Why'd They Put That In A Museum?

Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees
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Art. Objects. Museums. Ideas. Questions. What happens when you put things on display and invite people in to look? Have you ever seen art on display and wondered, “Why’d they put that in a museum?”  Museum curator Sarah Lees and author Beth Bacon start each conversation with one item, in one specific museum. We explore the object, its history, and the cultural ideas surrounding it. In the end, that object takes on new meaning as listeners discover the fascinating reasons it ended up in a museum.

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  1. Crystal Z. Campbell

    EPISODE 1

    Crystal Z. Campbell

    In the first episode of season two of Why’d They Put That in a Museum, host Sarah Lees speaks with Beth Bacon about an exhibit of works by contemporary artist Crystal Z. Campbell. Through most of this podcast, Beth is recording while walking around the exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum. They discuss and array of Campbell's works, including collage-like artworks featuring manila paper, glass apothecary jars, and a video installation. Beth and Sarah explore themes such as healing, transformation, and the artist's Filipino heritage, touching on U.S. colonialism and personal history. In this episode Beth and Sarah discover firsthand how much more you can understand and appreciate art when you see it in person and talk about it in depth with someone else. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    27 min
  2. Edvard Munch: The Scream

    EPISODE 2

    Edvard Munch: The Scream

    The Scream by Edvard Munch is among the world's most recognizable artworks. But how much do you really know about this image of a wavy figure with a scull-like face and wide open mouth? Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon discuss this painting in their podcast, "Why'd They Put That In A Museum." For one thing, The Scream cannot be called "one" of the most recognizable artworks… since Munch made multiple versions. Also, according to Munch’s notes, the figure in the picture isn’t the one who’s screaming. So who, or what, is? Listen to the podcast to find out. Sarah and Beth also talk about the picture’s composition, cultural context, emotional impact, and the thefts of its versions. They also explore Munch's background, his influences, and the mixed reception of his work during his lifetime. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    28 min
  3. Marcel Duchamp Bicycle Wheel

    EPISODE 3

    Marcel Duchamp Bicycle Wheel

    The sculpture Bicycle Wheel by Marcel Duchamp is playfully irreverent and deceptively simple. It’s just a rim and a stool. But the concepts behind it are lot more complicated. In the century since it was created, it has become significantly influential in the world of contemporary art. In this episode of Why’d They Put That In A Museum, Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon take the 'Bicycle Wheel' sculpture for a spin. They explain why Duchamp created ready-mades and talk about his part on the Dada movement. They discuss Duchamp’s relationships with artists from Pablo Picasso to Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and others. To Duchamp, ideas were what makes art, art. And then one day, he stopped creating art altogether and became a chess master. What an idea! Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    27 min
  4. Rembrandt Artist In His Studio

    EPISODE 4

    Rembrandt Artist In His Studio

    Rembrandt is known  for telling dramatic stories with his art. He often paints his figures in intriguing moods and guises. In his self-portrait, Artist In His Studio, Rembrandt does both, creating a moody, enigmatic story in a very small frame. The main subject in this small painting is the back of an enormous easel. Standing further away is the artist, Rembrandt himself, with brushes in his hands and a pensive expression on his face. What is going on here? It’s up to the viewers to use the painting’s details to come up with answers. Since viewers don’t see what’s painted on the front of the canvas, they don’t know what the artist is reacting to. In this episode of 'Why’d They Put That In A Museum,” hosts Beth Bacon and museum curator Sarah Lees discuss this highly unusual composition. To answer the questions that the painting raises, Sarah describes Rembrandt's tendency to paint self-portraits, his realistic style the stark room setting. They ponder the artist’s contemplative posture and his flamboyant costume. They talk about the socio-political context of the Netherlands in the 1600s and the Baroque influence on art. Listen to this episode to discover why this unusual and thought-provoking painting is a valued piece in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    21 min
  5. Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 1

    EPISODE 5

    Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 1

    Yayoi Kusama is known as one of the most well-known living artists… that is, today she is well known. This is the first part of a 2-part episode that focuses on Kusama;s Infinity Mirror Rooms, particularly 'Infinity Mirror Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away' located at The Broad Museum in Los Angeles.  Today Kusama’s vibrant and playful interactive works seem to be “everywhere” from major museums to public spaces, to the internet feeds of trendy influencers. But did you know that Kusama toiled in obscurity for decades before being acknowledged by the art world and adored by millions? In this episode of “Why'd They Put That in a Museum?,” hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss Kusama's long artistic journey and the many ways the art world dismissed her during her younger years. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Kusama was an under-appreciated, activist, counter-culture artist. Before that, she was an imaginative youth who had visual hallucinations. Stay tuned for the next episode (Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 2) to learn how Kusama went from an unknown to an artist to a worldwide phenomenon.  Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    24 min
  6. Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 2

    EPISODE 6

    Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 2

    This episode of “Why They Put That in the Museum,”  is the second part of a 2-part series about the international sensation Yayoi Kusama. (Please see "Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 1," season 2 episode 5 to listen to the first part.) Hosts Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon discuss Yayoi Kusama’s path from being a largely ignored activist artist in her early career to becoming a globally recognized figure by the 1990s. How did she make this change? Listen and find out. With a focus on the work, “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” located at the Broad Museum, they discuss the use of contemporary art to challenge societal norms as well as commercialization. and the creation of exclusive viewing experiences that drive public interest.  Today, Yayoi Kusama is a prolific and influential Japanese artist. Her whimsical and playful interactive experiences make Kusama an internet darling. Her bright colors and patterns  are easily accessible. Listen to this episode to find the depth beyond the bright lights, desings, and colors of Yayoi Kusama. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    17 min
  7. Where's the Café?

    EPISODE 7

    Where's the Café?

    In this episode of the podcast Why'd They Put That in a Museum, hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees talk about the various elements that enhance the experience of visiting a museum. Museum cafés, movies, and lectures—and even the gift shops! How important are the museum’s offerings around and beyond the exhibits? They highlight themed food recipes inspired by artworks, café designs matching museum decor, and popular exhibits like mummies. They explore how these aspects contribute to making museums more inviting and accessible to broader audiences. Additionally, they touch on how museums are adapting to changing times. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    19 min
  8. Battle of Little Bighorn by Stephen Standing Bear, Part 1

    EPISODE 8

    Battle of Little Bighorn by Stephen Standing Bear, Part 1

    In this first episode of a two-part discussion, Beth Bacon, Sarah Lees, and guest speaker Christina Burke, discuss a painting by Lakota artist Steven Standing Bear. The artwork is a large-scale painting of the Battle of the Greasy Grass, which is also known as Little Bighorn, or the Custer Battle of June 25th, 1876. Standing Bear was a participant in this battle as a teenager. He became a fine artist and painted this enormous depiction of the battle. Christina Burke, a curator and expert in Native American art, reviews the painting's three main sections in detail: The native American encampment, the battle scenes, and a section showing many horses. With Beth and Sarah, Christina discusses the details of the piece, emphasizing the cultural narratives the artwork represents. They also talk about the historical context of Standing Bear's life, including his participation in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. This is the first part of a two-part episode of the Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast, focusing on an extraordinary representation of the Battle of Little Bighorn.  Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    25 min
  9. Battle of Little Bighorn by Stephen Standing Bear, Part 2

    EPISODE 9

    Battle of Little Bighorn by Stephen Standing Bear, Part 2

    This is the second episode of a two-part discussion of the Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast. Beth Bacon, Sarah Lees, and guest speaker Christina Burke discuss a painting by Lakota artist Steven Standing Bear. The artwork is a large-scale painting of the Battle of the Greasy Grass, which is also known as Little Bighorn, or the Custer Battle of June 25th, 1876. (In the first part of this two-part discussion, they review the painting in detail.) In this episode, Christina explains the distinction between art museums and natural history museums, noting how historical and cultural attitudes impact the ways Indigenous artworks are viewed and categorized. The hosts talk about the provenance of Standing Bear's painting. This painting was created in South Dakota, moved to various collectors and galleries, and now resides in the Philbrook Museum of Art. The hosts discuss how cultural perceptions and institutional choices impact the way Native American art is displayed and understood. This is the second part of a two-part episode focusing on this extraordinary work of art and its artist. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    21 min
  10. Maman, or giant spider, by Louise Bourgeois

    EPISODE 10

    Maman, or giant spider, by Louise Bourgeois

    Is bigger better when it comes to art? That’s one of the questions that Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon ponder in their discussion of the life and work of Louise Bourgeois. In this episode of Why'd They Put That in a Museum?, hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees focus on the sculpture Maman, an enormous metal sculpture of a spider. Bourgeois was in her 70s and 80’s when she increased the scale of her art and around that time, her work began to command significant attention in the contemporary art world. The Tate Museum in London acquired the giant spider sculpture called Maman when Bourgeois was 88 years old. This work represents the dynamics of Bourgeois's relationship with her mother.  The Bourgeois family ran a tapestry repair workshop in France. When she was a child, Louise's father invited his mistress to live with them, causing Louise to experienced intense and complex emotions. Bourgeois has stated that the spider represents a maternal figure, and represents to her themes of protection, trauma, and familial commitment. During her long career, Bourgeois had many connections to major art movements, without being identified directly with any of them. She was truly one of a kind. What is it like to walk under a 30-foot-tall steel spider? You can try it yourself at the Tate in London or the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Or you can imagine the scenario as you listen to this podcast.    Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    24 min
  11. Jackson Pollock

    EPISODE 11

    Jackson Pollock

    In this final episode of Season 2,  hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss their ongoing topic, “Why did they put that in a museum?” by focusing on an artist who is frequently the subject of this question: Jackson Pollock. They examine his masterpiece 'One: Number 31, 1950' which can be found in New York's Museum of Modern Art. They talk about Pollocks techniques and the community he was part of. They muse about abstract art and its common misconceptions. Sarah explains that Pollock's unique approach to painting, moving the canvas from an easel to the floor, was a conceptual leap in Western art. When you really look at his work, it holds a deep intentionality that counters the complaint, “My 5-year-old could do that.” Beth and Sarah also talk a bit about the artist's turbulent life and his fast rise to art stardom which was hastened by figures like Peggy Guggenheim and influential critics and galleries. Why are Pollock’s seemingly chaotic drips and splatters so important in the history of modern art? Listen to this episode of our podcast to find out. Send us ideas & feedback. © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

    32 min
See All Season 2 (11)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Art. Objects. Museums. Ideas. Questions. What happens when you put things on display and invite people in to look? Have you ever seen art on display and wondered, “Why’d they put that in a museum?”  Museum curator Sarah Lees and author Beth Bacon start each conversation with one item, in one specific museum. We explore the object, its history, and the cultural ideas surrounding it. In the end, that object takes on new meaning as listeners discover the fascinating reasons it ended up in a museum.

Information

  • Creator
    Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees
  • Episodes
    21
  • Seasons
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 © 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum? Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees
  • Show Website
    Why'd They Put That In A Museum?