Episode Transcript
Peter B: [00:00:00] Everyone knows Salvador Dali and his famous work, The Persistence of Memory. Well, if not, don't feel too bad. That's why you're listening to the podcast in the first place, right? It's the piece where all the clocks are melting against the backdrop of the ocean and a bunch of ants are eating the stopwatch.
He was a surrealist fo sho there are so many incredible stories about Salvador Dali and his antics, I don't even know where to start. His pet ocelot, WTF, the most famous mustache of all time, the classic handlebar. The time he almost suffocated inside a deep sea diving helmet while trying to explain surrealism.
But maybe the most insane idea was his trip to Paris, inside his Rolls Royce, full of cauliflower. Who was this guy? Seriously.
Hey everyone, welcome to sort of sophisticated, a podcast rooted in becoming more cultured and curious where we endeavor to suspend judgment, expand our worldview, and learn to appreciate varying perspectives and values,
Amanda: but really it's a show where we hope to enlighten anyone who cares on topics that might make them more interesting and well [00:01:00] versed humans and just dangerous enough to hold their own in this sophisticated world, sort of.
Peter B: And today we'll be taking a beginner's crash course in art appreciation.
All right, Amanda. So I got a story for you.
Amanda: Tell me. Lay it on me.
Peter B: So I finally broke down, and I got a second TV. Because my kids suck, and never let me use the one in the family room. To this, like, for the last, like, 17 years, I've lived with one television in my house, by the way. Um. But the problem was I wanted to put it in the living room, and I'm old school, and I thought that would look stupid to have a television in my living room.
Amanda: I mean, it's right when you walk in the door. Correct. I get that.
Peter B: Yeah, you want it to look nice. So anyway, I waited till Gabby died, and then I decided to buy something called the Frame TV by Samsung. Samsung.
Amanda: What is a Frame TV? Yeah,
Peter B: so when you're not using it as a TV, you can buy a monthly subscription, and it displays different artwork with the frame and all.
So it like tricks you when you walk in, you think it's art up on my fireplace. So I mounted it up there and all day long, it looks like a painting and then boom at [00:02:00] night when I want to chill out and watch TV, click, click, done watching TV. It's awesome. Highly recommend ton of compliments anyway.
Amanda: That's so interesting.
Peter B: Right. So after about the monthly subscription, I found myself like staring at the artwork. Way more than I thought I would, especially Monet. There's so many, and it looks real. I mean, this looks real. Like you have to understand, like when the painting comes up, it's not like, it doesn't look like digitized at all.
It like gives you the 3d looks. It looks like there's brushstrokes. It is unbelievable. It really is. Anybody who walks in thinks it's a painting for sure. So. I kind of was staring at this the other night and I'm like, I got, I got to do something about art appreciation because I, not an art appreciation guy, am starting to appreciate art.
So that's sort of how this episode kind of got its legs.
Amanda: Shout out to Samsung for creating who, like, that's genius.
Peter B: Yes. Love Samsung. All right. Anyway, our word of the day is Bucula.
Say it with me, Amanda. Bucula.
Amanda: Bucula.
Peter B: Bucula. And our challenge is to work this [00:03:00] word in a podcast somewhere and make it seem like we meant to.
Amanda: But your face is a bucula.
Peter B: Good one. Channeling Ruth. That's what she always says. Dad, your face is a bleh. Whatever, right? So.
Amanda: But it kind of sounds like Dracula. So, like, what does it actually mean?
Peter B: Dracula. Well, it doesn't mean Dracula. How do you not know what a bucula is? Everybody knows what a bucula is. All right. Well, anyway, you were kind of right because it's on your face.
It is the fold of fatty tissue under the chin. See, like right here. Stop laughing. Stop laughing at me. My kids always make fun of my bucula. All right. I have a big bucula. I didn't know I was going to have a bucula when I was younger. And I don't like having one.
Amanda: Who knew that was called a bucula?
Peter B: Well, it is.
Amanda: Which is a third chin. It's a Double chin?
Peter B: Wow. Now I have a third? Now I have a third? Okay. Good luck working this in, okay? Cause I But I can't reference your bucula. No, you may not reference my bucula. Okay. Okay, alright. So today we're going to be discussing the importance of art appreciation. And how to sort of cultivate a deeper understanding of art and why it even matters in our lives [00:04:00] after all folks We're trying to be more sophisticated here So art matters
Amanda: sort of sort of
Peter B: sort of sophisticated from the strokes of the brush to the chisel marks on marble Art speaks a language that transcends culture and even time Yes, people, even time.
Shout out to Salvador Dali. So join us as we embark on a journey to discovery, imagination, and wonder. Get ready to sharpen your senses and pencils and expand your horizons and deepen your appreciation for the incredible diversity that art has to offer.
Amanda: Wait, but where do we even learn how to look at art?
Or how do I air quotes train my eye or my mind for that matter to figure out what I'm looking at and what the artist was trying to get me to see and feel in the first place. It seems very overwhelming.
Peter B: Well, strap in. I mean, this is what we're going to be talking about right now.
Amanda: Buckle up.
