Joe and Matthew join sculptor Gordon Chandler at his studio in rural west Georgia for an episode unlike any other. They walk the sprawling grounds between workshop, scrapyard, and sculpture gardens. Gordon shares his colorful and impressive history in art and art making. Dogs bark. Saws buzz. Traffic passes. Matthew provides context. (Un)required Resources For This Episode * Gordon Chandler on Instagram* Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture* John Chamberlain at Gagosian* Mark di Suvero at Paula Cooper Gallery* Anthony Caro (Anthony Caro Centre)* Jim Dine at Artnet Who Is Gordon Chandler? Sculptor Gordon Chandler attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture before receiving a BFA in sculpture from Syracuse University (1974) and an MFA in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Chandler works with salvaged metal, creating furniture as well as usable art. His work is featured in collections and museums internationally.

Joe and Matthew visit Esteban Patino in his Atlanta studio. A book recommendation is passed along, and ancient cultures are considered. His personally developed system of symbols is explored. A strategy for making art in an artist residency is offered. The merits of a clean studio are celebrated. And, a question is examined: What is making “Colombian art” supposed to look like? (Un)Required Resources For This Episode * esteban-patino.com* Atlanta Art Week* The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston at Bookshop.org* GlogauAIR Artists In Residence, Berlin* “Craig Drennen And The Hijacking of Bandwidth,” Brain Fuzz Podcast* “Marc Brotherton At The Temporary Art Center,” Brain Fuzz Podcast Who Is Esteban Patino? Born in Medellín, Colombia, Esteban Patino’s work explores the multitudes of language creation and perception. Spanning sculpture, collage, painting and murals, the concepts of transmission, reception, communication vs. miscommunication, and semiotics permeate his work. In order to consider these questions he created a system of symbols that are based on 6 characters, each of which rotate on their own axis 4 times to make a total of 24 characters. With these shapes—which are an alphabet that creates the illusion of language—he plays with word structures by creating palindromes, speech bubbles, heaps of language, and metaphors to represent how we understand written and spoken language. Bio (excerpted) and image from Spalding Nix Fine Art.

Artist dynamo Mike Stasny hosts Joe and Matthew in his creative space in Underground Atlanta. Serving as a venue, gallery, studio, and performance space, the three explore the idea that the space may actually be a walk-in version of his brain. The conversation spans the DIY aesthetic to graphic design, marketing, and even the nature of conversation itself. And, it all begins with the topic of karaoke. (Un)required Resources For This Episode * David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” on Wikipedia* Moonage Daydream on IMDb* Underground Atlanta* “What What (In the Butt)” on Wikipedia* “Portmanteau” at Merriam-Webster* Primetime Glick at IMDb* Gilles Deleuze on Wikipedia* The philosophical concept of the rhizome on Wikipedia Who Is Mike Stasny? Inspired by the intrinsic learning achieved by a state of childish “flow” while at play – Mike Stasny often refers to his work as “the same thing I was doing at 4, but on the scale of a 42-year-old”. He is a multi-disciplinary artist, musician, producer and curator from the midwest working and based out of Atlanta for the past 10 years. His primary focus is “creative place making” or “creative space design” in which he activates under-utilized locations with imaginative experiences that activate community in time, culture, the economy, and space. Find out more at mikestasny.com and on Instagram @extremely_michael.

Joe and Matthew explore the results of an experiment using ChatGPT technology to curate contemporary art shows. Sharpen that pencil and get your notepad ready: Three concepts and batches of artists for shows are fleshed out – all using AI. Joe offers up the Brain Fuzz Audio Pick of the Day. Mores in karaoke culture are unpacked. A future episode is foreshadowed. (Un)required Resources * Trevor Paglen at PaceGallery.com* Joe Fig at JoeFig.com* Karen Dalton at AllMusic.com* Andy Shauf at AllMusic.com

Joe and Matthew discuss both positive and negative museum experiences, paving the way for a wider discussion of recent events in the contemporary art world. An arts reading assignment continues. The Brain Fuzz news segment returns, and an arts-related experiment is teased. (Un)required Resources For This Episode * SCAD Museum of Art* Mika Rottenberg at hauserwirth.com* Rachel Feinstein at gagosian.com* Laney Contemporary* Christy Bush* Tabitha Soren* Authority and Freedom by Jed Perl* “Poetry in the Expanded Field” by John Yau at HYPERALLERGIC* “Former Tom Sachs Employees Detail New Allegations of Meager Pay and Dehumanizing Work for the Artist and His Wife, Sarah Hoover” from artnet* “Portland Art Museum’s treatment of Karuk mother who wore Indigenous baby carrier echoes past harm, mom says” from The Oregonian* “OpenAI’s former top safety researcher says there’s a ‘10 to 20% chance’ that the tech will take over with many or most ‘humans dead’” from Fortune

Artist MaDora Frey joins Joe and Matthew at her 2023 installation in whitespec at Atlanta’s Whitespace Gallery. They discuss her journey from painting and the influences on her work, including the unique environment of her youth. Mirrors are front and center. Personal news is shared. Art speak is kept to a minimum. (Un)required Resources For This Episode * MaDoraFrey.com* Whitespace Gallery* Review of In Plein Air by Pam Longobardi at Burnaway* Robert Smithson at the holtsmithsonfoundation.org* “Incidents of Mirror-Travel in the Yucatan” at Artforum* “Ab-Ex and Disco Balls” by Amy Sillman in Artforum* Katharina Grosse at Artnet* “Why A.I. Artist Refik Anadol was the Real Breakout Star of the 65th Grammy Awards” at Artnet Who Is MaDora Frey? MaDora Frey, originally from Georgia, employs a diverse artistic practice to explore her romantic regard for both the natural and built environment and her search for the sublime. Frey’s work takes the form of temporary installations created outdoors, of which only a photograph remains, large-scale public works, and studio works. She received her MFA in painting, magna cum laude, from the New York Academy of Art and her BFA, with a concentration in drawing and printmaking, from Auburn University. Additionally, Frey studied at the Florence Academy, Florence, Italy. Her work is held in numerous private collections. Bio excerpted from MaDoraFrey.com. Images courtesy of the artist.

In their triumphant return for a fourth season, Joe and Matthew review an art review, discuss some shows, and hit some high points of a cultural fact-finding mission. Trends in interior decorating are touched upon. Summer arts reading is referenced. Matthew takes the Brain Fuzz Audio Pick of the Day. (Un)required Resources * Review by Ben Davis at Artnet: “An Extremely Intelligent Lava Lamp: Refik Anadol’s A.I. Art Extravaganza at MoMA Is Fun, Just Don’t Think About It Too Hard“* Authority and Freedom by Jed Perl* Antler Beer & Wine Dispensary at thrillist* bitforms gallery* Freight + Volume* Merchant, Mistress, and T at Freight + Volume* Edward Hopper’s New York at the Whitney* Coltrane: The Story of a Sound by Ben Ratliff at Amazon* Bitches Brew at AllMusic.com* Head Hunters at AllMusic.com

Joe and Matthew sit down to discuss their arts reading stacks. A bit of nourishment for the creative life is offered. A book review is reviewed. Recording locations are swapped, resulting in the first hybrid episode. “Hallmarkian” is used as a descriptor. Joe provides the Audio Pick of the Day. (Un)required Resources * 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir by Ai Weiwei at Bookshop.org* How To Be An Artist by Jerry Saltz at Bookshop.org* Wet: On Painting, Feminism, and Art Culture by Mira Schor at Bookshop.org* “Does Art Have To Be Relevant? One Prominent Critic Says No.” by John Adams at The New York Times* Authority and Freedom: A Defense of the Arts by Jed Perl at Bookshop.org* Clement Greenberg at TheArtStory.org* Harold Rosenberg at TheArtStory.org* Father John Misty at AllMusic.com* Will Oldham at AllMusic.com

Ceramicist Masa Sasaki joins Joe and Matthew. Together, they discuss the differences between pottery and ceramics. Masa sheds light on the steps in the process. Form versus function is explored. Masa’s work is viewed in the light of his unique history and perspective. Discoveries are made, and inspiration is found. (Un)required Resources * MasaSasakiCeramics.com* Lazy Betty Restaurant* Hank Sasaki performs “Tennessee Moon,” MZM Live on YouTube* Michael Simon at Ferrin Contemporary Who Is Masa Sasaki? Masayuki Sasaki, is a classically trained artist. He is an accomplished pianist, award-winning painter, and he brings his unique perspective to ceramics. Sasaki’s work is available in galleries and museum gift shops. You can find out more about him and view his work at MasaSasakiCeramics.com.

Joe and Matthew discuss the compartmentalization of creativity. They catch up on the often dreaded life event of moving – studios, houses, and art. Recent experiences and the best – and not-so-great – practices of art handling and placement are shared. Matthew provides the Audio Pick of the Day. (Un)required Resources * A wooden create available at Target that is perfect for moving and storing vinyl* A moving box for framed pictures available at Home Depot* Damn the Torpedoes on AllMusic.com* Muddy Waters at Newport 1960, full performance on YouTube