What's Up? w/ Erykah Townsend

Artist Erykah Townsend's exhibition "Happy" Holidays is at moCa Cleveland through January 4, 2026. In this podcast, Townsend talks about the pressures of the holidays, the significance of handmade experiences, and how pop culture reveals the parts of life we sometimes ignore.

Episode Guest: Erykah Townsend

Erykah Townsend, also known as E.T., is a conceptual artist from Cleveland, Ohio. Her art boldly confronts and questions the role of pop culture in our lives. She states, "I use pop culture as a medium itself—exploring the spaces it fills in our lives and the inquiry of how real are the imaginary." Through reflective and humorous narratives, Townsend references art history and critiques consumerism and western culture, using characters, cultural icons, and objects as allegories for her criticism. In addition, her work includes elements from their original sources, providing the audience with a fresh and sentimental encounter. Townsend received her BFA in painting from The Cleveland Institute of Art in 2020.

Episode Host: DJ Hellerman

DJ Hellerman is the Deputy Director & Senior Curator at moCa Cleveland. A Northeast Ohio native, Hellerman holds an M.A. in Art History from Case Western Reserve University and began his career at the Progressive Art Collection. Prior to his work at moCa, he held the positions of Chief Curator & Director of Curatorial Affairs at The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, PA, Curator at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia, Curator of Arts & Programs at the Everson Museum in Syracuse, New York, and Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions at Burlington City Arts in Burlington, Vermont.

What's Up? is a presentation of moCa Media. Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved. This episode was hosted by DJ Hellerman. And produced by DJ Hellerman and Tom Poole. Special thanks to Adam Zucarro for consulting production and audio engineering. Erykah Townsend: "Happy" Holidays supported by Margaret Cohen & Kevin Rahilly and The Satellite Fund, administered by SPACES and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Regional Regranting Program. Guest opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or moCa Cleveland. Thanks for listening.