Peter B: Let's go.
Let's uh, Let's just do the beginning. Let's rip through some beginner's guide to art appreciation here. So some people might feel a little intimidated, uh, much like you right now about this whole art world thing, thinking it's just for like [00:05:00] professors and gallery owners and a bunch of rich people who have nothing but time on their hands.
And I mean, who doesn't hate rich people? But I think with a little patience and curiosity, anyone can learn to appreciate art. So ready for a few helpful tips that will help us look at art. With what art nerds would call a more critical eye.
First. Let's talk about size.
Amanda: It's always about size with you, Pete.
Peter B: It is. I'm compensating. All right. Artwork size, Amanda. Artwork size. Alright, so you gotta start by looking at like, the entire piece of art in front of you. And you wanna figure out what their size and shape is telling you.
If it's large, in a massive frame, or a, like a life size sculpture of David or something, Then it's trying to overwhelm you with power and emotion. Or if it's small, like the size of a photograph or something super little, then it's inviting you to like, sort of get more intimate and like, check it out, like, and see it from a different lens.
So smaller pieces create a more [00:06:00] intimate viewing environment. Bigger pieces want you to see it sort of in a grandiose fashion
Amanda: Is this kind of like the persistence of memory you were talking about earlier because I heard that if you walk too fast At the Museum of Modern Art you'd miss it because it's like yeah super 9 by 12 It's teeny a piece of paper.
Peter B: You are absolutely right. Where did you hit? You're amazing. Did you look this up? What
Amanda: I was Studio art me.
Peter B: Are you that cultured and curious? Yes, yes, many people would, like, they can't even believe that that, like, percentage of memory is that small. It is 9 by 12. Yes, super critical eyes, inviting you to spend a lot of time on it.
Amanda: And get close.
Peter B: Yes. So, so you literally start, like, from far away. You start figuring out what you're about to enter into. So second, you want to pick out shapes. It's where the artist is trying to draw your attention. If one figure immediately catches your eye, that's where you're, that's where you're headed, like super fast, super quick, right?
Mona Lisa, duh, it's really simple. secondary figures may be smaller, [00:07:00] darker, outside of your main focus. Uh, lines a lot of times, right? If you think of Pablo Picasso, other people like that. Lines will also draw you to a specific area. That's another way that artists try to take you somewhere.
Third, start looking for colors.
Amanda: But am I supposed to be doing this in like a specific order or is it like one, two, three? Do I check those boxes?
Peter B: Yes.
Amanda: Okay.
Peter B: A lot of layers to appreciating art. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Amanda H: I do one. Yes.
Then I go to two. Yes. Okay.
Peter B: You do, you do size, you do shape, you do colors. Yes. You train your brain just like anything else. If you do it in order enough times, it's second nature. It's like riding a bike. So super weird right now, I understand, but yes, that's the idea. Size, you're walking up to it.
Right? You start looking at shapes, then you start going to color. So on color is everything traditional, right? Reds, blues, uh, Or, is there something like that's, like, not a color it's supposed to be? Or is there a figure that's darker or paler than it's supposed to be? These are clues. The artist is trying to talk to you through those clues.
Amanda: So, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. If I think of Van Gogh's Starry Night, with
all [00:08:00] the different blue and yellows, it's not just one hue, there's multiple, but in the blue and yellow.
Peter B: Van Gogh is a, what would you say, is he an artist of art? What, what is that? He's an artist of color. I don't know. Yes. He's, he was amazing.
Yes. He used colors like master. Thank you. Master of colors. He used it like nobody else. He was awesome.
Amanda: All right. I think we're getting it. I'm getting it. What's next?
Peter B: All right. Fourth gets a little harder. You need to try to move with the art. I know that sounds a little like super weird, right?
But artists try to create movement. Inside of this whole idea of the motionless picture. So when you look at a piece of art, is there anything that is showing movement, our clothes sweeping back, our blossoms falling out of trees, are arms or legs reaching towards something movement in art shows how the elements are trying to interact with each other and they're trying to share an emotion or a mood, right?
Amanda: I've heard that people looking at. And, you know, fill in the image, but when they're looking at a piece of art that [00:09:00] they get overwhelmed with emotion because they feel the movement.
Peter B: That's it. That's why the Sistine Chapel is such a big deal. Right? When Michelangelo, right? There's so much of that going on.
Amanda: Yeah.
Peter B: Yeah. It's really amazing. And finally, try to find cultural meaning because that's what this podcast is all about to begin with. So you might need to do a bit of research, but it's a good idea to learn about the artist before you can really appreciate the art.
So if you know where you're going. Right? Then I would Google it and figure it out online before you go, but a lot of times the exhibitions themselves have a history of the artist, like at the entrance to a specific exhibit. I would highly encourage you to read about the artist to gain some perspective.
This is what we talk about, and some understanding of where that artist is coming from. So you can really learn to appreciate their art
Amanda: and what the piece is about. Awesome. Absolutely. Yeah. So now I think then I'm ready to go to a museum. Yeah. and see art in IRL Do you know what that is?
Peter B: You're ready to get in real life?
Amanda: Oh, good job, good job. Come on. Yes. Well, is there anything about etiquette that we should know before [00:10:00] going?
Peter B: Etiquette? Look at you, Miss Self Awareness Expert.
Amanda: I listen to podcasts. You're already Number one.
Peter B: Okay. I love this. All right. Yes. Let's run through some, uh, quick etiquette hit list. Let's go. All right.
First, let's respect art. Let's not touch it. Don't feel it. You got oils and shit on your skin, right? And then you touch the art. It's the same way as like when you touch your face and you get zits. There's all sorts of oils. It's disgusting. And don't like lean on any displays or lean over the ropes or do anything stupid.
Like, unless the museum will tell you what you can and can't do. Like, don't be lame.
Amanda: Aren't there lots of alarms protecting all of the art?
Peter B: Yeah, there's a ton of that. But don't set those off.
Amanda: Yes. Yeah. Like that's a safe distance.
Peter B: Good idea. Don't set off alarms. Let's start with that. Right. Like pay attention to posted signs, instructions.
Like don't take pictures. If you're not allowed to take pictures right. Um, second. Keep your voice down. Don't be disruptive. You just piss people off.
Amanda: So do you even go to museums? Or do you stay home?
Peter B: so funny story, um, Gabby and I went to a museum. [00:11:00] Uh, the, what was it, the L. A. Museum of Art, LACMA, what's it called?
Um, and, um, she essentially gave me, what is it, Xanax?
Amanda: Really?
Peter B: Okay, by the way, it was one of the funnest days of our lives because, um, we pretended we were in like Ferris Bueller's Day Off because there's like a whole like, it's, uh, they go to an art show in it or whatever, art museum, and we pretend, like, we walked up to the art and we were like looking at it and pretending we knew what we were talking about and then we would pretend we were talking to each other and taking pictures.
It was so hysterical.
Amanda: You were taking pictures?
Peter B: No, no, like of each other. It was super cute and it was super fun. Leave me alone. Okay. Um,
Amanda: you were obey all the rules
Peter B: we were being, and by the way, we're being very romantic. Yes, it was wonderful. Okay. Third, be mindful of personal space. Like, let other people see the artwork without, your fat fucking head in front of it for like three hours.
So don't block it or stay in the area for too long. I get it, you want to see the art, like, like you just said. You're going to MoMA, you want to see Salvador Dali, you want to see Persistence of Memory, I totally understand. But like, You know, stand there for two minutes or three minutes. And then if it's super interesting to you, circle [00:12:00] back, like come go, just go back later.
Let people see stuff. Don't be lame. Fourth, follow dress code guidelines, please. Some museums have them, some don't, but people are there to see art, not your t shirt with some slogan on it. And don't carry some massive purse, Amanda, like your Louis Vuitton shit and knock everything over. Like just like super simple.
Keep it cool. Cool. Let, like, just be cool.
Amanda: For the record. What? I don't wear loud things. No, it's not wear loud. And big things. Like Louis Vuitton? Yeah, just don't be big. Don't be big. No, because that's loud.
Peter B: Don't be big. Okay, fifth, be nice to people who work there, please. They're all volunteers most of the time.
Don't be a douche. Remember, you chose to go. So, just be kind and rewind.
Amanda: I didn't know. All the docents. Volunteers.
Peter B: Docents. Big word. I like that. That should have been our word of the day. And finally, no phone calls. If there's an emergency, please leave the museum to talk. Even texting, kind of lame. You sort of look like a kind of an ass.
[00:13:00] So like, yeah, look at me. I'm texting instead of like looking at art. So just observe all the museum policies, right? Most per prohibit food, just like use food, drink and designated areas. Like no smoking, throw your trash away. Like all the normal stuff. All right.
Amanda: This all doesn't seem very hard.
But, you know what else? What? I prepped for this episode. Ha ha!
Peter B: I like when you prep.
Amanda: And I did a little sleuthing. Okay.
Peter B: Oh, sleuthing.
Yeah,
Amanda: and it turns out that there's a bunch of places to go in any major metropolitan city. There is. To appreciate.
Peter B: There is. I know.
Amanda: So you ready? Yeah. Lay it out. No, absolutely. It's crazy.
Peter B: Tell the listeners because this is, yeah, just hit it.
Amanda: Okay. So there's top tier stuff. So New York, Chicago, LA, and DC.
Peter B: Yep.
Amanda: And then you've got kind of the next tier, which is going to be Philly, Cleveland, Boston, Houston, and Minneapolis, San Fran, and Atlanta. And you can keep going because there's Milwaukee, Baltimore, Seattle, Detroit, and St. Louis.
Peter B: amen
Amanda: then finally, there's good art also in Denver, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Kansas City, Scottsdale, Reno. So there's really [00:14:00] no excuse for y'all not to get out there.
Peter B: Yeah, it's everywhere. Yeah, literally. You just probably, I don't know, 15, 15 places? Like, yes. It's literally everywhere. And people, I think people are like, Oh, I gotta go to New York or L. A. No, you don't. You, you are probably one hour, maybe, from almost any real art museum in the United States.
