In this episode of Excuse Me, Erin-Atlanta Argun is joined by Holly Black, arts journalist, author, and Contributing Arts Editor at The World of Interiors. Specialising in the visual arts, Holly has a particular passion for printmaking, a medium she explores in her new book, The Story of Printmaking: A Global History of Art.

Published by Yale University Press, the book traces printmaking from its early histories in East Asia through Renaissance Europe, revolutionary Mexico, post-Apartheid South Africa and into the present day. Along the way, Holly challenges the idea of the print as simply a means of reproduction, exploring how artists have used techniques from woodblock and etching to lithography and screenprinting to experiment, communicate ideas and circulate images across cultures.

It makes Holly a particularly fitting guest for MyArtBroker. Together, Erin and Holly unpack why prints have so often occupied a complicated position within art history, sitting somewhere between fine art, craft and commercial production, and what gets lost when we treat them as secondary to painting or sculpture. They also explore the physical processes behind printmaking, the importance of collaboration between artists and printers, and the extraordinary reach the medium has had throughout history.

As always, the conversation turns to the Excuse Me question. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Holly’s five dream artworks are all prints, but her choices span very different moments in the medium’s history. Through them, she considers what makes a print worth living with, the artists and techniques that have shaped her own relationship with the medium, and why printmaking continues to offer such a rich way of understanding visual culture.

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 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 Sam Cox, better known as Mr Doodle the artist who’s built an entire visual universe from an unstoppable urge to draw.

From his early days selling A4 doodles out of a briefcase for £1, to viral fame, international exhibitions, and the creation of his now-iconic Doodle House, Sam’s practice has always been driven by world-building, repetition, and the joyful intensity of mark-making. In this conversation, he reflects on how Mr Doodle first took shape, why drawing still feels instinctive and necessary, and how projects like Doodle Land allow people of all ages to step into that imagined world for themselves.

Together, Erin and Sam discuss childhood creativity, the value of accessible art, and the fine line between immersion, obsession, and self-expression. They also talk about the artists, images, and experiences that have shaped Sam’s visual language – from video games and crowded picture books to immersive environments, old masters, and collaborative practice.

As always, Sam also answers the Excuse Me question, sharing the five artworks he would most want to own, and revealing what they say about Sam’s inspirations and the kind of worlds art can create.

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 Sophie Tea, a contemporary artist, community builder, master-marketer, and expert charity shop rummager. Since 2014, Sophie has been on a mission to celebrate diverse female bodies and make women feel just a little bit nicer about themselves. Entering the art world without a degree or contacts, she faced rejection from every gallery she applied to, and responded by building a cult social media following that has since taken her from going viral at a festival in 2017 to opening her own galleries in London and Sydney. Sophie and Erin explore building an art business on your own terms, the power of inclusive community, and why doing things differently might just be the smartest strategy of all. Season 2, Episode 4

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

Erin-Atlanta Argun is joined by artist, art advisor, and social media sensation Richard Williamson, known to his online following as McKay Williamson.

Richard has been sharing his perspective on art via Instagram and TikTok since 2022, building an audience of over 380,000 people drawn to his ability to make the art world feel accessible and alive. His recurring series "Is this art?" has become a fan favourite, using his framework of three Ns (Novelty, Nuance, and Narrative) to interrogate whether a given work truly earns that title.Beyond his platforms, Richard is the founder of McKay Williamson, a London-based art gallery and creative advisory. He is also a practising artist himself, making work rooted in the deeply personal, guided by a belief that the stories behind art are what make people truly cherish it, and that art is absolutely vital to human joy.Erin first encountered Richard at London Art Fair, where she popped the Excuse Me question, and his answer in that moment was a signed Banksy, Love Is In The Air.Across the conversation, Erin and Richard explore what it means to connect with art on a personal level, the role of storytelling in how we value and collect, and the works that have left a lasting mark on Richard himself. And of course, he shares his five dream artworks and the stories behind each one, which you'll discover in this episode.Season 2, Episode 2 of the Excuse Me podcast by MyArtBroker.

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 of Excuse Me, Erin is joined by Alayo Akinkugbe, independent writer, curator, and founder of A Black History of Art - the platform reshaping how Black artists, sitters, curators, and thinkers are represented across art history.

Founded in 2020, A Black History of Art combines powerful imagery with accessible, thoughtful commentary, making art history easier to engage with while challenging the long-standing erasure of Black narratives. The platform now reaches over 67,000 followers and has expanded into A Shared Gaze, Alayo’s podcast featuring conversations with Black contemporary artists about their lives and work.

The conversation centres on Alayo’s debut book, Reframing Blackness: What’s Black About “History of Art”? Through five incisive chapters, the book explores how Blackness has been positioned within Western art history, from museums and academic curricula to feminism, muses, and exhibitions. Alayo discusses the lasting impact of institutional neglect and why it’s vital that cultural organisations, schools, and universities learn from the errors of the past.

This episode is especially personal, as Erin and Alayo studied art history together at Cambridge University, where the Eurocentric framework of the course is a key point of reflection in the book. Together, they discuss reframing art history, institutional responsibility, and the emotional and political weight of visibility.

Excuse Me is a podcast by MyArtBroker, exploring art, culture, and the stories behind the images that shape how we see the world.

Season 1, Episode 4

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.