Episode 32 features an unforgettable conversation with acclaimed New York-based sculptor and installation artist Petah Coyne. Known for her intricate, large-scale works crafted from an extraordinary range of materials – from dead fish and shredded trailers to wax, taxidermy, and black sand. Coyne’s career spans decades and her works are in major museum collections, including MoMA, the Whitney, the Met, and the Guggenheim. In this candid, in-depth interview, she shares not only her creative evolution and technical processes but also the personal stories, risks, and moments of doubt behind her monumental career. Key takeaways from this interview include: • The wild true story of how 5,000 dead fish played a role in launching her art career. • How Petah developed her own patented wax formula and the extreme logistics behind shipping large-scale works across the world. • A behind-the-scenes account of her first major institutional installation and the unexpected accident that helped get it reviewed by The New York Times. • Her perspective on rejection, persistence, and why she applied for grants every year for a decade before getting one. • Thoughtful reflections on time, mortality, and the pressure artists feel to keep creating. From poetic anecdotes to hard-earned wisdom, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a successful and deeply generous artist whose work, like great literature, lingers long after the first encounter. 03:52 The Dead Fish Prank 07:36 Early Life and Artistic Beginnings 14:40 How To Avoid School 16:00 Moving to New York 22:22 First Big Break and Installation Art 41:34 The Importance of Archival Quality 46:22 Finding and Working with Assistants 48:53 Fragility and Tactility of Artworks 51:09 The Stolen Sculpture Incident 54:36 Selling Large Sculptures to Collectors 01:07:04 Navigating the Art World 01:09:52 The Importance of Feedback 01:24:56 Funding Art Projects 01:31:01 Experimenting with New Mediums 01:37:43 Final Thoughts and Advice To Artists Petah Coyne is based in New York and is represented by Galerie Lelong & Co., New York: https://galerielelong.com/artists/11-petah-coyne/ and Nunu Fine Art, Taiwan: https://www.nunufineart.com/petah-coyne You can find out more about her work on her website: https://www.petahcoyne.org/ And follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petahcoyne Also mentioned in this episode: The Jealous Curator: https://thejealouscurator.substack.com/about | https://www.instagram.com/thejealouscurator/ Art For Your Ear Podcast, interview with Petah Coyne: https://www.thejealouscurator.com/blog/2020/11/20/just-be-wonderful/ Herron School of Art and Design: https://herron.indianapolis.iu.edu/ Art Academy of Cincinnati: https://www.artacademy.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/artacademyofcincinnati/ | @artacademycincinnati Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/columbia/ | @columbia Jody Pinto: https://www.jodypinto.com/ Alice Acock: https://www.aaycock.com/ Donna Dennis: https://www.donnadennisart.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/donnadennisstudio/ Judy Pfaff: https://www.judypfaffstudio.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/judy.pfaff/ Holly Solomon: https://www.bonhams.com/stories/39878/works-from-the-collection-of-holly-solomon/ Sculpture Center: https://www.sculpture-center.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/sculpturecenter/# Marian Griffiths: https://www.artforum.com/news/marian-griffiths-1922-2008-189230/ Leo Castelli: https://www.castelligallery.com/about/leo-castelli | https://www.instagram.com/castelligallery Adam Gopnick: https://www.adamgopnik.com/bio | https://x.com/adamgopnik Chazen Museum of Art: https://chazen.wisc.edu/ Eva Hesse: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/hesse-eva/ Sol LeWitt: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/lewitt-sol/ Mary Sabbatino: https://www.cpal-info.com/mary-sabbatino | https://www.instagram.com/mary_sabbatino/ Gallery Lelong: https://galerielelong.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/galerielelong Guerilla Girls: https://www.guerrillagirls.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/guerrillagirls/ | @GUERRILLAGIRLS Iréne Hultman: https://tdps.yale.edu/profile/irene-hultman-monti | https://www.instagram.com/irenehultmanmonti/ The Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive. 🔔 Hit subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening to never miss a new episode. 📢 Follow us on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast/ Tiktok: @installationartpodcast 📚 More information about the show and previous episodes: www.installationartpodcast.com Your host Anastasia Parmson: www.anastasiaparmson.art | https://www.instagram.com/anastasiaparmson.art/ 🗣️ Join the conversation in our Facebook group The Installation Art Society, a space for conversations about installation art and a platform for practitioners to share insights, discuss technical aspects, and exchange behind-the-scenes stories: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16YGzqRtwb/ Mentioned in this episode: Get your .art domain name https://get.art/?refdotart=art5044n9z17m promo code: ART5044N9Z17M