Like, no, like zero excuse.
Amanda: Zero.
Peter B: I'm with you. Absolutely. Thanks. Just go. I like that you did that homework. That was good. I appreciate that you brought that up.
Amanda: So, and if you're feeling adventurous, like to at least go out and see these different art museums or showcases, you could even try to take some art classes or workshops in your local area to learn different techniques or mediums.
Peter B: Oh, good idea. In art process. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What? Did you just say mediums?
Amanda: Yeah, like are they
Peter B: like mediums like the people that like figure out where the ghosts are?
Amanda: No, well, you know the art art medium What's an art medium basically? Is that?
Peter B: Whoa? Let me guess. Is that like where there's ghosts in art museums?
Amanda: I'm sure there are ghosts in art museums.
Peter B: There [00:15:00] totally is
Amanda: maybe even the artists are haunting it But probably basically it's a term for the material used to create the artwork slash piece. So think watercolor
Peter B: Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah Okay, i'm the pencil the pen the pencil the why I got I got I got it, okay
Amanda: So if you're interested in Any art, whether it be painting or drawing, sculpture, photography, take a class.
It really can deepen your understanding of art and provide some really fun hands on experiences .
Peter B: I love art. Okay, what's next?
Amanda: You could try going to street festivals with local artists. And they actually talk to you. Like, you can talk to the artist and learn about how they created the art. How, uh. It's their expression of themselves.
Peter B: Yeah, so I was in San Diego recently and absolutely, it is super fun to go down to like an art festival and hang out and talk to them because, talk about some of the most passionate people that you will meet and you learn, so again, shout out to First Podcast, right?
You learn so much about other people that you would never know otherwise. And my life [00:16:00] was nothing like theirs and I love listening to them. So, I love that idea. Good one. What else?
Amanda: And if you can't get down to like an actual art festival, you can just go online. Because there's resources, Google Arts and Culture, Khan Academy, Artsy, they all provide access to thousands of artworks, articles, videos, interactive experiences.
I mean, it's just a treasure chest, right? And it definitely can enhance your understanding and appreciation of art.
Peter B: Google has everything.
Amanda: I mean, the interwebs.
Peter B: It just. It's crazy.
Amanda: It's crazy. We have it at our fingertips.
Peter B: It's right there. Right. So, I mean, you're, uh, you're, uh, you're giving us a lot. Is there anything else?
Amanda: If you want to go deeper,
Peter B: We're not, wait, wait a second, we're not deep yet? How much deeper are we going to go?
Amanda: That's like surface level. That's surface? Where you're like just immersing yourself, right?
Peter B: Dig another rock layer deeper. Let's go.
Amanda: Sign up for an art course. They're offered by local universities or adult education programs.
Peter B: Like a course, like not a class. You don't mean like to take art and learn. You mean an art course. Like in a college. Yeah. Holy crap. Okay. I mean that's like, you're committed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got you. Okay.
Amanda: Okay. Right? But [00:17:00] the courses often provide structured guidance and expert instruction, and they explore various aspects of art history, theory, and criticism, and they help you develop the skills and confidence to actually engage with art more deeply.
Now again, coming from, you know, I was a double major, so studio art was my thing. I think it's super important to really embrace it and get intimate with
Peter B: art. Who wouldn't want to be intimate?
Amanda: And once you kind of. Get there. Maybe you go travel like that's a more of a commitment because now you're putting well travels like the ultimate if
Peter B: you're gonna Do it do it, right?
Yeah. Yeah
Amanda: And so if you do that, then hit the famous galleries around the world like the Louvre in Paris The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Peter B: Yes,
Amanda: Or the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Peter B: Ooh, the Uffizi.
Oh, you are cultured. Look at you. I love it. The Uffizi, that one's, I love that one. I
Amanda: mean, you gotta immerse yourself, right? It's all the different art and cultural context, which you really can't get until, like, you
Peter B: No, but you [00:18:00] gotta, for this last one, you gotta be kinda rich, let's be honest. You gotta have a little money.
You do. You gotta have some money, honey. You do, you do. Yeah, yeah. That last one, I think it sounds best, cause if I'm doing it, like, then I wanna see the famous shit first, cause I'm gonna learn the most. And that would totally draw me in the quickest. So, um, storytelling again. Quick story? Yes, let's go. Do we have time for a quick story?
Okay, quick story. Alright, when I was young, totally had the unique opportunity to see all sorts of this famous shit. So, believe it or not, Mandy, I was at the Louvre. I saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Wedding at Cana. I, in New York City, I saw Starry Night, Water Lilies, Death of Socrates. Florence, I saw Uffizi, I was at the Uffizi, I saw the Birth of Venus, I saw the Statue of David.
And then, I was even at Vatican City, uh, Sistine Chapel, uh, the, the Pietà , right? I saw it all. So, I totally know not everybody has the ability to do this. And shout out to my mom. Love you, Esther, who worked for American airlines and was able to get me to all those places when I was young. I don't even think I really appreciated it back then.[00:19:00]
Like I would literally go for like five days, Amanda, like, and I would like go to the Louvre, come home. Uh, and I, I didn't quite understand how cool it was. And then here, here's what my mom would do. Cause she was so awesome. She would make with, there was four of us in the family. She would do help us make our oral presentations.
