The Carla Podcast

The death of alt weeklies — The responsibility of the writer — Creating inclusive news platforms for local communities — How do we make art writing accessible to a wide audience?

Writer’s Room

Lindsay is joined by Carla writer, Catherine Wagley, to discuss her recent Carla article “Accessible as Humanly Possible.” We discuss recent shifts in publishing platforms like LA Weekly, as well as the importance of accessibility and vulnerability in art writing. What is the changing role of the art critic, and how can writing be more inclusive to a wider audience?

The role of Instagram in the art museum – should museums be adapting programming to appeal to the general public? – Highland Park gallery, Odd Ark LA, shares their story – We listen to some great music tracks by Mike Kelley and Jim Shaw (D’red D’warf)

Writer’s Room

This episode in the Writer’s Room, Lindsay and Aaron are joined by Carla writer Matt Stromberg to discuss institutional tends towards gearing exhibitions towards selfie culture. Should a trip to the museum be about entertainment or cultural enrichment? How has social media affect public engagement with art institutions, and how are museums adapting to try to stay relevant, and keep people engaged?

LA at Large

Yvonne Bas Tull and Dani Tull, the couple who founded the new Highland Park gallery Odd Ark LA, share their history within the Los Angeles, and the process of deciding to start a gallery. Odd Ark’s hosts a hybrid event program which celebrates the L.A. music scene, and the rich history of artist/musicians. Dani shares a couple of tracks by L.A. artists Mike Kelley and Jim Shaw (D’red D’warf). 

Music Credits:

D’red D’warf , A TONE MEANT FOR YOUR SINS, Slouching Toward Bedlam (Dec 7 2016). Jim Shaw, Dani Tull, Brian Randolph, and Daniel Hope. 

Tijuana Hayride, from Mike Kelley’s Day Is Done / Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Sampler: Mike Kelley; Sampler, Keyboards: Scott Benzel.

New trends in trash – artists’ and galleries’ roles within gentrifying neighborhoods in L.A. – Does the boom of artist-run spaces actually point to a lack of support for emerging artists? 

Writer’s Room

Lindsay is joined by assistant editor Aaron Horst and Carla writer Travis Diehl, to discuss Travis’s recent article, L.A. Povera, which articulates new trends of trash being used in artwork in gentrifying neighborhoods. We talk about what these trends point to, how some galleries are using architecture to broker their presence in a gentrifying neighborhood, and if artists play a role in gentrification.

L.A. Povera, Travis Diehl

White-Wall White, Travis Diehl

Letter from Laura Owens in Artforum

Dear Carla

Lindsay is joined by Adam Miller and Devon Oder, the co-founders of The Pit to answer a question from a local L.A. artist about whether the explosion of artist-run spaces points to a larger issue of a lack of mid-size commercial galleries and funded non-profits in L.A. Adam and Devon weigh in on the lack of support for emerging artists and the kind of alternative models we may be seeing more of to help sustain young working artists.

Conversations about the body, the ephemerality of performance, the marginalization of certain art histories, and how a teen art collective is engaging in the community.

Writer’s Room

Lindsay is joined by two Carla writers to discuss two seemingly unrelated articles. Ike Onyewuenyi discusses his recent article on EJ Hill, dealing with performance, the body, and labor, and Catherine Wagley introduces her recent inquiry into 4 influential female gallerists in the 1960s, and discusses why they were largely written out of art history. The three talk about the challenges of historicizing ephemeral artworks or projects, and how certain art-historical narratives become marginalized.

LA at Large

Lindsay is joined by Timo Fahler & Thomas Linder, two of the founders of BBQLA gallery. They talk about the teen art initiative that they started called Meatgrinder, and then I’m joined by 4 of the teens in the meatgrinder collective: Ella Bandouveris, Olinga Bolden, Sofie Del Barrio, and Max Oppenheimer. The group discusses the impact that the program has had on them, and how they hope it’s impacting the community.

Conversations about the body, the ephemerality of performance, the marginalization of certain art histories, and how a teen art collective is engaging in the community.

Hosted by Lindsay Preston Zappas

Writer's Room: Lindsay is joined by two Carla writers to discuss two seemingly unrelated articles. Ike Onyewuenyi discusses his recent article on EJ Hill, dealing with performance, the body, and labor, and Catherine Wagley introduces her recent inquiry into 4 influential female gallerists in the 1960s, and discusses why they were largely written out of art history. The three talk about the challenges of historicizing ephemeral artworks or projects, and how certain art-historical narratives become marginalized.

L.A. at Large: Lindsay is joined by Timo Fahler & Thomas Linder, two of the founders of BBQLA gallery. They talk about the teen art initiative that they started called Meatgrinder, and then I’m joined by 4 of the teens in the Meatgrinder collective: Ella Bandouveris, Olinga Bolden, Sofie Del Barrio, and Max Oppenheimer. The group discusses the impact that the program has had on them, and how they hope it's impacting the community.

This is a packed episode with conversations ranging from politics in art, all-women exhibitions, art fairs and alternative gallery structures, and the benefits (and hardships) of getting an MFA. 

Writer’s Room

Lindsay is joined by Carla contributing editor, Aaron Horst, to talk with Catherine Wagley about her recent Carla article, “Women on the Plinth.” We talk through issues of politics, gender, and war in art, in reference to Mai-Thu Perret’s exhibition, Feminaires, at David Kordansky Gallery. The conversation shifts into discussing some of the problematic aspects of all-women exhibitions; exhibitions like CUNT at Venus Over LA, and Revolution in the Making at Hauser & Wirth act as touchpoints. 

LA at Large

Lindsay talks with Brett Schultz (BWSMX Gallery and Material Art Fair) and Francisco Cordero-Oceguera (Lodos Gallery) about their history in the art scene in Mexico city as well as the story behind their recent L.A.-based collective gallery, Ruberta.

Resources to aid in Mexico post-Earthquakes: topos.red / comoayudar.mx / Centro De Acopio Parque Mexico / verificado19s.org

Dear Carla

Every episode on Dear Carla we answer a reader-submitted question about the art world. This episode, we asked Michael Ned Holte, an L.A. based writer, curator, and professor, to come in to answer our intern’s question: “Why did I just get my MFA?”

This is a packed episode with conversations ranging from politics in art, all-women exhibitions, art fairs and alternative gallery structures, and the benefits (and hardships) of getting an MFA.

Hosted by Lindsay Preston Zappas

Writer's Room:
Lindsay is joined by Carla contributing editor, Aaron Horst, to talk with Catherine Wagley about her recent Carla article, "Women on the Plinth." We talk through issues of politics, gender, and war in art, before talking about some of the problematic aspects of all-women exhibitions.
L.A.-at-Large
Lindsay talks with Brett Schultz (BWSMX Gallery) and Francisco Cordero-Oceguera (Lodos Gallery) about their history in the art scene in Mexico city as well as the story behind their recent L.A.-based collective gallery, Ruberta.

Dear Carla
Michael Ned Holte comes in to answer our intern's question: "Why did I just get my MFA?"