Not Art Historians

Not Art Historians is a podcast dedicated to the scandals, affairs, and mysteries surrounding the lives of iconic artists. Join hosts Zak and Lianne, two friends from high school, as they dive into artists you may know but not really know and offer a peek into the latest art news!

The Kusama Chronicles: From Infamy to Infinity

Hosts Zak and Lianne explore the fascinating life of Yayoi Kusama featuring a chance discovery in a secondhand bookshop, couches covered in phalluses, and a “happening” with four nude dancers gyrating on Wall St. whilst the artist painted them with polka dots. Then, we’ll answer the question on everyone’s mind - what is happening with the Ghanaian crown jewels?! Follow up on Instagram! @notarthistorians Sources: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/yayoi-kusama-8094/introduction-yayoi-kusama https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180925-yayoi-kusamas-extraordinary-survival-story https://www.christies.com/en/stories/yayoi-kusama-collecting-guide-c540ed4a4c70465fb06c6467e830c8df#:~:text=She%20now%20lives%20voluntarily%20in,been%20her%20home%20since%201977. https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2017.9a21 https://americanart.si.edu/blog/kusama-cornell-art https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kusama-and-cornell-an-unl_b_1580210 https://whitneymuseum.tumblr.com/post/31820518666/fly-back-to-me-spring-flower-and-i-shall-tie-a https://www.portlandgarmentfactory.com/news/2016/8/15/soft-sculpture-survey-yayoi-kusama https://actipedia.org/project/anatomic-explosion https://subversivesweetheartfatp.wordpress.com/feminist-artist/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68925059 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-45406557?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D https://afktravel.com/98696/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-ashanti-kingdom/ "Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

06-25
50:28

Takes Two to Tanguy: Kay Sage & Yves Tanguy

Join Zak and Lianne as they dive into the turbulent intertwined lives of Surrealists Yves Tanguy and Kay Sage. We’ll explore Tanguy’s humble beginnings as a merchant sailor with no formal artistic training, Sage’s brief stint as an actual princess, how a single painting brought them together, and one bird ushered their tragic demise. We’ll also cover their masterpieces, including “I Am Waiting For You” and “Tomorrow is Never”. Follow us on Instagram: @notarthistorians Sources Schalhorn, Andreas (2001). "Yves Tanguy 1900–55". In Karin von Maur (ed.). Yves Tanguy and Surrealism. Hatje Cantz. ISBN 3-7757-0968-1. https://www.ft.com/content/951c6d32-f979-11e9-a354-36acbbb0d9b6 Suther, Judith D. A House of Her Own: Kay Sage, Solitary Surrealist. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997, Chadwick, Whitney. Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1985. https://www.thecollector.com/kay-sage-paintings-artists-and-death/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/painting-created-and-signed-by-all-four-beatles-goes-to-auction-180983533/ https://www.cnn.com/style/beatles-japan-painting-1966-auction-cec/index.html  "Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

06-18
45:24

Peggy Guggenheim: an Heiress, two Husbands, and one Heist

Join Zak and Lianne as they dive into the charmed yet tragic life of heiress turned influential art collector. We’ll follow the New York debutante as she traipses through WWII Europe, evading Nazis as she brushes shoulders with the likes of Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray. Perennially unlucky in love (you’ll have to listen to find out how many husbands), Guggenheim still cements her own name as a renowned gallerist. Follow us on Instagram: @notarthistorians Sources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xgks5jJ4jQ  https://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2015/august/26/how-peggy-guggenheim-made-jackson-pollock/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/peggy-guggenheims-grave https://www.guggenheim-venice.it/en/art/in-depth/peggy-guggenheim/about-peggy/ https://newrepublic.com/article/122968/artistic-outrageous-life-peggy-guggenheim https://www.guggenheim.org/history/peggy-guggenheim https://www.britannica.com/biography/Peggy-Guggenheim https://www.icaboston.org/articles/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-peggy-guggenheim/ https://www.usnews.com/photos/2024/02/15/a-new-golden-rooster-perches-atop-of-notre-dame-cathedral https://www.cnn.com/style/notre-dame-cathedral-restoration/index.html https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/notre-dame-cathedrals-reconstructed-spire-gains-golden-rooster-weathervane-1234699315/ "Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

