Sheila Heti is a writer who interrogates the role of the writer, questions the limits of the book and explores the spectrum of literature. She has written novels, fables, a fashion book, a play, and philosophical investigations into everyday life. On this episode, she discusses working with systems as an artist, her love of thinking about thinking, and two of her upcoming works: ‘Alphabetical Diary’ and ‘Pure Colour’.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini

Tao Lin has a relentlessly curious mind. In his fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, he toes the line between reality and the imagined. His newest novel, Leave Society (2021), uses a great depth of nonfictional research to push against the ideas of accepted science as they related to his life. In an era of proliferating controversial theories, Tao's book celebrates the ability of science to refuse certainty and open up a space of unknowing. On this episode, Lin discusses a variety of ideas, including flat earth, hollow earth and free energy – alternative theories that, for Lin, serve as fertile material for his art.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini

Featured image: ‘birds mandala’ (2017) by Tao Lin

Philosopher Simon Critchley writes about the history of human thought with generosity and open-minded curiosity. His newest book, Bald, is a collection of writings from his New York Times column, ‘The Stone’, which covers a vast cultural spectrum, from Socrates to David Bowie to Mormonism.  On this episode, he presents his lecture on ‘Pandemic Mysticism’ alongside a few recordings by the monks of Simonpetra monastery.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini

Featured image: fresco at Vatopedi monastery, Mt Athos; courtesy Jim Forest (Flickr, Creative Commons)

The musician and filmmaker, Flying Lotus has created a body of psychedelic, horrific and musically sophisticated work. On this episode, he discusses his thoughts on film school, spirituality, cannabis, and the piano, alongside a few excerpts from his new album, a soundtrack to the Samurai anime series, Yasuke.

Host

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini

Guitarist and composer Pat Metheny has spent the last five decades investigating music from a vast array of musical approaches. On this episode, he discusses music from a philosophical perspective, alongside a few excerpts from his album of guitar quartet music Road to The Sun.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini

Painter Tschabalala Self plays and discusses her new audio work, Cotton Mouth, which uses sound collage and oral history to tell the story of contemporary black pop culture.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini.

Artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan opens up his personal inventory of recorded sounds, which he has featured in his many investigative sound works. For this episode, Abu Hamdan simultaneously performs these sounds and discusses their slippery nature in his Dubai studio with curator Sabih Ahmed.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini.

Musician Ariel Pink opens up his unreleased private archive of voice memos and talks about his love of unproduced bootlegs. Artist Jacolby Satterwhite plays a track from his band, PAT, which samples amateur song recordings made by his mother. Musician and writer Johanna Hedva discusses the many extended vocal techniques and experimental vocalists they studied on the path to writing their new album.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini.

Writer Mason Currey discusses the daily rituals of Maya Angelou, Truman Capote, Beethoven, Patricia Highsmith, David Lynch, W.H. Auden and Lillian Hellman. Artist Natalie Labriola speaks about the history of female mystic artists, including Hildegard von Bingen, Betye Saar, Georgiana Houghton, CA Conrad, and Ana Mendieta. Candice Lin offers a surreal eulogy for her feral cat friend. New music by Astral Oracles and Sam Gendel.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini. Astral Oracles music by Michael Thibault. CA Conrad clips from the documentary Rituals for Poetry.

Painter Josh Smith speaks about his reclusive lifestyle and his conflicted relationship with exhibiting his work. Photographer, Farah Al Qasimi discusses her secret life as a soundcloud musician and plays some new music. Writer, Patrick Langley discusses the history of telephone art, and artist, Angharad Williams performs an act of channeling.

Ross Simonini

Produced by ArtReview and Ross Simonini