Unibrow Radio

Latest Episodes:

067: Khari Turner Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

There are those moments in an interview where you know as soon as the subject has said something profound that it will become the centerpiece of their spotlight. In our conversation with Milwaukee-born, NYC-based painter Khari Turner, the Radio Juxtapoz team kept finding so many incredible words, messages, thoughts on art and life with Turner that it's almost impossible to give you one simple summary. He's a throwback in a lot of ways, but a fresh face on the contemporary art scene. His earliest influences were from his grandfather, who turned an art degree into a trade with his skill, and that allowed Khari to see that art could be an option as a career; just perhaps not fine art.
But that is just the beginning of the journey. From a botched financial aid mishap to a scholarship and being a cheerleader at Austin Peay, working as one of those incredible high-flying stunt slam dunkers with the Milwaukee Bucks, to Columbia in NYC and now an emerging art career, these are just a few of the incredible stops along the way for Turner. But it was over the past few years, exploring the history of water as both an art material and historical signifier and means of transportation and navigation, Turner has created some of the most powerful paintings we have seen over the past 12 months. At first sight, they are stunning and moving, literally and figuratively. Dig deeper and Turner is working on something personal and universal, speaking about family and names, identity and home.
On this episode of the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, Turner tells us of the unique route to his now burgeoning career, what he learned in art school, what he sees in water, growing up on Lake Michigan, how a residency in Venice Beach changed his trajectory, and the art of knowing how to fall.
The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 067 was recorded via Skype in San Francisco, London and NYC on March 4, 2021.

066: RONE Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

We don't often have a guest on the Radio Juxtapoz podcast who is days away from opening a comprehensive survey of their work in a museum where they grew up. That is where we found Melbourne-based artist RONE this past week; prepping, experimenting and reminiscing while putting the final touches on his museum show at Geelong Gallery. Who wouldn't want to catch up with an artist on the week of a major milestone?
RONE has been at the forefront of new muralism movement of the 21st century with big, bold and highly detailed works that also translated into his studio paintings. In recent years, RONE has experimented with experiential installations, combining site-specific work with photography and narrative-based creations that audiences could walk into, touch and feel. Built around ideas of beauty and decay, RONE always captures a sense of physicality and scale, and speaks to our enduring relationships with the past while he consistently expands where his art can go next.
On episode 066 of Radio Juxtapoz, RONE talks about the Geelong show, his pivot from murals, a new grant he was awarded and what that may mean for his dream projects. (hint, think a ghost town).
The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 066was recorded via Skype in San Francisco, London and Melbourne on February 10, 2021.

064: Carissa Potter Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

There are people in your life you go to for some advice, some perspective, maybe even a little... real talk. Carissa Potter, the brilliant mind behind People I've Loved and a fine artist in her own right, is one of those people. Through a particularly bold vulnerability and honesty, she navigates both contemporary life and art with a sense of questioning, longing and introspection while simultaneously creating a collective sense of community with her audience. This is such a rare feat, and in a year of uncertainty and change, Potter's work spoke volumes.
In 2020, Potter help co-found If You Were Here Now, a platform that gave artists the opportunity to share their process and creative spirit when we all were looking for a little camaraderie. As Carissa and Radio Juxtapoz co-host Evan Pricco worked on a few projects over the last year, they sat down to talk about... well, what they talk about all the time together; drawing connections in art, understanding communication through the arts, those vulnerable moments of being exposed through art and just how the past 12 months have affected both their practices.
The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 064 was recorded via Skype in the Bay Area in January 2021.

063: Franco "JAZ" Fasoli Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

It's amazing where the last year has taken us, but when we look at 12 month journey of Argentinian-born, Barcelona-based painter/muralist Franco "JAZ" Fasoli, it seems about right that we had an almost 90-minute conversation with our friend from a remote gas station/rest stop in the middle of the Argentinian countryside. Fasoli has been on the forefront of a generation of South American street and fine artists, most specifically of course, Buenos Aires artist who stormed the international scene with a unique blend of fine art muralism and bold studio works in the early years of an incredible global movement.
Now based in Spain, but in the midst of crazy year of exploration, experimentation and... being stuck, we caught up with Fasoli back in his home country on a bit of summer break. After a residency in North Carolina led to Fasoli living in Charlotte for an extra six months during the early months of the pandemic, he gave us the lowdown on living in the American south during a time of social turmoil and how it related to social upheavals in South America in his youth. We learn about his past in set design, graffiti, Tango Culture, muralism's infancy, OSGEMEOS' groundbreaking influence and why Barcelona works for him. We also get an in-depth look at Argentinian BBQ, summer in the country, the works he was able to complete at his rented studio in Charlotte and how he thinks we took our globe-trotting ways in the art world for granted.

The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 063 was recorded via Skype from a gas station in Argentina, San Francisco, London, February 5, 2021.