Cause like we would leave school. Right, it would be during school. It wasn't like in the summer.
Amanda: Wait, you saw all these things when you were little.
Peter B: Yeah, oh, I was like 10, 12, 15 years old. Insane! Oh, no, no, no, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, my mom would help us, my mom would talk to our teachers, and then she would help us do oral reports when we got back.
Instead of doing homework, we didn't have to do any homework, we had to do an oral presentation on what we saw. So, like, it I love it. No, I totally remember this. So, I would stand up in front of the classroom, my mom was in the back of the classroom, and I would stand up and I would do an oral presentation on, like, Vatican City.
And I would show pictures, and I would tell them what I learned, and it would be like a f ing hour long. And I remember my teacher would stare at me like, jaw dropped. Who is this [00:20:00] kid, and why has he got to learn all this stuff? I was being homeschooled without even really being homeschooled.
It was the coolest thing ever. And like, my sibs totally remember this. Shout out to my sibs, cause they were, they went with me and did all this with me, and it was totally amazing. But anyway.
Amanda: That's so cool.
Peter B: You just gotta get the hell out there, and you gotta start learning to appreciate art, dammit. I don't care where you live, just do it.
Alright? Do
Amanda: it. Okay, so since you've seen so much, why don't you give us a rundown of some of the most famous works out there. No, no, no, no, no, no, hold on, hold on. I mean, that might take forever. That will take forever. So how about maybe the five most famous paintings out there?
Peter B: Paintings. We'll do paintings.
Paintings. Yes, because there's a lot of different kinds of art. Let's do paintings. Well, that's not really fair, is it, like, you're totally setting me up, determining, like, the most famous paintings is like deciding who you're attracted to, it's like a subjective, it totally depends on perspective, but I guess the same way we all generally agree that Chris Hemsworth is hot, I guess we can pretty safely take you through the five most Iconic artworks like recognized around the world.
Okay. Okay. We'll go.
Amanda: We'll go iconic, not famous. Alright,
Peter B: let's do, let's do that. [00:21:00] Yeah. Alright. First we have Mona Lisa, AKA lada, the portrait of the woman with the enigmatic smile. It is by far one of the most famous and iconic paintings in the world painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century.
The Mona Lisa is known for its masterful technique, the total subtle expression, and her mysterious. allure It is housed, of course, in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Fun fact, look close, no eyebrows. What? Yep, no eyebrows.
Amanda: I did not know that. Yep, I know. I was today years old. Huh, well guess what? What? She has no bucula either.
Peter B: Beautiful.
Amanda: I mean, that may have been the only place that we could do it in the podcast.
Peter B: That was perfect. She does not have a bucula.
Amanda: She's pretty pretty. Yes,
Peter B: most women don't have buculas. Good for you. All right, anyway, um, we're going to talk about a fun fact later and decide if she's really pretty or not.
Oh.
Amanda: Okay.
Peter B: Park that. Okay. Number two, The Last Supper, another masterpiece by Leo Da Vinci. [00:22:00] This was a fresco. The Last Supper is a fresco.
Amanda: What's a fresco?
Peter B: A fresco. A fresco.
It's something painted straight onto a wall or onto plaster with water based paint. Like literally onto a wall. Yes. Like it's Not, not on a canvas. Anyway, uh, Last Supper depicts the moment Jesus shares his last meal with the disciples before, da da da.
They nail his ass to the cross. It was painted in the late 15th century before Lovely Mona. And it's admired for its power of its narrative. There's a whole story in there. Remember, remember movement. Remember, we talked about movement. Uh, the last supper is a great one for movement. It's located in the convent of Santa Marina de la Glase in Milan, Italy.
Number three, we have starry night, AKA this star and knock the star. And no, I'm probably butchering that it was painted in 1889 by Dutch artists. [00:23:00] Vincent van Gogh during his stay at the St. Paul Asylum. Yes. Asylum in France, starry night might be the most recognizable painting in the world known for its swirling sky, vibrant colors.
We talked about this earlier and super expressive brushwork. This landscape. Captures the artist's emotional turmoil. It's now part of the collection of MoMA in New York city. Let's go.
Amanda: But the one thing about this specific. Like painting. I think it's so cool how it's incorporated into pop culture.
Peter B: It is.
Amanda: Legos. Oh yeah. Have you seen it? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it is. You know, you have all these kids who are doing Legos.
Peter B: Yep. And. And there it is. Right. Experiencing art. And that's the thing. Again, shout out to this podcast. Am I supposed to be promoting my own podcast episode in my podcast? I don't know if that's okay, but this is the whole point, right?
These kids have no idea what they're doing. They don't understand. So we're giving you a little history lesson on Vinnie van Gogh. and Starry Night. Thank you very much. Alright, number [00:24:00] four, The Scream. Otherwise known by its original title, Der Schrei der Natur. The scream was created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in the late 19th century and represents a powerful and haunting depiction of existential angst.
