Ministry of Arts Podcast

Gary Mansfield
  • 4.6 (9)
  • Visual Arts
  • Biweekly

Possibly the World's most inclusive art podcast. Artist & Curator Gary Mansfield talks to emerging, established and world renowned artists each week in his quite unique manner. Gary's booming Cockney voice and jovial approach, is a breath of fresh air for those within the art world and a beacon to those that thought it inaccessible. Previous guests include: Maggi Hambling, Mark Wallinger, Gavin Turk, kennardphillipps, Mat Colishaw, Ray Richardson, Camille Walala, Rankin, Keith Brymer-Jones, PureEvil, Tanya Ling, Koestler Arts, Stuart Semple, Richard Wirson RA, Sarah Maple, Jenny Eclair, Katy Wix and Adam Buxton . Feel free to contact Gary with any queries, comments etc: email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com All Social Media: @ministryofartsorg To find out more on Gary Mansfield go to: http://www.garymansfield.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 15h ago

    REWEIND - Ep.88 Richard Wilson RA - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    REWIND - From October 2020 This week Gary Mansfield speaks to one of the world’s most innovative sculptors; Richard Wilson. Richard Wilson is one of Britain’s most renowned sculptors. He is internationally celebrated for his interventions in architectural space which draw heavily for their inspiration from the worlds of engineering and construction. Wilson has exhibited widely nationally and internationally for over thirty years and has made major museum exhibitions and public works in countries as diverse as Japan, USA, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Australia and numerous countries throughout Europe. Wilson has also represented Britain in the Sydney, Sao Paulo, Venice and Aperto Biennial and the Yokohama Triennal, was nominated for the Turner Prize on two occasions and was awarded the prestigious DAAD residency in Berlin 1992/3. He was one of a select number of artists invited to create a major public work for The Millennium Dome and the only British artist invited to participate in Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial 2000, Japan. Wilson was in 2004 appointed Visiting Research Professor at the University of East London, in 2006 he was elected as a member of the Royal Academy and in 2008 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Middlesex. For more information on Richard Wilson and his work go to www.richardwilsonsculptor.com For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www. ministryofarts.org Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Oct 27

    Ep.312 Abdollah Nafisi - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Abdollah Nafisi (@Abdollah.Nafisi) Abdollah Nafisi is a sculptor and skilled craftsman whose practice explores the relationship between nature, industry and human connection. His work draws on an interest in Western philosophy and experiences travelling alongside Iranian nomadic communities, informing a belief in the social and relational dimensions of being present. His debut solo exhibition, I Can’t Meditate, at Staffordshire St, Peckham, runs from 16 October to 1 November 2026. Bringing together bold, tactile sculptures made from natural materials and discarded industrial waste, the exhibition invites visitors to engage through touch, sound, movement and assembly. Rather than presenting meditation as solitary stillness, Nafisi proposes connection as an alternative route to contemplation. The sculptures become prompts for play, collaboration and shared discovery, encouraging visitors to consider the space between bodies as a place where relationships emerge. Part sensory environment, part participatory experiment, I Can’t Meditate asks whether making, moving and spending time together might offer a more accessible form of mindfulness. For more information on the work of Abdollah Nafisi go to https://www.staffordshirest.com/ Cover image courtesy of Sergey Novikov @plus1ap To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ep.312 Abdollah Nafisi - Ministry of Arts Podcast

  3. Oct 18

    Ep.311 Louise Fletcher - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Louise Fletcher (@LouiseFletcher_Art) Louise Fletcher is a UK-based artist whose atmospheric, semi-abstract paintings are inspired by the wild landscapes of North Yorkshire, where she lives and works. Her practice explores the relationship between place, memory and emotion, using expressive colour, texture and intuitive mark-making to create landscapes that feel both familiar and imagined. More recently, Louise has been embracing change and experimentation in her work, moving towards increasingly intuitive and abstract approaches while allowing new ideas to emerge without forcing a particular outcome. This openness to creative discovery is central to her philosophy as an artist. Louise is also widely known as the co-host, with fellow artist Alice Sheridan, of Art Juice, a popular podcast exploring the realities of creative life, from making and selling art to confidence, inspiration and the challenges of sustaining an artistic practice. After six years and hundreds of episodes, the podcast concluded in 2025, leaving a lasting resource for artists and art lovers. For more information on the work of Louise Fletcher go to https://www.louisefletcherart.com/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ep.311 Louise Fletcher - Ministry of Arts Podcast

  4. Oct 4

    Ep.310 Ryan Stanier/Fair Play Art Fair - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Ryan Stanier, founder of Fair Play Art Fair (@FairPlayArtFair) Ryan Stanier, founder of The Other Art Fair (2011), is about to launch a brand new art fair during Frieze week. Fair Play Art Fair brings around 70 independent artists to One Marylebone for four days this October. Meet the artists, see their work up close and, if something grabs your attention, buy it directly from the person who made it. Every artist exhibiting at Fair Play has been chosen by an independent Selection Committee for the quality of their work, not their ability to pay for exhibition space. This opens the fair to artists beyond the usual commercial routes, providing a broader yet still curated view of art being made today. A sense of play runs through the whole fair, with live performance, music, artist-led events, food, drink and late-night programming drawing you through One Marylebone and into the evening. Expect live performance, music, artist-led events and unexpected interventions throughout the building, with selected nights carrying on late. Full programme coming soon. Fair Play is a new, curated, artist-first fair, designed to connect outstanding independent artists with engaged collectors and a new generation of art buyers. Join us at One Marylebone from 15-18 October. The general sale Advance price is £24. For more information on the work of Pure Evil go to https://fairplayartfair.com/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ep.310 Ryan Stanier/Fair Play Art Fair - Ministry of Arts Podcast

