Denise Markonish's guest appearances

Denise Markonish

The Conversation Art Podcast

Tracking Wonder Podcast

Dorie Clark

Douglas White

Coagula Curatorial

Natasha Degen

Kysa Johnson

Joshua Cittarella

Lisa Soto

De Nichols

Tim Schneider

Stef Halmos

Anne Lindberg

Paolo Cirio

Claire Carter

Matt Gonzalez

Laura Vanderkam

OwlTail

Julianne Swartz

In a cultural moment characterized by divisiveness, we ache for community. We go through our days surrounded by people, but we have forgotten how to connect. Does art have the capacity to foster the kind of openness and connection we need right now? Is it possible that a provocative experience of unfamiliarity or disorientation might help us engage with each other? What if we could learn to follow the artist’s example and explode every day with wonder? Today, Jeffrey studies art as a conduit of wonder with Denise Markonish, curator of MASS MoCA and author of Oh, Canada: Contemporary Art from North North America, and award-winning artist Julianne Swartz, whose work has appeared at premier museums including MASS MoCA and The Whitney. Julianne and Denise trace the origins of their wonder and curiosity, exploring how their childhood investigations inform the work they do now. Julianne describes the intent of her work to provoke an experience of unfamiliarity and facilitate the exchange of wonder, and Denise shares her role as an experience architect, working with artists to generate deeply personal exhibitions. Listen in for insight around the promise of art to create an openness between communities—and learn how to think like an artist, fostering wonder in your own life and work. Key Takeaways [4:34] Young Julianne and Denise at their best  Julianne conducting material investigations in the desert Denise organizing and building systems for rock collection  [8:28] How Denise &amp; Julianne’s young genius inform their work now  Lifelong pursuit of wonder and curiosity Fueled by desire to ‘materialize the invisible’ Beyond inquiry to prodding of things  [13:45] Julianne’s reputation for ‘soft explosions of love’  Example in 2006 work Affirmation Asked people what most deeply wanted to hear Recorded affirmations in building fixtures  [18:25] Denise’s role as an architect of experiences  Work with artists to create new work Create new experiences for audience AND artists  [21:06] MASS MoCA’s Explode Everyday exhibition  Explore difference between wonder and curiosity Ask artists how activate wonder in lives, studio practice  [27:23] The emotional quality of Julianne’s work  Provoke experience of unfamiliarity/disorientation Opens us up emotionally, brings into not knowing  [30:08] How Julianne fosters wonder in her life and work  Magic of materials/sounds/situations translate to art experience Find in conversation and connection with another person  [35:00] The exchange of wonder in Julianne’s work  Pour depth of emotion into object, becomes transmitter Art object = conduit to transmit energy to audience  [42:04] Denise’s insight on fostering wonder for yourself  Provoke own pause, be alive to world around you Pursue what interests you to keep brain inquiring  [45:11] The capacity of art to create openness between communities  Can You Hear Me? as conduit between social groups We Complete requires physical connection to activate sound  [53:08] The promise of art in our current cultural moment  Shift in conversation from anger to tenderness Love has become political term  [55:57] What Julianne is pursuing in the coming year  Joy, still. at Grace Farms Link between joy and sorrow, suffering  [58:42] What Denise is pursuing in the coming year  Suffering from Realness opens in April Mind of the Mound opens in March  Connect with Julianne Julianne Swartz Affirmation Blue Sky with Rainbow In Harmonicity, The Tonal Walkway Can You Hear Me? We Complete Link/Line Joy, still. at Grace Farms Connect with Denise MASS MoCA Suffering from Realness Mind of the Mound: Critical Mass Resources The Autobiography of Charles Darwin by Charles Darwin Sebastian Smee MASS MoCA’s Explode Every Day The Explode Every Day Catalog Sean Foley Mark Osborne Tracy Fullerton Charles LaBelle Grace Farms Trenton Doyle Hancock Oh, Canada: Contemporary Art from North North America by Denise Markonish Diana’s Dragons Mary Ellen Beads Inside Knowledge Brand Artistry Labs

In a cultural moment characterized by divisiveness, we ache for community. We go through our days surrounded by people, but we have forgotten how to connect. Does art have the capacity to foster the kind of openness and connection we need right now? Is it possible that a provocative experience of unfamiliarity or disorientation might help us engage with each other? What if we could learn to follow the artist’s example and explode every day with wonder? Today, Jeffrey studies art as a conduit of wonder with Denise Markonish, curator of <a href="https://massmoca.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">MASS MoCA</a> and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Oh-Canada-Contemporary-North-America/dp/0262018357" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Oh, Canada: Contemporary Art from North North America</a>, and award-winning artist Julianne Swartz, whose work has appeared at premier museums including MASS MoCA and The Whitney. Julianne and Denise trace the origins of their wonder and curiosity, exploring how their childhood investigations inform the work they do now. Julianne describes the intent of her work to provoke an experience of unfamiliarity and facilitate the exchange of wonder, and Denise shares her role as an experience architect, working with artists to generate deeply personal exhibitions. Listen in for insight around the promise of art to create an openness between communities—and learn how to think like an artist, fostering wonder in your own life and work. Key Takeaways [4:34] Young Julianne and Denise at their best <ul> <li>Julianne conducting material investigations in the desert</li> <li>Denise organizing and building systems for rock collection</li> </ul> [8:28] How Denise &amp; Julianne’s young genius inform their work now <ul> <li>Lifelong pursuit of wonder and curiosity</li> <li>Fueled by desire to ‘materialize the invisible’</li> <li>Beyond inquiry to prodding of things</li> </ul> [13:45] Julianne’s reputation for ‘soft explosions of love’ <ul> <li>Example in 2006 work <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/affirmation/affirmation.php" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Affirmation</a></li> <li>Asked people what most deeply wanted to hear</li> <li>Recorded affirmations in building fixtures</li> </ul> [18:25] Denise’s role as an architect of experiences <ul> <li>Work with artists to create new work</li> <li>Create new experiences for audience AND artists</li> </ul> [21:06] MASS MoCA’s <a href="https://massmoca.org/event/explode-every-day-an-inquiry-into-the-phenomena-of-wonder/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Explode Everyday</a> exhibition <ul> <li>Explore difference between wonder and curiosity</li> <li>Ask artists how activate wonder in lives, studio practice</li> </ul> [27:23] The emotional quality of Julianne’s work <ul> <li>Provoke experience of unfamiliarity/disorientation</li> <li>Opens us up emotionally, brings into not knowing</li> </ul> [30:08] How Julianne fosters wonder in her life and work <ul> <li>Magic of materials/sounds/situations translate to art experience</li> <li>Find in conversation and connection with another person</li> </ul> [35:00] The exchange of wonder in Julianne’s work <ul> <li>Pour depth of emotion into object, becomes transmitter</li> <li>Art object = conduit to transmit energy to audience</li> </ul> [42:04] Denise’s insight on fostering wonder for yourself <ul> <li>Provoke own pause, be alive to world around you</li> <li>Pursue what interests you to keep brain inquiring</li> </ul> [45:11] The capacity of art to create openness between communities <ul> <li><a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/can_you_hear_me/can_you_hear_me.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Can You Hear Me?</a> as conduit between social groups</li> <li><a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/wecomplete/wecomplete.php" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">We Complete</a> requires physical connection to activate sound</li> </ul> [53:08] The promise of art in our current cultural moment <ul> <li>Shift in conversation from anger to tenderness</li> <li>Love has become political term</li> </ul> [55:57] What Julianne is pursuing in the coming year <ul> <li><a href="https://gracefarms.org/julianne-swartz/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Joy, still. at Grace Farms</a></li> <li>Link between joy and sorrow, suffering</li> </ul> [58:42] What Denise is pursuing in the coming year <ul> <li><a href="https://massmoca.org/event/suffering-from-realness/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Suffering from Realness</a> opens in April</li> <li><a href="https://massmoca.org/event/trenton-doyle-hancock-mind-of-the-mound-critical-mass/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mind of the Mound</a> opens in March</li> </ul> Connect with Julianne <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Julianne Swartz</a> <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/affirmation/affirmation.php" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Affirmation</a> <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/blueskywithrainbow/blueskywithrainbow.php" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Blue Sky with Rainbow</a> <a href="https://massmoca.org/event/julianne-swartz-in-harmonicity-the-tonal-walkway/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">In Harmonicity, The Tonal Walkway</a> <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/can_you_hear_me/can_you_hear_me.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Can You Hear Me?</a> <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/wecomplete/wecomplete.php" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">We Complete</a> <a href="http://www.julianneswartz.com/work_archive/link_line/link_line.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Link/Line</a> <a href="https://gracefarms.org/julianne-swartz/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Joy, still. at Grace Farms</a> Connect with Denise <a href="https://massmoca.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">MASS MoCA</a> <a href="https://massmoca.org/event/suffering-from-realness/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Suffering from Realness</a> <a href="https://massmoca.org/event/trenton-doyle-hancock-mind-of-the-mound-critical-mass/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mind of the Mound: Critical Mass</a> Resources <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Charles-Darwin-1809-1882/dp/0393310698" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Autobiography of Charles Darwin by Charles Darwin</a> <a href="http://www.sebastiansmee.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sebastian Smee</a> <a href="https://massmoca.org/event/explode-every-day-an-inquiry-into-the-phenomena-of-wonder/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">MASS MoCA’s Explode Every Day</a> <a href="https://shop.massmoca.org/products/explode-every-day-an-inquiry-into-the-phenomena-of-wonder" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Explode Every Day Catalog</a> <a href="http://seanfoley.net/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sean Foley</a> <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0651706/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Osborne</a> <a href="https://www.tracyfullerton.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Tracy Fullerton</a> <a href="https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Charles-LaBelle/9B8A959F31EDF921" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Charles LaBelle</a> <a href="https://gracefarms.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Grace Farms</a> <a href="https://trenton-doyle.przm.com/home" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Trenton Doyle Hancock</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Oh-Canada-Contemporary-North-America/dp/0262018357" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Oh, Canada: Contemporary Art from North North America by Denise Markonish</a> <a href="https://dianasdragons.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Diana’s Dragons</a> <a href="https://www.maryellenbeads.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Ellen Beads</a> <a href="https://insideknowledge.blog/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Inside Knowledge</a> <a href="https://trackingwonder.com/academy/brand-artistry-labs/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Brand Artistry Labs</a>

