Lorna Tiller in Conversation with the hosts of ChART Podcast
MADE IN BED’s editor-in-chief, Lorna Tiller, interviews fellow students at Sotheby’s Institute, Kristy, Javier, Finn and Mara, who aim to uncomplicate art one topic at a time through their podcast ChART.
What is ChART Podcast?
Kristy Chan: We started ChART as we all felt confronted by how elitist the art world is, and had multiple conversations about our journey from knowing absolutely nothing about art to doing a Masters in Contemporary Art. It was also important for us to provide a point of entry for people who are interested in art but do not know where to start. This podcast is very much something that we wish we had access to when we did not know much about the art world, needless to say, about how to read art, art theories, and art histories that conjure the monumental importance of certain artworks. It’s very much our attempt to demystify the art world with non-fancy words, just like how you’d chat with your mates. ChART, where we chat about art.
Who makes up ChART? Introduce us to the team!
Javier Gonzalez Garcia: We are simply four young art students with a dream... I’m originally from Spain, writer by heart, and on a quest for the weirdest / most disturbing artworks.
Mara Jackson: London-grown and never left, I’ve completed a Foundation in Fine Art and a History of Art BA. I thrive in insulting the rest of the ChART members and hoping they take it well.
KC: I’m Kristy! Born and raised in Hong Kong, came to the UK in 2014 for A levels, and never left! I graduated as a painter from the Slade School of Fine Art and decided to do a Masters at Sotheby’s to learn more about the contemporary art world as well as attempting to locate myself within it.
Finn Theunis: And last but not least, I’m Finn! Born and raised in a small town on the Flemish side of Belgium. I graduated with an MA in Visual Arts in the summer of 2019, using photography as my medium of choice, before fulfilling my boyhood dream of moving to London! I’m the one with the soothing voice in the podcast, you have to listen to our episodes to find out!
Why did you set this podcast up and what are your aims for ChART?
MJ: We decided during lockdown after a lot of brainstorming a podcast was the best way to get our ideas across. Through past experience we knew how intimidating the art world can be - it sometimes feels like everyone is ‘in the know’ other than you. We wanted to create something easy to understand while addressing interesting topics, such as current events in the art world, spotlighting artists and even art movements. We wanted to show how you are allowed to dislike or question an artist/artwork/movement, but that understanding the background behind it should be an important factor in your decision making. We don’t hold back with our own opinions, and also knew we wanted to keep it lighthearted - we even introduced a ‘Cracking Open a Cold One’ series where we kick back and drink while discussing art.
Tell us a little more about your friendship together?
JGG: Last September, when Kristy graduated, Finn and I put on masks with the faces of her parents because they couldn’t make it to the ceremony. It was very fun; I’m her mother now.
FT: One memorable moment for me was the Frieze Art Fair. It was the first time me Javier and Mara were together. When walking around at the fair, we stumbled upon a chain that was dangling from the ceiling in one of the booths. The three of us stared at that piece of artwork for a solid 5 minutes like it was the best thing we have ever seen. After that mind-blowing experience, Mara asked us if we wanted to join for a drink at the pub, where we then discovered we had more things in common besides an interest in contemporary art. We decided then and there that we would not talk about anything art related while going for a drink. The week after we went for drinks again and Kristy joined the gang. The ChART squad was born.
What’s your favourite podcast episode? Tell us a little bit about it?
JGG: I couldn’t pick one episode, but I enjoy the most recording for our Crack Open a Cold One series. We try to have an overall informal approach to any subject we discuss, but in the COACOs we really talk about art like we would in a pub, and I think that makes for a much friendlier atmosphere for newcomers into the art world.
KC: I am proud of one of our more recent episodes on Marc Quinn’s The Surge of Power statue in Bristol. I felt like we responded to the issue at the right time, that we gave ourselves time research the issue and draw opinions before we tried to give our best cohesive discussion towards a very topical controversy, whilst still managing to make it conversational and fun to listen to. As the editor of that episode, I recall myself feeling it was educational yet entertaining. I remembered myself laughing out loud while editing, and we all brought something external to the discussion, placing the problems with the statue in a larger scope of context.
What is your aim with this project?
FT: I came to the realisation that I would soon be graduating from my MA and decided to take a shot at creating something that would add value to the contemporary art world of today. After I discovered that the four of us had a similar view regarding the elitist stigma draped over the art world, we started brainstorming for concepts we would be able to bring to the table and the idea of a podcast came to the surface. Today, this is our way of opening up the art world for a broader audience. We most certainly want to keep growing and working on the podcast and our brand as ChART, so that we can provide and create more accessible entryways into the art world- both for emerging artists and people with a desire to learn more about the world of art!
Thank you, Kristy, Javier, Finn and Mara. It was a pleasure speaking with you and I look forward to listening to more of ChART's discussions. ChART podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Youtube and also other major streaming platforms.
Lorna Tiller,
MADE IN BED Editor-in-Chief