Art · The Creative Process: Artists, Curators, Museum Directors Talk Art, Life & Creativity

The Creative Process
  • 0.0 (0)
  • VISUAL ARTS
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

Art episodes of the popular The Creative Process podcast. We speak to artists, curators, museum directors about their work & how they made their creative careers. To listen to arts episodes across a variety of disciplines, follow our main podcast: “The Creative Process · Arts, Culture & Society”. You’ll find us on Apple: tinyurl.com/thecreativepod, Spotify: tinyurl.com/thecreativespotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Exploring the fascinating minds of creative people. Conversations with writers, artists & creative thinkers across the Arts & STEM. We discuss their life, work & artistic practice. Winners of Oscar, Emmy, Tony, Pulitzer, leaders & public figures share real experiences & offer valuable insights. Notable guests and participating museums include: Laurent Le Bon (Centre Pompidou, Fmr. Musée Picasso), Dwandalyn Reece (Smithsonian Nat’l Museum of African American History & Culture), Chris Dercon (Grand Palais · Fmr. TATE Modern), Mechtild Rössler (UNESCO World Heritage Centre), Dimitrios Pandermalis (Acropolis Museum), Marilyn Minter, Ian Wardropper (The Frick Collection), Hans-Ulrich Obrist (Serpentine Galleries), Mark Seliger, Paul Chaat Smith (Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian), Susan Fisher Sterling (National Museum of Women in the Arts, Ioannis Trohopoulos (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center), Richard Flood (New Museum), John Marciari (Morgan Library & Museum), Jacques Villeglé, Nicole Fleetwood, Sébastien Gokalp (Musée national de l'histoire de l’immigration, Fondation Louis-Vuitton), Ralph Gibson, Jennifer Flay (FIAC), Bénédicte Alliot (Cité Internationale des Arts), Mojeb Al Zahrani (Institut du Monde Arabe), Valerie Steele (Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology), Eric Fischl, Alicia Longwell (Parrish Art Museum), George Manginis (Benaki Museum), Elissa Auther (Museum of Arts and Design), Christina Mossaides Strassfield (Guild Hall of East Hampton), among others. The interviews are hosted by founder and creative educator Mia Funk with the participation of students, universities, and collaborators from around the world. These conversations are also part of our traveling exhibition.
 www.creativeprocess.info For The Creative Process podcasts from Seasons 1 2 3, visit: tinyurl.com/creativepod or creativeprocess.info/interviews-page-1, which has our complete directory of interviews, transcripts, artworks, and details about ways to get involved.

  1. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Innovation, Culture, Legacy - Highlights

    1 DAY AGO

    Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Innovation, Culture, Legacy - Highlights

    “At Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, I work with a very international team—people from all over the world, around 50 nationalities in this museum. I’ve never worked in such an environment, and it’s inspiring. When you talk to someone from a different country, you can’t help but be inspired. The most important thing for me is to feel fulfilled, and I find fulfillment in learning something new and being inspired every day. Of course, it doesn’t have to be the same for everyone. People can find fulfillment in charity or teaching kids. Everyone chooses what makes them feel fulfilled, as long as it’s meaningful.” Art museums have long been pillars of culture, but they are now at a critical juncture, navigating a new era defined by artificial intelligence, immersive technology, and the shifting habits of a global audience. The challenge is immense: how do you honor artistic tradition while building a museum for the future? On Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi is answering this question in a dramatic way, with the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Designed by the visionary architect Frank Gehry, this $1 billion project is more than just a new museum; it’s a statement—a new cultural superpower announcing itself on the world stage. It will be the largest contemporary art museum in the world, several times the size of the Guggenheim in New York, and a key part of their constellation of museums that is expected to contribute an estimated $200 million annually to the local economy. In the lead-up to its 2027 opening, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is embracing a new vision: moving from an "exhibition economy" to an "experience economy," where art becomes a conversation, a laboratory for ideas at the intersection of creativity and technology. Amr Hussein is the Digital Media Manager for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and with a background in major sports broadcasting—from the FIFA World Cup to the Olympic Games—he’s bringing a unique perspective to digital storytelling in the arts. We talk to him about his journey and how he’s helping shape the digital narrative for this landmark museum. Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    14 min
  2. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Vision for the Future

