Ideas for Your Ears
I am tired of looking at my computer screen.
Each day I discover more films, art, articles online that I want to dive into, watch, read and experience but my mind is overloaded.
Online exhibitions give you space to hear from artists.
If you still have some bandwidth, I’d recommend checking out the suggestions made by the writers at Hyperallergic, an online publication and podcast about the contemporary art world, challenging the status quo and bringing new and underrepresented voices into the conversation.
I really enjoyed their recent podcast “Discussing the Boom in Online Exhibitions During the Pandemic” where they share ideas.
If you are a creator or artist, one thing to note is what the Hyperallergic team echoes worked online is hearing from the artists themselves – whether that be in the form of video interviews, talks, lectures, studio visits, Q&A sessions, scholarship. They expressed wanting to know more about the artist’s history and their practice. They are interested in the artist’s intentions and what they are thinking about.
You can hear more about their observations listening from around minute 31 (although I’d recommend checking out the full podcast).
More ideas for your ears. What I listen to as I cook.
I’ve been enjoying hearing from artists by watching and listening to the interviews put out by various arts and lecture series.
Here is my list of places to find inspiring talks for creatives focusing on social change.
If you are feeling like getting away from the computer, many of these venues share their content by podcast or on SoundCloud.
ARTIST VOICES
These are a few of the places I go to hear from artists when I need inspiration.
This Beautiful Shot is Not an Accident, Berlin, My interview series where I speak to artists living and exhibiting in Berlin. This week’s episode features sound artist, Jens-Uwe Dyffort.
This Beautiful Shot is Not an Accident, Jens-Uwe Dyffort
Louisiana Channel, Denmark, Video interviews, talks, performances, studio visits with artists, writers and musicians. (See more here: Great Stories)
The Louisiana Channel on YouTube
Hammer Museum, UCLA, lecture-style artist interview series
City Arts & Lectures, San Francisco, conversation-style interview series with artists, scientists, writers and thinkers
City Arts & Lectures Media Library
New School for Social Research, New York City, I’m sharing a list of interviews/talks with author, feminist, professor, activist Bell Hooks.
New School YouTube Channel: Bell Hooks
IDEAS & SOCIAL CHANGE
This is is mostly inspired by series I’ve attended here in Berlin or have plans to attend. I prefer the live experience but I love the fact that these organizations have a media library to make the ideas discussed in their forums available around the globe.
Most programs I’ve listed are in English. Some have German audio/video. In the case of re:publica you can watch on YouTube and get auto-translate. I’ve noted exceptions.
HKW | Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, includes major programs going back to 2007. Browse by project, year, or topic. (in German or English)
Transmediale, Berlin, The 2020 End-to-End program focuses on surveillance capitalism.
re:publica 2019, Berlin, dedicated “to the long read, the small print, the footnotes; to the power of research, the power of controversy and the urgency not to simplify the issues that divide (or unite!) us).
(Videos in English and German. For German videos go directly to YouTube, switch on Closed Caption, go to Settings/Auto-Translate/pick your language.)
Disruptive Fridays, Berlin, discussions about art hacktivism, whistleblowing, social justice and collective care in the times of corona.
Disruptive Fridays Live Stream
ICI Berlin, Institute for Cultural Inquiry, Berlin, talks, panel discussions and symposiums on literature, psychoanalysis, philosophy and touches on a range of topics on our concepts of time, entanglements, boundaries, thoughts and more.
AKADEMIE DER KÜNSTE, Berlin, COLONIAL REPERCUSSIONS program. I had the good fortune to attend Symposium III: Planetary Utopias – Hope, Desire, Imaginaries in a Post-Colonial World.
COLONIA REPERCUSSIONS Video Library
AEDES Metropolitan Laboratory, Berlin, they hold public debates on topics of architecture and urban space and its impact on society
SAVVY-CONTEMPORARY, Berlin, a space for examining the constructs of West and non-West and deconstruct ideologies that impose a hierarchy of oppression.