Our hosts look continue their investigation of how modern art got so ugly, and this episode takes us to Montmartre during the fin de siècle. What we now call "modern art" starts to emerge in Paris's answer to 2000s Williamsburg. We also look at Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

We look at the history of professional wrestling, from its obscure origins in the British Isles through the billion-dollar business that it is today. Whether you care to admit it or not, pro wrestling looms large in our 21st century culture. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

This is the second half of the conversation in the previous episode. Our investigation of modern art goes to 19th century France, when avant garde art begins to look a little less realistic, and a little more "modern", whatever that even means. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

Our hosts look continue their investigation of how modern art got so ugly, starting with a look at some of the entries in the 2024 Whitney Biennial. We then look at how the concept of art came about in the 18th and 19th centuries. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

Our hosts look (with some exasperation) at the finals of the 2024 Turner Prize, and ask how modern art got so ugly. More importantly, what is art and why does it cover so many of these ugly works? The story behind that question goes all the way back to the Renaissance. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

Our hosts look at the life and times of Fred Phelps, the founder and face of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

In a break from the usual format, this is Radio Free History's first interview episode, where we talk to a local (and well-respected) martial arts instructor about the history of Kung Fu and martial arts generally in the West, up to the current day with MMA. He dispels some common myths about martial arts that persist, often due to dramatic depictions in movies and media. At the end, we spend some time discussing how his training is relevant to his work with an international disaster relief charity. If you would like to donate or volunteer, please go to https://globalmedic.ca/. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

The conclusion of the previous episode about Francis Walsingham and the Elizabethan spy rings. In this episode, we see how Walsingham was directly involved with two historic events: the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

The Elizabethan age was in inflection point, when a lot of the things we associate with England came into being. The foundations of modern English culture, art, and religion are all products of the age. It was also a time when spies and informants were everywhere, and they played a crucial role in the struggle between the English Protestants and Catholics. James Bond may have been written during the reign of Elizabeth II, but he would have been right at home during the reign of Elizabeth I. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory

When you dig into the history of any European country, the 16th century is always an inflection point, either because of the Reformation or the Renaissance. Our hosts take a bird's eye view to see just what the Continent (as a whole) looked like before and after this period of change. https://www.subscribestar.com/radio-free-history https://ko-fi.com/radiofreehistory