  5. Sep 23

    REWIND Ep.218 Peter Morris - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    In this REWIND episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Peter Morris @petermorrisarchitects @kcawlondon Peter Morris is primarily an architect, who has been running his own practice for over a decade. But his other creative work – as an artist, illustrator, model-maker and designer of products and interiors – has always sat alongside his architectural work, and he loves to bring the colour, quirkiness and joy of his artworks to his buildings wherever possible. The sculpture joining KCAW ART TRAIL this summer is a Wendy House version of a house that Peter is about to start building for his family, in North London, called The Cloud House – and the story of how this lifelong dream came into being has deep roots in the K&C borough. Commenting on the theme of this year’s Kensington + Chelsea Art Week, Peter said: “Kensington & Chelsea changed me, and this artwork reflects and celebrates that change.” For more information on the Kensington Chelsea Art Week & Trail go to https://www.kcaw.co.uk To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    REWIND Ep.218 Peter Morris - Ministry of Arts Podcast

  6. Sep 1

    Ep.309 GG The Illustrator - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to GG The Illustrator (@ggtheillustrator)   GG the Illustrator is a London-based artist whose work celebrates the architecture, people and communities of council estates across the capital. Working across acrylic, watercolour and digital illustration, she creates detailed, colourful images that document everyday life in neighbourhoods often overlooked by the traditional art world. Her ongoing mission to paint every council estate in London reflects her passion for preserving the memories, character and identity of working-class communities, particularly as estates face regeneration, demolition and displacement.   Through her art, GG challenges perceptions of council housing and gives importance to places and stories that are frequently ignored, creating a lasting record of London’s changing social landscape.   For more information on The Art Car Boot Fair, go to: @art_car_boot_fair   To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts   For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ep.309 GG The Illustrator - Ministry of Arts Podcast

  7. Aug 10

    REWIND Ep.75 Alison Lapper MBE

    This week Gary Mansfield speaks to Alison Lapper MBE (@alison_lapper_mbe) Born with no arms and shortened legs, Alison Lapper spent most of her childhood trying to piece together her own identity. Her extraordinary background and passion for creativity has given us one of the county’s most inspirational artists. Alison’s reputation was bolstered when Marc Quinn created his modern day ‘Venus de Milo’ for Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth, a white marble sculpture of the 8 months pregnant Alison titled, ‘Alison Lapper Pregnant’. That sculpture also went on to be shown at the Venice Biennale with an inflatable version used for the opening of the 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony. Alison was awarded an MBE in 2003 and later, an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton. Since this episode Ali and I have been firm friends, working together a few times and both being trustees for @the drugof.art, a charity to encourage young people to be creativeto support their mental health.   For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www. ministryofarts.org Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    REWIND Ep.75 Alison Lapper MBE

  8. Aug 2

    Ep.308 Steeldoor Studios - Ministry of Arts Podcast

    In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Steeldoor Studios (@SteeldoorStudios)   Steeldoor Studios is the pseudonym of a self-taught artist whose work has been shaped by a lifetime of institutional experience, including many years spent in prison. Creating primarily in acrylic, ink and pencil, the artist explores themes of identity, confinement, recovery, resilience and personal transformation. Their paintings frequently feature powerful self-portraits and symbolic imagery, inviting viewers to reflect on the psychological effects of incarceration and the enduring capacity for hope.   Despite being colour-blind, Steeldoor Studios has developed a distinctive visual style, using carefully selected palettes and expressive compositions to convey emotion and narrative. Art became both a creative outlet and a means of rehabilitation, allowing difficult experiences to be transformed into meaningful works. The artist's work has been exhibited publicly and discussed at conferences, gaining recognition for its honesty and emotional depth. Through Steeldoor Studios, creativity becomes a vehicle for healing, self-expression and reconnecting with society beyond prison walls.   Solo Show -  ‘Stretched to the Limit’ by Steel Door Studios at National Justice Museum Saturday 23 May to Sunday 1 November 2026   “Steel Door Studios has produced a deeply moving and personal reflection on a broken prison system; each piece invites us to confront difficult truths and asks: who holds the power to define the prison system? Collectively, the pieces propose that we all have a responsibility to shape a system that benefits the whole of society by placing rehabilitation, well-being and desistance from crime at its core. “   For more information on the work of Steeldoor Studios go to https://steeldoorstudios.com/   To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts   For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ep.308 Steeldoor Studios - Ministry of Arts Podcast
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4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Possibly the World's most inclusive art podcast. Artist & Curator Gary Mansfield talks to emerging, established and world renowned artists each week in his quite unique manner. Gary's booming Cockney voice and jovial approach, is a breath of fresh air for those within the art world and a beacon to those that thought it inaccessible. Previous guests include: Maggi Hambling, Mark Wallinger, Gavin Turk, kennardphillipps, Mat Colishaw, Ray Richardson, Camille Walala, Rankin, Keith Brymer-Jones, PureEvil, Tanya Ling, Koestler Arts, Stuart Semple, Richard Wirson RA, Sarah Maple, Jenny Eclair, Katy Wix and Adam Buxton . Feel free to contact Gary with any queries, comments etc: email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com All Social Media: @ministryofartsorg To find out more on Gary Mansfield go to: http://www.garymansfield.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Gary Mansfield
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    385
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2018: Gary Mansfield/www.ministryofarts.org
  • Show Website
    Ministry of Arts Podcast

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