The Modern Art Notes Podcast

This week’s Modern Art Notes Podcast features artist Fred Wilson and was taped live at the Toledo Museum of Art to celebrate the opening of “Color Ignited: Glass 1962-2012.” The exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Studio Glass movement and the TMA’s role in it. The show includes work by Wilson, Dan Flavin, Josiah McElheny and more. (Toledo has long been one of the world’s glass-manufacturing powerhouses.)

Wilson and I begin the show by discussing his recent shift toward object-making, and in particular his use of glass, such as in To Die Upon A Kiss (2011). Wilson became especially interested in Shakespeare’s “Othello” while working in Venice and the final words Othello speaks make up the title of this piece. (Also discussed on this week’s program: Wilson’s interest in Shakespeare.)

Wilson is best known for his works made not out of pigment-and-canvas or glass, but with museum collections. His work with his materials raises questions about historical narratives we’ve been taught, narratives that are often re-inforced by collections and displays of cultural objects. 

To download the program directly to your PC/mobile device, click here. To download or subscribe to The Modern Art Notes Podcast via iTunes, click here.  To subscribe to The MAN Podcast’s RSS feed, click here. Images of artworks discussed on the program are here.