062: Thinkspace Projects' Andrew Hosner Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

We are back with a new season and new year of the Radio Juxtapoz podcast! And while we were at it, we wanted to talk to someone who was also celebrating some newness in 2021. We called up our friend Andrew Hosner, co-owner of Los Angeles-based gallery Thinkspace Projects, who recently himself opened a sprawling new space in LA. But of course, the caveat: nothing is really open right now, especially in California, and Hosner is on a bit of delay of that celebration; yes, a mega group show inaugurated the space, but we are all just waiting for that moment. when we can get together and properly kick this party off.

Yet, there is still so much to talk about with Andrew Hosner, who has been at the helm of Thinkspace for over 15 years now, and taken what was a small space into a major player in the New Contemporary movement (a little more on that name in the podcast) and pushing a slew of artists in the institutional conversation. His gallery continues to embody an element of Los Angeles that was a major part of the origins of Juxtapoz. And coming from the world of collecting himself before Thinkspace, he still gets excited about so many part of the process and the world he supports.
In this emotional conversation, we speak to Hosner about the evolution of LA's art scene, what made it so special in the early 00's and community-building in such a competitive landscape. We talk about the gallery's stance during last summer's activist renaissance, what better steps the art world can make towards a more inclusive future. He gives artists and collector insights on making the right decisions for a sustained career, and how he hopes Thinkspace can be that bridge to museum success.

The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 062 was recorded via Skype from Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, January 15, 2021.

061: Steven Sweatpants Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

It seems apt that in a year of so much turmoil, angst and chaotic worry that we would end 2020 on a street corner in Bronx, NYC. Much of Radio Juxtapoz' year took an interesting turn in NYC in March, as suddenly a pandemic had taken hold of the city while co-hosts Doug Gillen and Evan Pricco were producing podcasts for Armory Week. For what the world has gone through, and for what NYC endured in those early months, to be here talking to Steven Sweatpants as he was finishing up a photoshoot with the NY Knicks felt like we came to an incredible full circle odyssey.

Steven "Sweatpants" Irby had one of those years that you talk about decades later. Already one of the editors of the wildly popular Street Dreams mag, he, like most of us, thought his 2020 would be on permanent pause. A few shoots, maybe, but nothing like what we saw this summer across America. With the George Floyd murder sparking protests in almost every city, Steven was assigned by the New Yorker to capture images of protests on the streets of his hometown of NYC, delving in as both a photojournalist, an activist and a man himself. His incredible photos were of someone embedded but with an eagle eye, participating himself but also capturing the mood of Black America and also of a unity that became the calling of many for the rest of this year. His work continued with the Washington Post, New York Magazine, and we at Juxtapoz featured him as both an artist and documentarian in our Winter 2021 issue.

In this candid talk, Steven talks about his start in photography, his family and deep roots in NYC, how to be present and active during a protest, his particular camera toolkit, exuding confidence and the moment he knew he captured one of the great photos of 2020.

The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 061 was recorded via Skype from NYC, San Francisco, London, December 11, 2020.

060: Fintan Magee Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

There was a moment in the new short documentary film on Fintan Magee, shot by Radio Juxtapoz alum Selina Miles, where he sums up 2020 quite perfectly. “There is too much chaos this year to string any common narratives, or maybe just chaos is the common narrative," he said on the precipice of opening his new solo show Nothing Makes Sense Anymore at Backwoods Gallery in Melbourne.

On the 2-year anniversary of the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, we wanted to talk to our good friend Fintan Magee about that chaos. For years, he has developed into one of the world's premier social realist muralists, and with the absence of lives being lived in public spaces over the last 9 months, Magee's practice had to change. We found him after his longest stint in the studio ever, as he normally spends months on the road away from home on mural projects and exhibitions. He hunkered down in Sydney with no plan, a show on the horizon... and just got to work.
What we had was a deeply frank and personal conversation about changing methods, working alone, not criss-crossing the globe, maturing as an artist and rethinking what it means to be in a muralist in such a new atmosphere. Fintan spoke of how well Australians handled the pandemic, and at times felt like he was watching chaos from afar, as an observer. Even that observational scope made it into his studio life like never before. In a year where our lives have become more like Black Mirror than we ever thought possible, Fintan found a sense of domesticity and humanity in his routine. As we celebrate two years and 60+ episodes of Radio Juxtapoz, these conversations with friends, distant but still sharing, are what it's all about.

The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 060 was recorded via Skype from Melbourne, San Francisco, London, December 2, 2020. Nothing Makes Sense Anymore is on view at Backwoods, Melbourne through December 20, 2020.

059: Roger Gastman Nov 29, 2020

Show notes

Over the course of our almost two years of bringing you the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, the core is looking at the stories and characters that have help shape the past, present and future of graffiti and street art. From Shepard Fairey, Martha Cooper, Felipe Pantone, Hyuro, Craig Costello, REVOK, Cleon Peterson, Dan Witz, Ron English, ESPO, Swoon... what all these episodes have in common in many ways is today's guest, curator Roger Gastman. For over 20 years, Gastman has been at the forefront of documenting, publishing and creating historical overviews of the history of two of the most popular art forms we cover. That graffiti and street art still resonates with audiences so deeply decades into their existence is, in part, a celebration of Gastman's work.

