Death of an Artist

4.5 (783)
True Crime
Series

You’ve heard of Jackson Pollock but you may have never heard of Lee Krasner. Krasner was an artist, Pollock’s wife, and the woman who made him famous. She also changed everything about the landscape of modern art. This is a story about love, power, alcoholism and an ill-timed death. Hosted by curator, author, and broadcaster Katy Hessel, this 6-episode series, offers an inside look into two of the greatest artists of the 20th century, and how their vision impacts ours. And listen back to season one, where host Helen Molesworth revisits the artist Ana Mendieta’s death and the trial that followed– interrogating both the silence and the protest that have accompanied her story ever since. Death of an Artist Season 1 is a co-production between Pushkin Industries, Somethin’ Else, and Sony Music Entertainment. Death of an Artist Season 2 is a co-production between Pushkin Industries and Samizdat Audio.

See All Season 2 (9)

On the 250th anniversary of the United States, Revisionist History investigates the overlooked story of what was, at the time, the biggest secession movement in the U.S. since the Civil War. A movement that took place on a small island miles out to sea from New York City. An early example of the politics of resentment that dominates America today. What do you do when a democracy looks like it’s falling apart? Over the course of five episodes, The Staten Island Problem reconstructs the battle for New York City amidst the turbulent early 1990s — the rise of Rudy Giuliani, the peak of the homicide rate, the Wu-Tang Clan, young Donald Trump, and the first Black mayor of New York — all through the prism of the city’s Forgotten Borough. Through colorful characters and never-before-heard archival audio, The Staten Island Problem reveals what can happen when a disgruntled minority manages to take over — and fracture — a democracy. To get early access to ad-free episodes and extra content, subscribe to Pushkin+ in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell's journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past—an event, a person, an idea, even a song—and asks whether we got it right the first time. From Pushkin Industries. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

4.7 (58334)

Society & Culture
Deep Cover is a show about people who lead double lives. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jake Halpern reveals webs of deception and dark underworlds, through interviews with federal agents and convicted criminals. Deep Cover: The Family Man: Elise and Marissa grew up in a seemingly normal house in the suburbs of St. Louis, but it was a house built on secrets. There were things their father never told them—like how he really made his money. One night, the police showed up, raided their house, and seized boxes of evidence. Hours later, the sisters turned on the TV and saw something surreal: their father’s car, in the aftermath of a police chase. The local news identified him as “The Boonie Hat Bandit.” The girls were stunned. They struggled to accept the truth: Dad had been living a double life. How long had he been lying to them? What had he done? And who, exactly, was their father? Deep Cover: The Family Man is a story about the way parents deceive their children and the crimes a desperate father will commit to save his family. It’s also a story about justice—and the question of what punishment these crimes deserve. Deep Cover Presents: Snowball. A special limited series from the Unravel Podcast team at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Ollie Wards' family lost everything after their brush with a charming Californian con woman. As he embarks on a quest to find out how she did it, why she did it, and where she is now, he opens the door on a mystery that spans decades and across continents. In the sixth season of Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah, Jake Halpern and acclaimed investigative journalist Jess McHugh unravel an epic six-year deception that upended lives of countless people. Sarah Cavanaugh was many things: A decorated veteran. A Marine who saved her comrades. A young woman fighting cancer. She was stoic, humble, tough. In short: a hero. Sarah was everything people wanted her to be—until she wasn’t. Turns out, no one knew the real Sarah. Not her comrades. Not her wife. No one. Jake and Jess interview all of the key sources—including Sarah, herself—to tell this sprawling tale. Season five covers the rise and fall of George Santos, the former Republican Congressman from New York, and the stories—many of which were not true—he told about his life and credentials. Season four, The Nameless Man, tells the epic tale of two federal agents who investigate a rumor about a murder that supposedly took place 15 years prior. It is also the story of a family searching for answers about why their brother was killed. These two storylines collide in a courtroom in Philadelphia, where murder, memory, and morality go on trial. Season three, Never Seen Again, tells the story of two women living on opposite sides of the country, who went missing in the summer of 1999. Seven years later, their stories collided when a small town detective got a tip and became convinced that if he could solve one mystery, he’d solve the other. Season two, Mob Land, is about a high-rolling lawyer who joins forces with the feds to try to bring down one of the most powerful criminal syndicates in the country. Season one, The Drug Wars, tells the story of an FBI agent who goes undercover with a biker gang, and follows a trail of clues that eventually leads to the US invasion of a foreign country. Deep Cover drops on Mondays. To hear episodes early and ad-free, subscribe to Pushkin+ in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

4.2 (4529)

