Unibrow Radio
Unibrow Radio
The Unibrow
The audio home of The Unibrow, arts and culture magazine est 2025.
UR-07: A Ghost in the Gallery
The main reason I think I love art so much is because it's full of mystery. I've long had a soft spot for the unusual. Somewhere between Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, I realized my fascination with the unexplained, and I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since. It was only a matter of time before that curiosity led me to the art world. After all, every great mystery leaves clues. So does every great work of art.Art rewards those willing to think like a detective. Understanding a work of art means leaning into that mystery, and following its scent down a long trail of clues, symbols, and intentions. Why are certain objects illuminated while others recede into darkness? What’s the difference between an open palm and a closed fist? Why does one figure meet your gaze while another looks away? It all means something, if you’re willing to look closely enough.Of course, when I learned about Jane! at Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, I had to speak with its curator. Jane! explores the enigmatic life, and even more mysterious death, of Jane Stanford, founder and matriarch of Stanford University. An advocate of the arts, a collector of oddities, a spiritualist, and the steward of the Cantor, Jane was a remarkably complex woman of the Gilded Age. After surviving one apparent poisoning attempt, Jane died just weeks later under circumstances that remain as mysterious today as they were in 1905. Perhaps it's no wonder that her final resting place lies in a mausoleum just steps from the museum she built. What may be even more mysterious are the numerous staff and students who claim to have seen a woman eerily similar to her portrait wandering Stanford's grounds.On this episode of Unibrow Radio, I speak with Patrick R. Crowley, Associate Curator of European Art at the Cantor, about why it's time for everyone to know Jane, (and her ghost,) a little better. No Ouija board needed. –– Shaquille HeathJane! Life, Vision, and Legacy of Jane Stanford is on view at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University through May 18, 2028.
Jul 10
50 min
UR-06: Saša Bogojev on CAN and the Future of Art Fairs
I don't remember the year I met Saša Bogojev, but I know that he and I both were finding our way in the world of contemporary art through a small passageway that was emerging in a tunnel called Street Art. I think he and I both saw that there was a camaraderie, a friendship, a bond in that scene that was applicable to a greater contemporary art world, a language of access that could be used in describing a greater art lexicon and language. So here we are, nearly 15 years later, and Bogojev has gone from Juxtapoz contributing editor to become a leading writer, curator and organizer of a wave of emerging art that is both international and vital to the health of the overall art market. And, for the last half-decade, Bogojev, The Unibrow’s regular contributor and an editor-at-large, has been a curator and creative artistic director of the CAN Art Fair in Ibiza (and this year, Madrid). This is what I wanted to talk to him about; how the future of the art fair as an entity and the position that CAN has taken over the course of 5 years. We also talk about the increased pressure on the art world, the expectations, the bigger audiences, the draws, the incredible talent we see internationally and the language that we use to historically place it in the world-at-large. We also talk about some of the subjects he loves to write about, how his passion for the arts shows up in his writing, and those little avenues you can find yourself walking down that end up in bigger conversations about arts and culture.
Jun 24
1 hr 4 min
UR-05: 30 Years of Fredericks & Freiser Gallery
When Jessica Fredericks and Andrew Freiser founded Fredericks & Freiser Gallery in 1996, the art world was a different place. New York was a different place! What surviving as a gallery meant back then has changed drastically in some respects, but the core principles remain: show what you believe it, and do it with honesty and care. The parts that have changed, indeed, are art fairs, social media, a more savvy artist and more informed collector. But Jessica and Andrew, through a program of showing estate, middle career and young, emerging artists that create what they call "psychological figuration," have weathered multiple storms and the highs and lows of the art market to have one of the most consistent programs in New York. And that is important, as they know they often give an artist their long-sought-after "first New York solo show." That, to this day, will always be a milestone. We sat down with Jessica and Andrew the week of the Independent Art Fair, one of two big art weeks in New York during the year, just after they opened a solo show with Maria Calandra a few nights before. This is the type of schedule we wanted to know about. What makes a gallery work? What makes them interested, three decades into their careers as dealers? What are the ups? The downs? What has changed? Is New York still the epicenter of Art? In this conversation, we talk about the early years of the gallery and how to establish a program that lasts 30 years. From being one of the first galleries in Chelsea, to the blessing of John Wesley and being one of the first galleries to show Jenna Gribbon, they have many stories to tell over 3 decades. That is no small feat in the gallery world, and the advice and direction both Jessica and Andrew have taken and given over the years offers an insight for all galleries starting up today.
