Art History for All

I enjoy Art History for All, and I appreciate the variety of work and artists Allyson Healey covers.

I stopped listening after a couple of episodes. I found it ridiculous when she disqualified her opinion and insight regarding a painting because of the color of her skin. She is white and the painting was done by a black man. She basically denied her own humanity. Would my asian art history professor fumble through a similar disclaimer if we look at a Warhol print? At another point in the episode she uses a scoffing inflection in her voice when describing the white male european history of painting reclining female nudes. She tells us how this objectifies and codifies a certain power relationship….she then takes pains to tell us that the gay black artist’s depiction of a reclining sensual black man has no power dynamics, no objectification….simply because he is looking the viewer in the eye. Can’t we just accept that people paint and sculpt forms they find beautiful? Why do I need to be hit over the head with a woke stick when I learn about art? Why do we need to demonize European art, culture, technology, philosophy at every turn? So disappointed because she has selected wonderful pieces and is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about her subject.

I have learned some interesting things I didn’t know, and been exposed to artists I didn’t know that well. It’s a little dry in places, and the posting is not regular enough to stay in my top podcast list, but it’s ok for a nice car ride.

One night, like most nights, I was trying to fall asleep, so I looked up art history, as I have really never found it interesting. As I listened, I just grew more interested, and realized there was no way I could fall asleep to something so interesting. Now, I listen to it almost everyday, and am always amazed and delighted by the intricately layer out history of famous, and lesser known art pieces.