The painting, Which features a figure on a bridge with their hands on their face super iconic I mean like super iconic has become a universal symbol for modern anxiety and alienation it exists in several versions including paintings pastels print You can find it anywhere with the most famous version currently housed in the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway So get your butt to Norway.
Amanda: This one has always made me feel uncomfortable.
Peter B: Yeah it has, it's, it's, it that, that's the point of it. It's, and it's super simple, but it's super amazing. It, it's one of my favorites. One of my favorites. Yeah. Interesting. And finally, of course, we have the creation of Adam, by none other than Michelangelo.
This one is located on the ceiling. Yes. You heard me write the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The creation of Adam in the 16th [00:25:00] century is one of the most famous frescoes ever painted. This iconic artwork depicts the biblical scene of God, giving life to Adam.
Again, movement, right? He used a ton of movement, symbolizing the moment of divine creation and the gift of human intellect. The fresco is not only celebrated for its exquisite detail and dynamic composition, but more for its profound theological significance, right? It's amazing.
Amanda: I've personally seen this one.
Peter B: So have I.
Amanda: It's incredible.
Peter B: It gives you flat out chills. Right. It is one place you go and you know it is holy.
Amanda: Right, on top of that, what Michelangelo did, painting, and how he had to paint,
Peter B: Just wait. It's a fun fact. Just wait. Don't, don't blow it. It's unbelievable. Yes. Absolutely. So there's the top five.
Look them up online. Get familiar with them, people.
Amanda: So, if these were the five most iconic paintings, would then these be the five most iconic artists?
Peter B: Ooh, [00:26:00] I suppose same prob, right? Like, it's all about who you relate to. Cause, of course, these guys, like, yeah, I guess they stood the test of time. Maybe let's say most influential.
I don't know if like most fake like that's not fair. So let's say most influential.
Okay, so now iconic and five Okay, I'll go I'll go with most influential artists
of all time. Yeah. Yeah, let's do that Okay, so I'll go in the order which they were alive So first, of course, you have Leo right like not Leo DiCaprio dummies This is we're talking Leo DaVinci right lived in the 15th and 16th century a true Renaissance phenom Not just a painter and sculptor an architect scientist mathematician inventor Right? He painted the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper and invented a bunch of other shit. We don't even invented. Yeah. Invented. We don't even have time to go through it in this episode.
He invented the parachute. What? Yes. And the first diving suit. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like with the help with the diving, like thing and everything, like to go underwater. Scuba. Yeah. Every parachute. Yeah. The guy's insane. Yeah. So we'll just, let's just do a whole episode on. [00:27:00] Like him by himself. Like we'll do that later, but what's important to note here is that his diverse talent and curiosity, like totally inspire people centuries after his death.
Then we have Michelangelo Bonarati who lived at the same time as Da Vinci. Right? I don't know if they were buddies. Maybe they were buddies. I don't even know. But like, this is amazing. It's just cool how people live together and we don't even know it, right?
It brings history to life. Anyway, he was known for his mastery in sculpture, painting, and architecture. And his sculptures include David, we talked about, the Pieta, as well as the amazing frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Then, so that's two, three, is Vinnie Van Gogh, guys, Vinnie, he lived, who doesn't love the Vinnie Van Gogh, right, he lived in the 19th century, 1853 to about, yeah, about 1900, ah, no, he died before that, anyway, he was a Dutch painter who used, we talked about his colors, his brushwork, super, super brushwork, like crazy awesome brushwork, and he was super raw in the way he, uh, put [00:28:00] together, like, Starry Night and Sunflowers, I'm a, like, he's, honestly, he's probably my favorite.
Out of all these guys, he's probably my favorite. Despite struggling with his mental illness and poverty during his lifetime, he produced some of the most recognizable paintings in the world. Uh, until he decided to, yes, put a bullet in his chest.
Amanda: He offed himself.
Peter B: He did.
Amanda: Wow. Oh yeah. I thought he just cut off part of his ear.
Peter B: So remember earlier? No, no, no, no. In the insane asylum. He painted Starry Night in the insane asylum. Like, this guy's nuts.
Amanda: I mean, this is all now coming, connecting.
It's, yeah, no. Coming together.
Peter B: He, it, yeah. And then I do have a fun fact about him, too, later. This guy. It sucks. Yes. Okay. Okay. Very tragic life, but amazing.
Totally put a bullet in his own chest.
Next we have Claude Monnet, uh, who lived from about 1840 to 1926. So we're getting like, We're like getting like legit now like this guy what this guy was a hundred years ago He wasn't that long ago guy like my grandpa was alive during this time.
So we're getting there French impressionist painter
Amanda: But what's in it? Wait two things one
Peter B: what
Amanda: it's crazy to think that this person was alive when our grandpas were alive Yeah, no, this is [00:29:00] happening.
Peter B: We're getting close. Yes. Yeah. Yeah,
Amanda: all right. But what's impressionism?
Peter B: Okay, so impressionism refers to the idea of painting something not quite real, but more like how it was viewed or interpreted, I guess is the best way to say it, by the artist.
