TED Talks Art

Latest Episodes:

How poetry unlocked my superpowers | Keenan Scott II May 04, 2023

Show notes

Keenan Scott Il's passion for words, stories and superheroes fueled his journey to becoming a celebrated playwright, producer, director and actor. Showing how language can illuminate the superhero in all of us, Scott performs three spoken word pieces that seamlessly weave together literary devices like simile, assonance and slant rhyme, sharing the talent he's cultivated despite the obstacles (read: kryptonite).

How to keep your hometown from becoming a ghost town | John Paget Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

"My very first film was about a town that disappeared," says documentarian John Paget. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with cities and towns across the US that experienced slow-motion declines -- but managed to stage a comeback after an era of demise. From the closure of the iconic Route 66 to the roller-coaster history of Buffalo, New York, Paget reveals the power of sharing your town's "civic story" to spark local revitalization.

Ancient Pompeii's hidden messages, preserved in graffiti | Jacqueline DiBiasie-Sammons Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

Take a graffiti tour through ancient Pompeii with Roman archaeologist Jacqueline DiBiasie-Sammons and discover what 2,000-year-old scribblings from antiquity can teach us about life in modern times. A fascinating reminder of what we leave behind for future generations.

3 stories of Pakistani resilience, told in film | Jawad Sharif Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

TED Fellow Jawad Sharif was born with a rebellious streak -- and he's used it in his documentary films to amplify the unheard voices of Pakistan. Sharing three stories of everyday heroes -- a high-altitude mountaineer, a folk musician of a bygone instrument and the country's first transgender doctor -- Sharif shows how documentaries can be a space for both creation and defiance.

The one question every aspiring leader needs to ask | Constance Hockaday Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

What does inclusive leadership look like? Artist and TED Fellow Constance Hockaday shares how the captain of a trans-Atlantic community raft taught her how to voice her hopes and desires, inspiring a vision of possibility for the future. Hockaday calls for mentors everywhere to step up and invites aspiring leaders to answer one crucial question in order to unlock their agency and power.

A creative approach to community climate action | Xavier Cortada Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

When he learned of the threat that rising sea levels posed to his coastal hometown of Miami, Florida, eco-artist Xavier Cortada founded a movement around beautifully designed elevation markers highlighting the risk of flood damage. The collaborative art project quickly mobilized action -- and excited some controversy. Watch as Cortada offers a creative vision of community organizing inspired by art that engages, educates and empowers.

AI-generated creatures that stretch the boundaries of imagination | Sofia Crespo Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

Can AI help us see beyond our human capabilities? Through a kaleidoscopic blend of technology, nature and art, neural artist Sofia Crespo brings to life animals that push the boundaries of creativity and imagination. Her artistic renditions of chimeras combine images of real-world endangered species to create something totally new -- with the intention of inspiring real-world conservation. Witness a speculative study of creatures that never existed, brought to life by AI.

How dance can unleash your inner joy | Ryan Heffington Sep 16, 2022

Show notes

"We all have our own beautiful ways of moving, and this is worth celebrating," says dancer and choreographer Ryan Heffington. Inviting you to reconsider your connection to dance, he shows how even everyday experiences -- tying your shoes, rocking a baby, whisking up some mac and cheese -- can offer choreographic inspiration and help you find joy and release when you need it most. After the talk, dancers Nico Lonetree and Ryan Spencer perform a dazzling routine infused with the humor and beauty of daily movements.

What if you could sing in your favorite musician's voice? | Holly Herndon Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

What if you could create new music using your favorite musician's voice? Sharing her melodic gifts with the world, multidisciplinary artist Holly Herndon introduces Holly+, an AI-powered instrument that lets people sing with her own voice. Musician Pher joins her onstage to demonstrate this mind-blowing tech while singing into two microphones -- one that amplifies his natural voice and another that makes him sound just like Holly.

Intelligent floating machines inspired by nature | Anicka Yi Aug 19, 2022

Show notes

Taking cues from soft robotics and the natural world, conceptual artist Anicka Yi builds lighter-than-air machines that roam and react like autonomous life forms. Her floating "aerobes" inspire us to think about new ways of living with machines -- and to ponder how they could evolve into living creatures. "What if our machines could be more than just our tools, and instead, a new type of companion species?" she asks.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected