In our very first episode, Erin-Atlanta Argun sits down with Professor Alan Read, whose unforgettable street interview outside Somerset House became one of the most loved moments in the Excuse Me series. Alan is the first Chair of Theatre at King’s College London, a writer, broadcaster, and lifelong champion of the arts, and his original response to our question captured the imagination of more than three million viewers.
In this conversation, Alan opens up about the five artworks he would dream of owning and why. He talks about the power of looking, the responsibility of putting things on walls, and the role art plays in shaping who we become. From his deep affection for Chaim Soutine’s Pastry Chef, to the raw emotional pull of Pat Douthwaite’s Green Shield Stamps collage, to the quiet charge of Vija Celmins’ heater, and the dignity of street musicians captured on film, Alan brings each work to life with rare clarity and generosity.
He also reflects on his own relationship with painting, mental health, protest, public space, theatre, and the stories that shape us. It is thoughtful, moving, surprising, and full of the spirited curiosity that made his original street moment go viral.
A fitting start to the Excuse Me podcast by MyArtBroker.
See more here: https://www.myartbroker.com/articles/excuse-me
