explores these themes through immersive installations that appeal to the sensory experience of the viewer, often incorporating painting, sculpture, textile, sound and performance elements. Zadie earned an MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art in 2014 and a BFA at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 2007.

In the episode Xa, describes one of the key influences on her work being Korean shamanism, which she discovered accidentally through the 1977 film 'Ido Island.' She explains how this discovery has profoundly impacted her artistic exploration of marginalized perspectives and the supernatural, and the importance of collaboration in her practice, notably with her longtime collaborator and life partner Benito Mayor Vallejo. 

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