In 2018, Gastman startedBeyond the Streets, an exhibition that helped create a more linear narrative to what is an often complicated and storied history of art in the streets. Not only were the shows highlighting the graffiti and street artists that we have come to know today, but the show provided an opportunity to show just how widespread and impactful the vandal element of those forms has influenced contemporary art and culture. From Takashi Murakami, Guerrilla Girls and the Beastie Boys, you began to see how Beyond the Streets was more encompassing than past graffiti and street art shows. With exhibitions in both Los Angeles and Brooklyn in 2018 and 2019, Gastman was looking to take the show to new markets when the pandemic put a pause on everything. For 2020, Beyond the Streets is a virtual art fair, streaming on the NTWRK APP December 5th & 6th, 2020, a two day art fair with exclusive paintings, sculptures, editioned prints, skate decks, drawings, exclusive drops, and "thought-provoking discussions and panels though a series of videos curated by culture historian Roger Gastman."
On this episode of Radio Juxtapoz, we get our own history of Gastman's love and interest in graffiti culture, how he grew to understand the often merging world of street art and how many pivotal moments over the past 50 years have allowed for a major pop-culture interest in Beyond the Streets. From his early days in Washington, DC, his work in publishing and now looking to expand BTS to international markets, this is just the beginning of Gastman's vision to keep graffiti and street art global.

The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 059 was recorded via Skype from Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, November 27, 2020. Beyond the Streets will be streaming on the NTWRK APP on December 5th & 6th, 2020.

058: Jillian Evelyn Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

It is, indeed, still life. Life is happening perhaps in new ways, and sometimes it seems like it's moving at a weird pace and a new anxiety may exist, but it is indeed, still life. Jillian Evelyn gave her newest solo show at Subliminal Projects one of the best titles of this crazy year (It's Still Life), and it may be her best body of work to date. Her characters feel more mature, each color and line choice so purposeful, and her take on minimalism has equated to a richer and full canvas. These works feel alive. Every angle and awkward pose, each vantage point and mundane gesture comes across as an artist working with directness and a fresh set of aesthetic tools at her disposable. Evelyn has proved that, even when our lives may technically have gone on pause, she is, indeed, still creating with a sense of vitality.
We have been wanting to have Jillian on the Radio Juxtapoz podcast for years; she has been part of our Juxtapoz Clubhouses in Miami, been featured in our print edition and just all around fits into fine art we love to cover. It's Still Life feels like a maturation, a culmination of her unique and clean style mixed with art historical references and use of the female body throughout art history. From her days as a designer in footwear to her beginnings as a painter and muralist to now being able to fully spread her wings in Los Angeles, it's been a busy journey for Evelyn, and one that keeps evolving.
In episode 058 of the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, we talk to Evelyn about how It's Still Life came to be and how many years it was in the making, growing up in Michigan, working as a designer in Boston, becoming a full-time painter in Los Angeles, deciding against grad school, the challenge of murals, and the new confidence she is finding in her practice. And... we have a Radio Juxtapoz first! Jillian's mom stops in for a quick update on how moms think of nudity in art and a little body humor.

The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 058 was recorded via Skype from Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, November, 62020. It's Still Live is on view at Subliminal Projects via appointment through December 20, 2020. Follow her at @jillian_evelyn

057: Radical Tradition Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

We often have those moments, the ones we literally denote as those where history stops for just one second to rewrite and reinvent itself. In America, you talk of 9/11, Pearl Harbor, Kennedy and MLK being shot, the night Obama was elected. This past Saturday may have been another, where the media call that Biden had won the electoral college sent seismic waves throughout the world. Those are instantaneous moments of history, where in a second, life is different. They are the rarest of times.
Perhaps that is why we wanted to share this conversation the week after an election and period of time that is so dominated by instantaneous social media communication. On November 21, 2020, the Toledo Museum of Art will open Radical Tradition: American Quilts and Social Change, an exhibition that spans centuries and speaks to just how labor intensive oral history and physical storytelling can be. There is a beauty in the quilt, not only as an object of warmth and the process to create them, but as the museum notes "quilts have been used to voice opinions, raise awareness, and enact social reform in the U.S. from the mid-nineteenth century to the present." American history is so engrained in the history of quilts, from cotton production to the industrial revolution to civil rights, gender equality, queer rights, you tend to forget that these stories are not just part of an Outsider Art tradition but the very fabric of our lives. And how these two opposing words, "Radical" and "Tradition" are the hallmarks of how we grow and heal as a country in flux.
From Gee's Bend quilts, the AIDS Memorial Quilt to the contemporary works of Bisa Butler, there is a lot to understand about the dynamics of quilts and their place in the pantheon of American art. In episode 057 of the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, we speak with Radical Tradition curator Lauren Applebaum of the Toledo Museum of Art on how the pandemic changed her daily life at the museum, the history of Outsider traditions in institutional arts, Toledo's unique history in art and the intricacies of curating an art show on radical traditions while the country itself was going through radical changes on streets across America.
The Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by FIFTH WALL TV's Doug Gillen and Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 057 was recorded via Skype from Toledo, San Francisco, London, October 27, 2020. Radical Tradition is on view at the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio starting on November 21, 2020.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected