El and Christine are joined by special guests Mitchell and Ryan as we open our tool kits and learn about visual analysis. When you first encounter an artwork, where do you begin? What are you looking for? And what are you looking at? Read more about the Breeches Buoy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeches_buoy

Have you ever learned something about an artist that changed how you looked at their art or your ability to enjoy it? Join El and Christine as we endeavor to decide if it is possible to separate the art from the artist.  This week's artworks: https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/82820 https://www.collezionegalleriaborghese.it/en/opere/david-with-the-head-of-goliath

Have you ever wondered what makes art art? Join El and Christine as we endeavor to tackle the age old question: is this art? In this first installment of another themed series of episodes, we ponder if memes are art by discussing their creation, inspiration, innovation, and impact.  Check out: 1. Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Portrait of Madame Moitessier, 1844–1856, oil on canvas, 6'3" x 3'0", https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jean-auguste-dominique-ingres-madame-moitessier 2. Claude Monet, La Gare St-Lazare, 1877, oil on canvas, 54.3 × 73.6 cm, https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-the-gare-st-lazare 3. J. M.W. Turner, Rain, Steam and Speed, 1844, oil on canvas, 91 × 121.8 cm, https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/joseph-mallord-william-turner-rain-steam-and-speed-the-great-western-railway 4. Marcel Duchamp, R. Mutt, 1917, porcelain urinal,  (original is no longer in existence) https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/duchamp-fountain-t07573 5. René Magritte, Ce n'est pas un pipe, 1929, oil on canvas,  60.33 cm × 81.12 cm, https://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/modern-art-galleries 6. ERMAGERD GERSBERMS!, 2012, meme, https://www.today.com/money/ermahgerd-r-l-stine-flummoxed-gersberms-meme-1b8036217 7. Bernie Sanders Mittens Friends, 2021, meme, https://www.capessokol.com/insights/the-bernie-sanders-meme-keeps-on-giving-analyzing-the-copyright-and-right-of-publicity-issues-when-an-image-goes-viral/ 8. Bernie Sanders Mittens Manet, 2021, meme, https://twitter.com/Cabbot_/status/1352171547335794688/photo/1 9. We struggled to find a good example of the candy work of art. We apologize for not being able to provide more context in this instance.

Have you ever wondered why you see so many naked people in artworks? El and Christine will explore the depiction of nude human forms in various cultures and time periods over the course of several episodes. For our first episode on this theme, we start with Ancient Rome. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/251838 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254925 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/257640 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254697  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/256403  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/251476  https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1999-0426-1

El and Christine share some of their best-kept secrets, tips, and tricks on having a fun and empowering museum experience. This episode is perfect for the novice museum goer, and includes tips that even seasoned museum veterans will enjoy! The Metropolitan Museum of Art's website: https://www.metmuseum.org/ Please note! COVID regulations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art have changed since we recorded this episode. Consult the Museum’s website for the most up-to-date information.

El and Christine reflect on their experiences in art museums and galleries and wonder why some of us find art so intimidating. Is art scary? Or is it just unfamiliar? Check out "The Icebergs" by Frederic Edward Church at the Dallas Museum of Art : https://collections.dma.org/artwork/4171219  Correction! The quote "we read to know that we are not alone" was not, in fact, said by Mark Twain. Rather, it is a line from William Nicholson's play "Shadowlands," spoken by the character C.S. Lewis!

We continue our discussion about art history, what art historians do all day, and how museums incorporate digital art and new technologies in their collections.  Alberto Angela's TEDx Talk on Pompeii: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgbf3cq7lms  "18 Museums Boosting the Scene of Digital Art" by Marie Chantel: https://medium.com/digital-art-weekly/18-museums-boosting-the-scene-of-digital-art-f8a4b4fa5eb9  Designs for Different Futures at the Philadelphia Museum of Art: https://philamuseum.org/calendar/exhibition/designs-different-futures Video Mapping on Mannequins at Hampton Court Palace: https://vimeo.com/111634486

Welcome to the It’s Just Art Podcast! In the inaugural episode, El and Christine address the question, “what is art history?” We discuss art history degrees, courses, careers, and why art history matters to all of us.

Welcome, friends, to It’s Just Art: everyone’s toolkit for artful conversations. In this podcast, we seek to bridge the divide between people and works of art by exploring the ways in which we connect with art every day. Here, we share with you the skills and vocabulary—what we call our “toolkit”—that we have developed over years of studying and teaching art history. We discuss artforms of all kinds, from oil paintings and street art to crafts and music. We believe that art is evidence of humanity and that making art is the most human thing that we do. Art is all around us; it does not exist only in museums or galleries. You don’t need a degree in fine arts or art history to know what makes an artwork beautiful or important. It’s not foreign or exclusive or untouchable. It’s just art.