This episode of the pod kicks off with Lindsay, David, and Elisabeth reflecting on how artworks have changed (or reinforced) their perspectives on what art is, and whether or not Elisabeth is really “auditioning” for the role of co-host. Starting at about 9:00, guest Mary Louise Schumacher kicks off the conversation with a reflection about witnessing Milwaukee artist Roy Staab joyfully re-discovering his own artwork while watching it get destroyed in a storm. 

Throughout the conversation, Mary Louise shares about her trajectory from political and technology reporter to art critic, to director of the forthcoming documentary film, Out of the Picture. She reflects on how art critics draw on a much more “embodied” kind of writing than other more objective forms of journalism.  

Out of the Picture arose out of asking the question “what does it mean to write about art today?” Turning her camera on the interesting people in the art world who are writing about art, in the process Mary Louise and her team of collaborators ended up documenting extraordinary changes in visual culture and media. Since the beginning of the film, over the last ten years, 'Art” has evolved to include NFTs, social movements, memes and monuments, (oh my!) and visual culture shapes how we see the world more than ever. Out of the Picture raises questions including: how are power and privilege conferred on voices within the art world? And the question of how precious the work of art criticism actually is.  Mary Louise also reflects on how the simultaneous openness, intimacy, and obscurity of the Milwaukee art scene promotes a special kind of artistic thriving, and periods of richness within our arts ecosystem.  She closes with a fantasy edict to instate an Arts & Culture Administrator for the City of Milwaukee to help Art to be more valued in our community.   

Instagram: @Marylouises 

Due to the unprecedented number of shout-outs contained in this episode, we decided to do our best to represent all of the individuals and entities. Please enjoy the following absurdly long list of links: : 

Out of the Picture  

Sunset Theatre by Sarah Gail Luther  

Open Kitchen 

Nature Bell by Roy Staab 

The Quadracci Pavillion   

Nicholas Lujero  

Cindy Eggert Johnson 

Mark Escribano 

Jonathan Olson 

Corridor the film 

Katie Avila Loughmiller 

Naomi Waxman