May 14
49 min
UR-04: Robert Montgomery and the Poetry in Empty Palaces
Many think of the past in smells, sounds, joys and fears. Recently, I sat down with Robert Montgomery on a stage during the Nuart Aberdeen festival, to try and put words to memories, to think about how language can be an asset for describing our past. Montgomery is a poet, installation artist, conceptual artist, public artist, thinking about language as a way to intervene into our lives and bring a spiritual and personal experience to our public arenas. He is a like a street poet in the 21 century sense. Robert’s work was a highlight of the year’s festival, an 11-meter long sculpture placed in the empty pool of the Bon Accord Baths in the center of Aberdeen. This isn’t the first time Robert’s work, in this context, a collaborative poem, has been placed in long-forgotten spaces. His words become an echo of the past, and bring places and spaces back to life. The work is also about immigration, about community, about sharing life's experiences with others and making others feel welcome. In an era of anti-immigrant politics and the rise of right wing ideology, the new work felt like a counter-argument, a powerful and peaceful resistance: a light poem in the deep end, where fear is replaced by courage and love. In this conversation between Robert and myself, The Unibrow’s Evan Pricco, we connect the dots of Robert’s work and why, as a poet, he found somewhat of a mutual respect and admiration working in public space. The energy of a street art practice connected with Robert. It also connected with Nuart’s founder, Martyn Reed, who has long curated his festival to place unsanctioned art into the context of poetic interventionism. For the 2026 festival, curated under the idea of “Poetry in the Streets,” it was a natural connection to bring Robert back to Scotland. Recorded live at Nuart Aberdeen, at the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, Scotland, April 2026. Like our recent conversations on the radio channel, we apologize in advance that some of the audio may have a discrepancy in volume due to the live nature of the show. We also have questions from the audience in attendance at the end of the interview, and we thank everyone who participated. And we thank Nuart Aberdeen for their continued support of The Unibrow.
May 8
53 min
UR Fiction-03: Eirinie Carson and a Reading from "Bloodfire, Baby"
Welcome to Unibrow Radio Fiction, a new series where the editors of The Unibrow speak to authors, share selected readings, and begin to think about the art being fiction and narrative writing. Today's guest coincides with Issue 02, with an excerpt and interview with Eirinie Carson and her new novel, Bloodfire, Baby. The book is being hailed by critics and honored for its honesty and daring story. It is Carson's first novel after her memoir, The Dead Are Gods. Shaquille Heath interviews Carson about creating the characters and the story behind the making of the book. The book is "a maternal gothic tale of new motherhood and the torment of a centuries-old haunting," and as you will hear in this conversation with Carson, comes from her own life experience as a new mother and the stories that began to take shape on the page as she experienced her own postpartum reality. Bloodfire, Baby is currently available via Penguin Books. Audio excerpted with permission of Penguin Random House Audio from BLOODFIRE, BABY by Eirinie Carson, excerpt read by Emana Rachelle. Eirinie Carson ℗ 2026 Penguin Random House, LLC. All rights reserved.
Apr 23
25 min
UR-02: Shepard Fairey on Creating Modular Frequencies
Shepard Fairey is one of the most famous artists in the world, and if you think about it, there aren't many artists who are famous in their lifetimes. In times' past, artists didn't get to live with their fame, their notoriety, the praise and scrutiny that comes with making art seen by man. We are living in a different era, art has sometimes permeated into popular culture and consciousness, and Fairey's' Obey Giant and Obama imagery are the rare instances where art becomes mega Pop Art, the kind found on tee shirts and on refrigerator magnets. Fairey is a street artist, fine artist, designer, clothing brand owner, DJ, printmaker, father, husband and revered muralist. He makes art in the moment for a number of social justice causes, and creates studio work that is meticulous and bold and innovative. As we say in the introduction to Episode 02 of Unibrow Radio, for over 35 years, Fairey has been actively pursuing a balance between image and message, creating and exploring the symbiosis of how to make works where politics, music, poster design, skate culture can all exist in a single work. What he is often asking, is how an image can, in itself, be an active work of the past, present and future.Recorded live at Fairey’s gallery, Subliminal Projects, during the run of his new show, MODULAR FREQUENCY, the artist talks about how he uses his own history in his work, the constant battle between reactive work and experimentation, finding ways to rest, and the many layers of influences that he’s drawn on to help develop his aesthetic. He constantly mentions he stands on the shoulders of those who came before him, and he hopes he has blazed a path for others to stand on his… 
Apr 9
1 hr 18 min
UR-01: Christopher Anderson and the Future of Photojournalism
Christopher Anderson is an award-winning photographer and contributor to The New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker, as well as the Photographer in Residence at New York Magazine from 2011-2014. A member of Magnum Photos from 2005 to 2023, Anderson is the author of nine monographs, including the 2026 collection Index, out in the Spring 2026 through Stanley Barker. Originally know for his work as a war correspondent, his photographs depicting the journey of 44 Haitian immigrants attempting to sail to America on a hand-made, wooden boat were awarded the Robert Capa Gold Medal.Recently, his name became widely known for his work for Vanity Fair in covering the Trump Administration. On the occasion of that shoot and his revealing his portraits of Jeffrey Epstein that had never been published, and on the publishing of his newest monograph, The Unibrow sat down with Anderson from his studio in Paris and caught up with the photographer in this wide-ranging conversation. This episode was hosted by Evan Pricco, with introduction by Kim Stephens, and music by Aesop Rock.