Anyway, he painted a bunch of outdoorsy stuff. Landscapes, lakes, ponds, flowers, things like that. He was known for capturing fleeting effects of nature. So a ton of movement stuff. His works include water lilies and haystacks. Those are famous ones that have vivid colors and are appreciated for their immense beauty and timeless appeal.
And if you come to the Bielinski household, he is on the frame TV. All. The. Time. Because. I love it. Yes. Lot of pastels. Lot of awesome colors. Love Monet. Shout out, brother. You my man. Okay, and we'll round out the lot with Pablo Picasso. Basically 20th century. So this is it. Like, this is now. 1881 to 1973.
Pablo Picasso lived while I was alive. I just want to be clear. Like, so everybody understands. You did? Yes. I, I was born in 1972. This guy died in 1973. Yeah, [00:30:00] a pioneer in modern art, known for innovations in cubism and surrealism, right?
Peter B: Okay, okay. Gotta, gotta lay it down these definitions. What? Cubism?
Cubism. Oh, Cubism. Okay, got it, got it. Cubism is a style of art that takes landscapes, objects, people, anything, it doesn't matter, and transforms them into geometric shapes.
Amanda: How about Surrealism?
Peter B: Alright, so Surrealism. Surrealism aims to revolutionize human experience. An apple could symbolize knowledge or temptation. A clock might represent the passage of time, Salvador Dali, you get the idea, right?
Amanda: Got it.
Peter B: Okay. All right. So over the course of his career, he created thousands of artworks in various mediums , exploring themes of identity, perceptions, and the human condition. His iconic works such as Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, I probably butchered that, and Garnica continue to captivate audiences and influence artists worldwide. And let's not forget others, right? Like Rembrandt, of course, Salvador Dali. We talked about in the intro Vermeer, Andy Warhol and [00:31:00] Frida, Frida Kahlo. Shout out to the most famous women artists of all time. Frida, love her. Let's do a podcast episode on her, please.
All awesome, but no time here. We'll get to them for sure.
Amanda: Guess what time it is.
Peter B: What time?
Amanda: Fun fact time!
Peter B: Oh, it's fun fact time! Let's go!
All right. First one. Did you know that art was an Olympic event?
Amanda: Stop. Really? It wasn't always about like racing and doping.
Peter B: No! Wow. That was tough. Okay, fine. Founder of the Modern Games, Baron Pierre de Courtrebin. I don't even know what his name is. Don't even ask me. Was so enamored with the idea that a true Olympian had to be both an artist and a sportsman. And thanks to him, between 1912 and 1948, medals were given out for the sporting inspired masterpieces in music, painting, sculpture, and literature.
Shout out to Baron Pierre Courtrebin.
Amanda: That's insane.
Peter B: I know. I love it. All right. Number two. The Mona Lisa has her own Friggin mailbox in the Louvre Because of all the love letters She [00:32:00] receives. I don't know. People maybe think she's real. I'm not quite sure.
Over the years, she's gained a ton of followers. She would be soup fame on TikTok she would way before it was even created. All right, so allegedly, in 1852, artist Luke Maspero, I don't even know who this guy is, right? Took it, took this infatuation to a new height diving off a hotel balcony because I quote, For years, I've grappled desperately with her smile. I prefer to die.
Amanda: What the heck, man?
Peter B: Right, yeah. WTF? No, he killed himself because of this, because he was infatuated with Mona Lisa. Okay, alright, a few other fun facts about good ol Mona. Okay, first of all, it may be unfinished. Thank you very much to it was once believed to be a self portrait of da Vinci Remember when you said she was so beautiful was she so beautiful we're arguing it was it was a self portrait of a man
Amanda: Man can be beautiful.
Peter B: Okay, I'm just throwing that out there. It was once hung in Napoleon's Bedroom
Amanda: that's insane.
Peter B: I [00:33:00] know right about yeah, he like confiscated puts it in his bedroom. Yeah, that's okay Anyway, it was stolen in 1911 And Pablo Picasso, good old Picassi, was once one of the suspects in the theft. Yes, I know, it's amazing.
It's been attacked multiple times, most recently in January of 2024, with soup, with soup, throwing soup on it. Yes, check it out on TikTok, it's up there. And it has been to America. Thank you, Jackie Kennedy. Love it.
Number three. Artist Willard Wiggin once inhaled his own work. What's that you say? Inhaled a painting?
Amanda: Like he snorted it inconceivable.
Peter B: Oh, he snorted it. Yeah, so He actually made micro sculptures like unlike the eye of a needle that are so small They have to be viewed through a microscope in fact when he creates his art he has to slow his Heartbeat down and he does the work in between heartbeats and in between his [00:34:00] breathing Just to get the art in the right place and the work he inhaled was Alice from Alice in Wonderland
Amanda: So it went up the rabbit hole and not down.
Peter B: It went up his giant nostril. Thank you very much. Yes. Totally true story. Okay.