    1 DAY AGO

    Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Vision for the Future

    “Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a unique concept. The idea behind the building itself is a dance. It's a living building because it's a dance between spaces. It's a dance between blocks of spaces and shapes and cones, and it's inspiring for the future because the legacy is a huge factor for every project. It's the legacy for young architects and for other architects. It gives them the space to dream more and to feel like it can be possible, and not to be shy. Present more bold ideas that can inspire creativity because you can't see this building and walk in without feeling like you want to be creative as well.” Art museums have long been pillars of culture, but they are now at a critical juncture, navigating a new era defined by artificial intelligence, immersive technology, and the shifting habits of a global audience. The challenge is immense: how do you honor artistic tradition while building a museum for the future? On Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi is answering this question in a dramatic way, with the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Designed by the visionary architect Frank Gehry, this $1 billion project is more than just a new museum; it’s a statement—a new cultural superpower announcing itself on the world stage. It will be the largest contemporary art museum in the world, several times the size of the Guggenheim in New York, and a key part of their constellation of museums that is expected to contribute an estimated $200 million annually to the local economy. In the lead-up to its 2027 opening, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is embracing a new vision: moving from an "exhibition economy" to an "experience economy," where art becomes a conversation, a laboratory for ideas at the intersection of creativity and technology. Amr Hussein is the Digital Media Manager for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and with a background in major sports broadcasting—from the FIFA World Cup to the Olympic Games—he’s bringing a unique perspective to digital storytelling in the arts. We talk to him about his journey and how he’s helping shape the digital narrative for this landmark museum. Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    1h 6m
  3. Nordic Art & Contemporary Perspectives at the ARKEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART - Highlights

    25 SEPT

    Nordic Art & Contemporary Perspectives at the ARKEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART - Highlights

    “This awe that I feel every time I meet an artist who has the courage to deal with what it means to be in the world as a human being and to tackle it from different ways and through different media. I always feel that through the collaborations I have with artists, I learn a little bit more about the world, myself, my feelings or emotions, and how I reflect on things. Getting another person's perspective and taking that in is extremely generous. What we can take with us from the artistic practices we encounter is significant. Again, I think one of the fundamental aspects of art is that it doesn't require agreement, consensus, or rules. It's a place where we can speculate, imagine, and, hopefully, re-courage ourselves in a way, if that's a word. I've always been motivated by working with artists; that personal meeting is always extremely fruitful.” In the ever-evolving world of contemporary art, some voices rise to shape the conversation in truly profound ways. Marie Nipper has spent her career at the nexus of institutional leadership, curatorial innovation, and artistic collaboration. As the director of the ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art in Denmark, she is not just leading a museum; she's rethinking its very purpose—from an artistic lab to a public town square. Her journey has taken her from the hallowed halls of the TATE and ARoS to the forward-thinking spaces of Copenhagen Contemporary, all while championing the freedom of artists and the civic role of the museum. “I think that is one of the places where we are really challenged, especially when we speak to kids and young people, as they often feel they have little agency in creating a better future for themselves. So, I believe we can really give that space to our audiences by showcasing some of these groundbreaking practices that are out there right now in contemporary art.” Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    12 min
  4. The Future of Museums with MARIE NIPPER, Director of ARKEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

    25 SEPT

    The Future of Museums with MARIE NIPPER, Director of ARKEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

    “We don't need to find an end solution, but it's a space where we can speculate, imagine, and practice our foresight. We can be part of a bigger imagination together with an institutional framework, which is really what we try to motivate as well when we communicate these exhibitions to our audience and speak with our guests about these works. We can also sense that it's really a place where a lot of people like to enter these days. When you turn on a TV, look at a newspaper, listen to your radio, or speak with your friends, it seems like the world is falling apart on so many levels. It's such a challenging time. I think we can also offer this space for reflection and hopefully provide a reflection that gives some idea or feeling of agency. For me, it's this awe that I feel every time I meet an artist who has the courage to deal with what it means to be in the world as a human being and to tackle it from different ways and through different media. I always feel that through the collaborations I have with artists, I learn a little bit more about the world.” In the ever-evolving world of contemporary art, some voices rise to shape the conversation in truly profound ways. Marie Nipper has spent her career at the nexus of institutional leadership, curatorial innovation, and artistic collaboration. As the director of the ARKEN Museum of Contemporary Art in Denmark, she is not just leading a museum; she's rethinking its very purpose—from an artistic lab to a public town square. Her journey has taken her from the hallowed halls of the TATE and ARoS to the forward-thinking spaces of Copenhagen Contemporary, all while championing the freedom of artists and the civic role of the museum. Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    1h 9m
  5. Art is a Fundamental Element of Life - Gallerist HANNAH BARRY on a Life in Art

    21 SEPT

    Art is a Fundamental Element of Life - Gallerist HANNAH BARRY on a Life in Art

    “There's something fundamental about the value of art and culture. Not just being integrated for vocational reasons, but because the experience of art and having a cultural element in one's life brings enjoyment, learning, relief, or any of the many experiences and feelings that art provides. I think this is quite fundamental as an element of life. Creativity is key in any career and also in personal life, especially in terms of problem-solving, relationships, kindness, compassion, and empathy. The arts, creativity, and the cultural world at large are not just nice to have; they are essential. Their value is fundamental, although sometimes it's extremely difficult to define. To see the arts lost from the developmental moments in one's life is tragic. Developmental moments in life come at all points in the arc of one's existence. To see that taken or diminished is unfortunate. Everyone involved in working with artists, artists themselves, or those who are creative knows this and believes in it.” Today, we have with us a figure from the heart of the London art scene, Hannah Barry. At a moment when the art world often feels centered on global mega-galleries, Hannah has cultivated something truly unique in Peckham. With her gallery and the ambitious non-profit, Bold Tendencies, she has created a vibrant platform for a new generation of artists, taking risks and championing experimentation. She has been pivotal in shaping careers and bringing ambitious projects to life. We'll talk to her about the mission behind her work, her journey as a gallerist, and her latest exhibitions, including The Garden with the photographer Harley Weir. Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    35 min
  6. Art Without Borders - RAJIV MENON'S Vision for South Asian Art

    20 AUG

    Art Without Borders - RAJIV MENON'S Vision for South Asian Art

    “I want people to understand South Asian art as broader than a single gallery or a single artist, but as a larger cultural movement. I want people to encounter art in all parts of their lives, and I’m constantly thinking about new ways to achieve that. I was very aware, as someone launching a South Asia-focused gallery, that this was the cultural dynamic that undergirded the way that most people in the West were thinking about art from the region. Taking that on directly and inviting artists to work with that theme was a really important ground for setting the ethos of the gallery and the types of critical questions we wanted to tackle with the work we were doing.” My guest today is Rajiv Menon, a gallerist and curator who is carving out a distinctive space in the contemporary art world. Based in Los Angeles, Rajiv Menon holds a PhD from NYU, where he studied global media and visual culture, and he's also a passionate collector of South Asian art. He founded Rajiv Menon Contemporary with a clear mission: to bring artists from South Asia and its diaspora to a wider audience, and to cultivate a new generation of art collectors within these communities. His exhibitions have tackled fascinating themes, from the exuberant and sometimes overwhelming world of the Indian wedding through Viraj Khanna's intricate textile art in Why Did I Say Yes?, to a deep dive into the creativity of Kerala in Three Steps of Land, and a compelling look at how artists transform nostalgia into an aesthetic movement in The Past Is a Country. His work resonates far beyond the gallery walls, aiming to shift our collective culture. He's also recently been honored by the City of Los Angeles for his contributions to the arts. @rajivmenoncontemporary Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    47 min
  7. AI, UFOs, Perception & Reality with Artist, Geographer, Author TREVOR PAGLEN - Highlights

    3 AUG

    AI, UFOs, Perception & Reality with Artist, Geographer, Author TREVOR PAGLEN - Highlights

    “If we look at the entire history of the human experience, if you saw some text or you heard some spoken language, you could 100 percent reliably infer that there was a human who created that. Our experience of having that text or that image generated for us is very akin to the experience of a magic trick, and we sort of pre-subconsciously want to attribute some kind of intelligence to what's going on on the other side. At the core of the work is that sense of curiosity, that sense of joy, that sense of beauty, and that sense of learning. I've been fortunate to have all kinds of strange and interesting experiences, whether that's seeing weird things in the sky over secret military bases in the middle of the Nevada desert, going scuba diving and finding internet cables on the bottom of the ocean, or tracking spy satellites in the sky and being able to predict when they'll appear in a flash against the backdrop of stars. The world around us is extraordinary and embodied, right? It is not on screens, and I’m very privileged to have that be so much a part of my process.” Trevor Paglen is an artist whose work makes the invisible visible, whether he's photographing secret government sites from miles away or revealing the hidden infrastructures of mass surveillance. He's a geographer by training, and he combines investigative journalism with his art practice to explore the hidden power structures of our time, including military technology and artificial intelligence. His work has been exhibited in major museums around the world, and he's also an award-winning author. His exhibitions, like 'The Black Sites' and 'Limit Tele-photography,’ have earned him critical acclaim, including a MacArthur Fellowship. He's recently opened a new exhibition at Pace Gallery in New York called Cardinals (Jun 26–Aug 15) which delves into the intriguing connections between UFO sightings, AI, and the spread of disinformation. Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    14 min
  8. How AI is Shaping Perception, How Deception is Sculpting Our Reality with Artist TREVOR PAGLEN

    2 AUG

    How AI is Shaping Perception, How Deception is Sculpting Our Reality with Artist TREVOR PAGLEN