Apr 3
1 hr 18 min
167: Nathan Bell
When Nathan Bell announced his latest solo show was to be called "Conversations with Inanimate Objects" and it would showcase a series of what he called "guidance paintings," I was hooked. I've known Nathan for years but mostly as a designer. So being able to speak to him in this context, inside the gallery These Days in downtown LA as the show was coming to a close, was a refreshing moment to have with someone you know and the other side of their brain. In this conversation of The Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast, I speak with Nathan about the journey of these works, from Finland to Mexico and back to Los Angeles, to his latest project in China and exactly what a guidance painting is. We may mention the Detroit Tigers and Timothée Chalamet... the latter by accident, we swear. Subscribe to the Radio Juxtapoz podcast on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts. The Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast⁠ is hosted by Juxtapoz editor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Evan Pricco⁠⁠⁠⁠. Episode 167 was recorded in Los Angeles on June 4th, 2025. Music by Aesop Rock for The Unibrow
Jun 18, 2025
1 hr 2 min
166: Salomón Huerta
We kick off Season 20 of The Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast with a conversation with Mexican-American, Los Angeles-based painter, Salomón Huerta. What started as scheduling a conversation with Huerta around the opening of his solo show Stillness, which opened at Harper's in NYC in the spring, and he and I wanting to catch up after Huerta lost his home in Altadena in the fires that ravaged Southern California in January 2025 became another conversation about fires in LA County: just as we click confirmation on our time to meet up, ICE raids throughout LA had put the city into shock, sparking mass protests, National Guard and Marines being brought to the streets to heighten tensions and has left the Mexican-American community in fear. Not only did Huerta want to talk about the current climate here but his own personal story of being an immigrant to America. Born in Tijuana, Mexico in 1965, his story is one of a meteoric rise in the fine art world (shows at Gagosian in 2001 just as he left UCLA) to soul-searching after his initial success to now creating some of the most personal works to date. There is so much of Huerta's story I didn't know, so on this episode of the podcast, I speak with him about the creation of his famed "back of head" portraits, the genesis of the gun paintings and how he began to develop the pool and home works he is know for now. And, of course, we talk about LA, how his community is rattled and what that means for him in the future. From a wild story of John Baldessari's sort-of critique of his MFA work, to an upcoming show at Marc Selwyn Fine Art, this is an honest must-listen. —Evan PriccoThe Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast⁠ is hosted by Juxtapoz editor, ⁠⁠⁠Evan Pricco⁠⁠⁠. Episode 166 was recorded in Los Angeles on June 11th, 2025. Music by Aesop Rock for The Unibrow
Jun 13, 2025
1 hr 6 min
165: Dan Nadel, author of "Crumb: A Cartoonist's Life"
Author and curator Dan Nadel is a hero of mine and a bit of a renaissance man. He was the publisher of the brilliant and influential PictureBox for decades and was a champion of much of what Juxtapoz was founded on but took it to a whole new level of intricate historical research and creating a voice of record for so many artists who time wasn't given them a needle to etch their name in the vinyl, so to speak. We are talking comic book legends, graphic novelists, outsider artists who might have created some of the most recognizable art of the 20th century that the history books hadn't given the full retrospective for. And Dan was going to do it. This year in paricular, Dan is busy. From publishing his newest book, Crumb: A Cartoonist's Life on the career and life of the controversial figura that is Robert Crumb, to co-curator for Sixties Surreal, a rethinking survey the art history of the 1960s at the Whitney Museum of American Art (opening September 24, 2025) and Curator-at-Large for Geroge Lucas' new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, we had a lot to catch up on The Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast. We talk about undergrround comic's new resurgence into contemporary art, the making of the Crumb biography and the incredibly pivotal moment of KAWS' collection show at the Drawing Center in 2024.But more than that, I got to speak with someone I admire on his dedication to print, to words, to creating narratives in a world that needs to understand it's visual history. —Evan PriccoThe Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast⁠ is hosted by Juxtapoz editor, ⁠⁠⁠Evan Pricco⁠⁠⁠. Episode 165 was recorded in Los Angeles and Brooklyn on May 14th, 2025.
May 21, 2025
1 hr 27 min
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