True Crime
Native people have been written out of the American story, but without us you don’t know what happened. This summer the United States will celebrate the 250-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. When you read the Declaration, you realize it is a list of complaints. The last entry, the climax in our founders’ reasons for rebellion against the Crown, is this: “He has excited… the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.” We have been told the Revolution was fought over taxation and representation. But what the founders were most angry about in our country’s most famous document was Indian affairs. How did generations of Americans miss this? The first armed rebellion against the Crown was an attack on British forts that traded with tribes. When colonists threw tea into the Boston harbor, they dressed up like members of the Mohawk tribe—not for disguise, but because pretending to be Indian symbolized freedom and rebellion. The founding fathers’ first government failed because Indigenous nations were too powerful; war and diplomacy with Native people is why we have a central federal government. Hosted and reported by Rebecca Nagle and featuring leading Native historians, First America unveils how the founders’ treatment of Indigenous nations—and their resistance—shaped US democracy. The show does not simply add another blemish to the image of the founding fathers, it reveals the real story of why the colonists rebelled, what kind of government they created, and, crucially, how our current political moment was 250 years in the making.

4.7 (8102)

History
The Happiness Lab is serving up scientifically-backed takes this summer that are so hot, even your SPF 50 won’t protect you. With the help of behavioral scientists, historians, and cultural critics, Yale psychologist Dr. Laurie Santos challenges some of our biggest assumptions about what it takes to live a good life. Dr. Laurie explores topics like why we should forget about TMI and lean into oversharing, how dumping small talk makes for better conversations, why the kids these days are actually doing just fine, and how men can establish strong bromances. Each episode unpacks a bold, counterintuitive claim — using research, data, and expert insight to question the conventional wisdom around happiness and wellbeing.

4.7 (14008)

Society & Culture
We tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, and hilarious fiascos. They'll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. New episodes every Friday.

4.7 (4831)

History
Maybe you’ve laid awake and imagined how it could have been, how it might yet be, but the moment to act was never right. Well, the moment is here and the podcast making it happen is Heavyweight. Join Jonathan Goldstein for road trips, thorny reunions, and difficult conversations as he backpedals his way into the past like a therapist with a time machine.

4.9 (17324)

Personal Journals

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Helen Molesworth

Host

4.5

out of 5

783 Ratings

Getting better!

Feb 4

Sfubbkocn

TL;DR: Season 1 - hearing the sound of grass growing/paint drying is a better listen; Season 2 - very interesting story, presented in a 3d but (too) fast manner. Season 1 should be renamed to "the factual opinion of an art critic's opinions on a tragedy". The tragedy being presented is incredibly interesting, rather unresolved, and is multifaceted at any point in time, and also, across the decades that have past. However, the host used it as a platform to share her opinion as if it were fact, on events and cultures she didn't live, times that she didn't participate, and sullying the narration of the people directly involved. There's a awkward few times that she directly inserts herself into it (eg looping an audio clip of her getting fired), or presents situations as only existing on some linear social justice dimension she's inventing in her head... which often felt like it was at the expense of the story that women, minorites, victims, and other intersectionalities, had wanted to have their voices and experiences heard on. Each episode was a slog, until the anticipated peak moment of the season — a direct confirmation with the season's antagonist. Which ended up being her going into his building and explaining to the building's doorman that she wants to go knock on this guy's door but she thinks she's not allowed to and he probably doesn't want to talk to her, and after explaining all this to the doorman, asks if she can write a note to him and have the doorman ask him if he wanted the note at some point. This tragedy could have been it's own entire podcast, but ends up being the backdrop for the aggrandizement of the hosts opinions in season 1. Season 2 on the other hand, is the exact opposite experience! The new host zooms in and out of various points of the tragedy, life, and storyline, that weave together not just the death of an artist, but its place in its time, its movement, but also those around him. However, it all felt much too fast and I'm stuck between thinking that I wanted to hear way more, vs the short allocated runtime of the season can't satisfactorily cover so many dimensions. It wasn't hurried in the sense of corners being cut, but hurried cause we're covering so many bases and the host is also working on how to cohesively tie these aspects together, all in the same half hour or so time budget per episode!
Riveting

Jun 7

Ihaveclaws

And crucial
Great premise and idea but omg the ads

Apr 23

Can CKNY

I already pay for a lot of Apple services so to have to pay extra for a podcast where by 15 minutes in I’ve heard six ads for AI companies is a nonstarter for me. Especially as an artist I’m not really very pro AI. That said a true crime style art podcast is a fantastic idea. And this one engages with really interesting stories and people. Unfortunately, I had to stop listening before the end of the first episode. Because of the ads.
Did not dissappoint

08/22/2025

Tibble1121

Very well done and well presented. Eye opening on people/movements that were overlooked or not explained.