On episode 162 of The Quarantine Tapes, Paul Holdengräber is joined by writer George Prochnik. As George reflects on his observations of the past year, George and Paul’s conversation quickly turns to George’s recent essay, “Orpheus Revolving,” on art and the trauma of the pandemic.

Paul and George have a personal and insightful conversation about the position of art during this moment of pandemic. George expands on his essay, talking movingly about his relationship with his son and how they talked about art addressing the trauma of this moment. Paul and George examine what divisions this crisis has revealed and what role art may play in shaping what comes next.

George Prochnik’s new book, Heinrich Heine: Writing the Revolution was published in November 2020 as part of Yale University Press’s Jewish Lives series. His previous book, Stranger in a Strange Land: Searching for Gershom Scholem and Jerusalem was a New York Times “Editor’s Choice” and was short-listed for the Wingate Prize in the UK. He is an editor at large for Cabinet magazine.

Credits:

Paul Holdengraber - Co-Creator, Host, OLA Director
Anthony Audi - Co-Creator, Researcher, OLA Director
Alejandro Cohen - Co-Creator, Producer, Composer
Christian Pitt - Production Coordinator 
Erin Cooney - Copy, Production
Dublab Team