S2 EP4: What If We Could Explode Every Day? — with Julianne Swartz & Denise Markonish 

MASS MoCA curator Denise Markonish talks about: The immense size of the museum (300,000 sq. ft.), including the football field-sized main exhibition space, and how despite its being three hours from the big cities (NYC, Boston…), it gets tremendous attendance- the parking lot’s full even on weekday mornings; how half of her time is devoted to the road, having conversations w/artists in their studios, and prompting some of them to make work that melds with her exhibition concepts; curating Oh, Canada, a survey of Canadian artists for which she did 400 studio visits across the country over three years, pissing off much of Vancouver in the process (kidding!); working with Nick Cave, whose massive installation was immensely popular with visitors, as well as working with emerging artists at the museum; and she shares the harrowing story of driving to pick up a vintage, cast-iron black-faced lawn jockey for Nick Cave’s sprawling installation.

<a href="http://massmoca.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MASS MoCA</a> curator Denise Markonish talks about: The immense size of the museum (300,000 sq. ft.), including the football field-sized main exhibition space, and how despite its being three hours from the big cities (NYC, Boston…), it gets tremendous attendance- the parking lot’s full even on weekday mornings; how half of her time is devoted to the road, having conversations w/artists in their studios, and prompting some of them to make work that melds with her exhibition concepts; curating Oh, Canada, a survey of Canadian artists for which she did 400 studio visits across the country over three years, pissing off much of Vancouver in the process (kidding!); working with Nick Cave, whose massive installation was immensely popular with visitors, as well as working with emerging artists at the museum; and she shares the harrowing story of driving to pick up a vintage, cast-iron black-faced lawn jockey for Nick Cave’s sprawling installation.

Ep.# 212: MASS MoCA curator Denise Markonish, on globe-trotting studio visits and producing on a Massive scale