06-11
53:39

Frida Kahlo: Queer Icon, Communist, and Lover (to Josephine Baker)

Join Lianne and Zak as they unravel the vibrant and tumultuous life of Frida Kahlo, one of the most iconic artists to emerge from Mexico City. Delving into her remarkable journey, we'll explore Kahlo's profound artworks, from her riveting self-portraits to the themes of identity, pain, and resilience that define her legacy. Beyond the canvas, we delve into Frida's complex relationships, including her passionate but troubled marriage to Diego Rivera and her affairs with notable figures like Josephine Baker and Leon Trotsky. Amidst her personal struggles and health battles, Frida's spirit and creativity flourished, leaving an indelible mark on the art world. Follow us on Instagram: @notarthistorians Sources https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frida-Kahlo https://www.biography.com/artists/frida-kahlo-real-rumored-affairs-men-women https://www.contexttravel.com/blog/articles/frida-kahlo-diego-rivera-life-story https://www.grunge.com/195124/the-tragic-real-life-story-of-frida-kahlo/ https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/paul-cezanne-mural-discovery-aix-en-provance-1234696945/ "Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

06-04
58:23

The Surreal Life of Salvador Dalí

Hosts Zak and Lianne invite listeners to explore the fascinating life of Salvador Dalí, an influential artist in Surrealism. We’ll cover his magnum opus “The Persistence of Memory” and launch into when he fell in love with a married woman, borrowed monkeys from the San Francisco Zoo for a dinner party, and collaborated with a squid to paint Beethoven. Follow us on Instagram: @notarthistorians Sources: https://legacyweb.philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/ex_resources/dali.pdf https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-surreal-world-of-salvador-dali-78993324/ https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/08/30/Fire-burns-painter-Salvador-Dali/6837462686400/ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/arts/design/gala-salvador-dali-exhibition.htm https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/dali-gala-great-love-story/l https://www.biography.com/news/the-surreal-romance-of-salvador-and-gala-dal%C3%AD https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/542652/facts-about-salvador-dali https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-salvador-dali-loved-duplicity-and-illusion/ https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79018 https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/21/538534970/salvador-dal-s-remains-exhumed-revealing-a-perfectly-arranged-mustache https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/jan/27/new-yorks-natural-history-museum-to-close-halls-featuring-native-american-artifacts https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/12/13/2023-27040/native-american-graves-protection-and-repatriation-act-systematic-processes-for-disposition-or https://www.artnews.com/art-news/issue/interview-with-art-crime-professor-erin-thompson-1234690499/ "Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

05-28
39:24

The Caravaggio Capers

Join Zak and Lianne as they dive into the tumultuous life of Baroque painter Caravaggio, once the most famous painter in Rome. We’ll explore a duel between jealous lovers (maybe?), his imprisonment, and a smear campaign that Caravaggio launched against one of his enemies. We’ll also cover his masterpieces like “Medusa” and “David with the Head of Goliath”. Follow us on Instagram: @notarthistorians Sources Maurizio Calvesi, Caravaggio, Art Dossier 1986, Giunti Editori (1986) (ISBN not available) Maurizio Calvesi (1990). Le realtà del Caravaggio (in Italian). Torino: G. Einaudi. ISBN 9788806117108. ⁠https://www.speculumartis.net/en/2020/09/22/caravaggio-in-genoa-hypothesis-for-an-inspiration/⁠ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12497978 https://www.artandobject.com/news/plan-restore-ancient-pyramid-granite-provokes-criticism "Danse Macabre" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

05-21
29:51

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