Number four. In 2003, street artist Banksy stuck his own work to the wall of the Tate Modern Museum. The jig was up when it fell to the floor because he used some shitty glue. But for like four hours, Amanda, this artwork, Crime Watch UK Has Ruined the Countryside for All of Us, was hung in one of the world's most famous museums.
Unbelievable, right? I, I want to do that. I'm going to like make some art. I'm going to throw it up on wall See what happens. And there you have it. Look at the end of the day, appreciating art is awesome. Just do it already. After all, isn't that what this podcast is all about?
That's what we've been talking about, exploring new interests, expanding your cultural horizons. And I would argue doing [00:35:00] this through art contributes to personal growth in a huge way. It will challenge us to step outside our comfort zone, cultivate curiosity, and relentlessly pursue life long learning. I mean, It's really working for me, Amanda.
I never thought I'd be an artsy guy, but I'm like really learning some stuff.
Amanda: I love that for you. And I guess the one good thing about you having to do all the prep work each week for these episodes is that you're actually becoming more sophisticated. Sort of.
You're like the test case. Right? Patient zero. Let's see how this experiment is going.
Peter B: Yeah, I'm like the monkeys in the lab. I'm, I'm, I'm the, yeah, I get it.
Amanda: I mean, we're going to see how sophisticated you really become because I know I'm getting sort of sophisticated every week. .
Thanks for doing your homework and bringing all the knowledge. All right. So do your thing. Sum it up and tell us how to work it all together.
Peter B: Oh, I'm going to tell you how to work it together. Uh, here's what you got to do first, buy the frame TV people from Samsung.
Let's start there. And by the way, I think we should [00:36:00] totally get paid for this from Samsung. Free advertising, right? I mean, like whatever. All right. Uh, another good idea is to get the daily art app. It provides. One piece of art per day and tells you a little about the artist and the work. It's pretty cool It's it.
I mean, it's literally called the daily art app like look it up. It's awesome I use it all the time second look up the five most famous paintings I mentioned earlier in the episode and spend a few minutes on Google getting familiar with each one and read a little bit about the reason it became so famous in the First place and and maybe even something about the artists history and culture maybe a little more than we can went over today
Third, if you're feeling bold, go check out a local museum and familiarize yourself with the art appreciation scene, highly recommend it.
Fourth, when you're hanging out with friends at your next event and there's a lull in the convo, ask one of your friends if they've visited any new local places lately.
Fifth, listen and of course feign interest, aka ask a few pertinent questions.
Sixth, wait for a timely break in the convo and tell them you [00:37:00] just went to a damn art museum in your area and that you're fascinated.
By how it's starting to open your mind. Then finally, share these interesting and relevant details to seem sorta sophisticated. Number one, the earliest art form we have unearthed to date is about 45, 000 years old. It was found in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
It's a picture of the three little pigs, not really three little pigs, but like just a bunch of little pigs, right?
Amanda: Why wasn't that in fun fact?
Peter B: I don't know, but it's a good one. I know it is, but there you go. All right. To the Mona Lisa is arguably the most recognizable painting ever created, but no one really knows why was it her smile.
The incredibly realistic way she was painted. The fact that it was housed in the Louvre museum, which was already famous before the Mona Lisa even went in there because it was stolen and returned a few times
Amanda: or maybe because she doesn't have eyebrows
Peter B: Maybe because she doesn't have eyebrows probably all of [00:38:00] it All right Number three You remember Vinnie van Gogh the asylum guy who cut off his ear and then killed himself.
Yeah He only sold one painting in his lifetime. It was called the red vineyard. It was sold shortly before he died He never knew he was going to be famous
Amanda: I think that's like a famous people thing, though. They only become famous.
Peter B: I think it's totally sad. He's super famous and he had no idea he was famous.
So think about that, people, while you're living your life. Think about that for two seconds, that you might be famous post humiliously. I don't even know how to say that word. All right. Number four. Michelangelo painted this. I told you we're going to get back to Michelangelo. He painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican lying on his back.
And it took him four freaking years. This physically demanding task took a massive toll on his health, but resulted in one of the most iconic works of art history. And did you know, the original ceiling, like, pre Michelangelo, was painted just blue with gold stars, before he, transformed the space to what we know.
[00:39:00] Yeah, it was just blue and gold. Incredible. Yeah, I know. Alright, and finally, remember, art is totally subjective. So, it's one area where you can never be wrong. So don't be afraid to share. Have confidence. Keep in mind, if you can't be wrong, neither can the person you're sharing it with. Remember it's about perspective and self awareness, people.
Be excellent to each other.
Amanda: And there you have it, folks. Art Appreciation in a Nutshell. It's like trying to explain a joke to someone who speaks a different language. Sometimes you just have to shrug and say, well, you had to be there. We like to think we've shared just enough information to make you more sophisticated and either a flaming nuisance or a bit more interesting to your fellow humans.
Hmm, sort of. So whether you're admiring a masterpiece or just trying to figure out why that banana is duct taped to a wall, remember Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes the beholder just needs a good pair of glasses.
If you enjoyed this episode and found it particularly enthralling, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with your peeps. Until next time, stay curious, stay inspired.