    “There's a word for this brain rot, right? I think that's very real. There are studies coming out now that are showing that the more and more of our cognitive labor we offload to AI systems, the less creative we become, the less critical we become, and the less of our human faculties for reason we use. There's something sad about that, but there’s also something dangerous about it because that leaves us very open to being manipulated. The surveillance capitalism kind of economy of extracting data from every possible moment of everyday life in order to extract value. The sensor systems that we're surrounded with are not simply passive devices that are recording us; they are increasingly becoming active sculptors of our experience of reality. Playing dirty. If we look at the entire history of the human experience, if you saw some text or you heard some spoken language, you could 100 percent reliably infer that there was a human who created that. Our experience of having that text or that image generated for us is very akin to the experience of a magic trick, and we sort of pre-subconsciously want to attribute some kind of intelligence to what's going on on the other side. I’m trying to think about these other media strategies, whether that's UFO photography, psychological operations, magic, or neuroscience, and take them seriously as contributing factors to the changing visual culture. With the collection at Pace Gallery, (New York, Jun 26–Aug 15) it was really just to put those images together and show them. They’re all photographed on film. A lot of them are photographed on instant film. They’re not images that are made with AI; they're not images that are photoshopped. What I really wanted to get at was thinking about the ways in which what we see in an image is very often what we're predisposed to see. I am playing with these mechanics of perception and proposing that as a way of thinking about images now. At the core of the work is that sense of curiosity, that sense of joy, that sense of beauty, and that sense of learning. I've been fortunate to have all kinds of strange and interesting experiences, whether that's seeing weird things in the sky over secret military bases in the middle of the Nevada desert, going scuba diving and finding internet cables on the bottom of the ocean, or tracking spy satellites in the sky and being able to predict when they'll appear in a flash against the backdrop of stars. The world around us is extraordinary and embodied, right? It is not on screens, and I’m very privileged to have that be so much a part of my process.” Trevor Paglen is an artist whose work makes the invisible visible, whether he's photographing secret government sites from miles away or revealing the hidden infrastructures of mass surveillance. He's a geographer by training, and he combines investigative journalism with his art practice to explore the hidden power structures of our time, including military technology and artificial intelligence. His work has been exhibited in major museums around the world, and he's also an award-winning author. His exhibitions, like 'The Black Sites' and 'Limit Tele-photography,’ have earned him critical acclaim, including a MacArthur Fellowship. He's recently opened a new exhibition at Pace Gallery in New York called Cardinals, which delves into the intriguing connections between UFO sightings, AI, and the spread of disinformation. Episode Website www.creativeprocess.info/pod Instagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    55 min
See All (210)

Hosts & Guests

About

Art episodes of the popular The Creative Process podcast. We speak to artists, curators, museum directors about their work & how they made their creative careers. To listen to arts episodes across a variety of disciplines, follow our main podcast: “The Creative Process · Arts, Culture & Society”. You’ll find us on Apple: tinyurl.com/thecreativepod, Spotify: tinyurl.com/thecreativespotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Exploring the fascinating minds of creative people. Conversations with writers, artists & creative thinkers across the Arts & STEM. We discuss their life, work & artistic practice. Winners of Oscar, Emmy, Tony, Pulitzer, leaders & public figures share real experiences & offer valuable insights. Notable guests and participating museums include: Laurent Le Bon (Centre Pompidou, Fmr. Musée Picasso), Dwandalyn Reece (Smithsonian Nat’l Museum of African American History & Culture), Chris Dercon (Grand Palais · Fmr. TATE Modern), Mechtild Rössler (UNESCO World Heritage Centre), Dimitrios Pandermalis (Acropolis Museum), Marilyn Minter, Ian Wardropper (The Frick Collection), Hans-Ulrich Obrist (Serpentine Galleries), Mark Seliger, Paul Chaat Smith (Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian), Susan Fisher Sterling (National Museum of Women in the Arts, Ioannis Trohopoulos (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center), Richard Flood (New Museum), John Marciari (Morgan Library & Museum), Jacques Villeglé, Nicole Fleetwood, Sébastien Gokalp (Musée national de l'histoire de l’immigration, Fondation Louis-Vuitton), Ralph Gibson, Jennifer Flay (FIAC), Bénédicte Alliot (Cité Internationale des Arts), Mojeb Al Zahrani (Institut du Monde Arabe), Valerie Steele (Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology), Eric Fischl, Alicia Longwell (Parrish Art Museum), George Manginis (Benaki Museum), Elissa Auther (Museum of Arts and Design), Christina Mossaides Strassfield (Guild Hall of East Hampton), among others. The interviews are hosted by founder and creative educator Mia Funk with the participation of students, universities, and collaborators from around the world. These conversations are also part of our traveling exhibition.
 www.creativeprocess.info For The Creative Process podcasts from Seasons 1 2 3, visit: tinyurl.com/creativepod or creativeprocess.info/interviews-page-1, which has our complete directory of interviews, transcripts, artworks, and details about ways to get involved.

Information

More From The Creative Process

You Might Also Like