Who Arted: Weekly Art History for All Ages

Airwave Media
  • 4.7 (145)
  • Visual Arts
  • Updated Weekly

Who Arted is art history and art education for everyone. While most art history podcasts focus on the traditional "fine art" we see in museums around the world, Who ARTed celebrates art in all of its forms and in terms anyone can understand. Each episode tells the story of a different artist and artwork including the traditional big names like Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol along with lesser-known artists working in such diverse media as video game design, dance, the culinary arts, and more. Who Arted is written and produced by an art teacher with the goal of creating a classroom resource that makes art history fun and accessible to everyone. Whether you are cramming for your AP Art History exam, trying to learn a few facts so you can sound smart at fashionable dinner parties, or just looking to hear something with a more positive tone, we’ve got you covered with episodes every Monday and Friday.

  1. The Parthenon

    10h ago

    The Parthenon

    The Parthenon, a crowning achievement of Classical Greek architecture, was constructed on the Athenian Acropolis between 447 BCE and 432 BCE during the golden age of Athens. Commissioned under the leadership of the prominent statesman Pericles, the monumental project brought together the master sculptor Phidias and the brilliant architects Iktinos and Kallikrates. Embodying the ideals of structural harmony and human naturalism, the temple features celebrated optical refinements known as entasis, which include subtly swelling columns that tilt inward and an upward-curving stone foundation. These meticulous geometric adjustments were engineered to counteract visual distortions, creating a perfect illusion of straight lines and symmetry for the human eye. Beyond its primary role as a religious temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the Parthenon functioned as a highly secure civic vault, safeguarding the financial reserves of the Delian League. Over its millennia-long history, the structure underwent dramatic transformations that mirrored the shifting political landscape of the Mediterranean. It was converted into a Byzantine Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the late sixth century CE, and later adapted into an Islamic mosque complete with a minaret following the Ottoman conquest in 1456. A catastrophic gunpowder explosion devastated the building in 1687 during the Morean War, when a Venetian mortar round struck the interior cella where Ottoman forces had stored ammunition. The surviving architectural treasures—including high-relief metopes, majestic pediment sculptures, and a 524-foot continuous low-relief frieze carved from Pentelic marble—depict vivid narratives of Greek mythology and civic processions. Today, these ancient artifacts remain central to global conversations regarding cultural property and museum ethics, particularly due to ongoing international repatriation campaigns for the Elgin Marbles displayed in the British Museum. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. The image used in the episode cover art came from Adobe's stock photos. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    13 min
  2. The Marine Corps War Memorial

    4d ago

    The Marine Corps War Memorial

    Today, I am sharing an episode of my other podcast Fun Facts Daily focusing on the Marine Corps War Memorial and the iconic image of soldiers raising the flag. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, honors all United States Marine Corps personnel who lost their lives in service to their country since 1775. Sculpted by Felix de Weldon, the massive bronze statue recreates the iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph captured by Joe Rosenthal during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The monument depicts a historic tableau of six service members raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi, symbolizing a critical turning point in a grueling 36-day campaign. Resting upon a massive foundation of polished Swedish black granite, the structure features engraved names of pivotal military engagements and a lasting tribute to the uncommon valor displayed by those on the battlefield. A fascinating historical paradox surrounds the physical design of the monument's figures. While the statue visually pays tribute to the battlefield actions of combatants later identified as Harold Schultz and Harold Keller, the actual bronze faces belong to Rene Gagnon and John Bradley, who originally modeled for the sculptor after the war. The complex production process required the monument to be cast in over 100 individual bronze pieces in Brooklyn, New York, before being transported to Virginia for its permanent installation. Today, the site serves as a powerful symbol of military sacrifice and American resilience, illuminated nightly beneath a 24-hour cloth American flag mandated by a historic presidential proclamation. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    16 min
  3. TLDR Jasper Johns | Flag

    May 22

    TLDR Jasper Johns | Flag

    Jasper Johns, born May 15, 1930, in Augusta, Georgia, significantly influenced mid-century American painting by reintroducing recognizable, everyday imagery into fine art. After pursuing an art degree at the University of South Carolina and studying at the Parsons School of Design, Johns served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Upon returning to New York City in 1953, he established a studio in lower Manhattan and became part of an avant-garde artistic community alongside figures like Robert Rauschenberg and John Cage. This group sought to challenge Abstract Expressionism, the dominant movement of the era, which favored raw emotion and non-representational forms. Seeking a distinct creative identity, Johns took the radical step in 1954 of destroying nearly all his previous derivative artworks that were still in his possession. Johns developed a style later classified as Neo-Dada, paving the way for the pop art movement by focusing on commonplace subjects like targets, maps, letters, numbers, and flags. His breakthrough piece, Flag (1954–55), was inspired by a vivid dream and depicted the 48-star American flag utilizing encaustic—an ancient painting technique involving pigments mixed with heated beeswax. This fast-hardening medium allowed Johns to rapidly layer materials, including scraps of The New York Times, giving his work a highly textured, three-dimensional physical presence. Early in his career, to financially support himself, Johns also worked under the pseudonym Matson Jones alongside Rauschenberg, creating commercial window displays for luxury retailers like Tiffany & Co.. Decades later, his extensive contributions to American art history were recognized on February 15, 2011, when President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    15 min
  4. Walter De Maria | The Lightning Field (encore)

    May 18

    Walter De Maria | The Lightning Field (encore)

    Walter De Maria (1935-2013) was a pivotal figure in Minimalism, Conceptual Art, and Land Art, known for large-scale environmental installations. His significant works include The New York Earth Room and The Lightning Field. The Lightning Field, commissioned by the Dia Art Foundation and completed in 1977 in Catron County, New Mexico, comprises 400 stainless steel poles arranged in a precise grid, designed to interact with light and evoke the sublime. De Maria's art often explores themes of scale, human perception, and the relationship between nature and human intervention, emphasizing direct viewer experience over traditional art consumption. My guest this week is Tim Bogatz, host of ⁠Art Ed Radio⁠ from ⁠The Art of Education University⁠. Tim and I are both active on the ⁠Art of Ed Community⁠ and I would encourage all my fellow art teachers to join if you haven't already. If you are interested in learning more about The Lightning Field or you would like to try to make the pilgrimage and stay there, check head over to ⁠Diaart.org⁠ ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts ⁠ Art Smart⁠ |⁠ Rainbow Puppy Science Lab⁠ Who ARTed is an⁠ Airwave Media⁠ Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min
  5. TLDR El Greco | The Burial of the Count Orgaz (encore)

    May 15

    TLDR El Greco | The Burial of the Count Orgaz (encore)

    Domenikos Theotokopoulos, better known as El Greco, was a singular figure in art history who bridged the gap between Byzantine tradition and Western modernism. Born in Crete in 1541, he trained as an icon painter before moving to Venice and Rome, where he absorbed the vibrant colors of the High Renaissance. However, his bold personality and vocal criticism of local heroes like Michelangelo made it difficult for him to thrive in Italy. In 1577, he moved to Toledo, Spain, where he spent the rest of his life creating his most famous works for the Church and private intellectuals. El Greco is best remembered as a leading Mannerist. His style rejected strict realism in favor of emotional intensity, featuring elongated figures twisted in unnatural poses and bathed in eerie, acid-green or blue light. While a popular scientific theory in the early 20th century suggested these distortions were caused by astigmatism, historians have proven they were a deliberate stylistic choice intended to emphasize spiritual mysticism. He was also known for his litigious nature, frequently suing clients to ensure painting was respected as a high intellectual pursuit rather than a common craft. One of his crowning achievements is The Burial of the Count Orgaz (1586). This massive painting, located in the Church of Santo Tomé in Toledo, visually synthesizes his two main influences. The lower half depicts a miraculous funeral with striking realism, including portraits of local contemporaries, while the upper half represents the heavens with swirling, abstract forms. Although El Greco fell into obscurity for nearly three centuries after his death in 1614, he was rediscovered by Romantic and Expressionist artists in the 19th century. His unique approach to form and space became a major influence on modern masters, specifically Pablo Picasso, who used El Greco’s distortion as a blueprint for the development of Cubism. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science LabWho ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    15 min
  6. TLDR Nan Madol

    May 11

    TLDR Nan Madol

    Nan Madol is an ancient archaeological site situated off the eastern shore of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. Constructed between 1200 and 1600 CE, the city served as the administrative and ceremonial seat of the Saudeleur Dynasty, which unified the island’s population of approximately 25,000 people. Often referred to as the "Venice of the Pacific," the site consists of nearly 100 artificial islets built atop a coral reef and interconnected by a sophisticated network of tidal canals. The architecture is defined by massive megalithic basalt columns, some weighing up to 50 tons, stacked horizontally in a "log cabin" style. These structures were built without mortar or cement, reaching heights of 25 feet and thicknesses of 17 feet, particularly within the royal mortuary complex of Nandauwas. The layout of Nan Madol reflects a highly stratified social hierarchy, with specific islets designated for elite residences, religious rituals, food preparation, and specialized industries like canoe building. This centralized urban design allowed the Saudeleur rulers to maintain political control by keeping potential rivals under close observation within the city limits. Beyond its architectural significance, the site is notable for localized magnetic anomalies caused by the varying orientations of the iron-rich basalt logs, which disrupt standard compass readings. Following the collapse of the dynasty in the early 17th century at the hands of the warrior Isokelekel, the city was abandoned and eventually reclaimed by the surrounding mangrove forests. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 min
  7. Charles and Ray Eames | Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (encore)

    May 8

    Charles and Ray Eames | Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (encore)

    Charles and Ray Eames were an iconic husband-and-wife design team who became leaders of the Mid-Century Modern movement. Their partnership began at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, merging Charles's architectural and structural background with Ray's keen artistic eye for color and form. A critical development in their career was perfecting a method for molding plywood into complex shapes, a technique they developed while making leg splints for the U.S. Navy during WWII. They famously applied this innovation to furniture, with their most enduring creation being the 1956 Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Designed to have the "warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt," the chair combined luxurious materials with ergonomic comfort, becoming an instant classic and a symbol of sophisticated taste that is still in production today. Beyond furniture, their influential Eames Office also created pioneering films, toys, and architecture, including their own modular Eames House, all driven by the goal of making thoughtful, high-quality design accessible to improve everyday life. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 min
  8. TLDR Pablo Picasso

    May 4

    TLDR Pablo Picasso

    Pablo Picasso remains one of the most influential figures of 20th-century art, with a career spanning over 80 years and an estimated output of 50,000 works. Born in Málaga, Spain, in 1881, Picasso was a child prodigy whose technical mastery reportedly surpassed that of his father, an academic painter, by the age of 13. After moving to Paris in 1904, he navigated through several distinct stylistic phases, including the monochromatic Blue Period and the warmer, circus-themed Rose Period. These early explorations eventually led to the co-founding of Cubism alongside Georges Braque, a movement that deconstructed traditional perspective and changed the trajectory of Western art. Picasso’s artistic legacy is defined by constant experimentation across diverse media, from fine art painting and sculpture to printmaking and ceramics. He is credited with co-inventing collage as a fine art medium, notably through the 1912 work Still Life with Chair Caning, which blurred the lines between high art and everyday objects. His later years were marked by a prolific output of ceramics at the Madoura Studio, where he created thousands of designs intended to make his art more accessible to the public. His 1921 masterpiece Three Musicians stands as a monumental synthesis of his Cubist developments, serving as both a rhythmic exploration of form and a nostalgic tribute to his close friends and the bohemian days of his youth. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    15 min
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4.7
out of 5
145 Ratings

About

Who Arted is art history and art education for everyone. While most art history podcasts focus on the traditional "fine art" we see in museums around the world, Who ARTed celebrates art in all of its forms and in terms anyone can understand. Each episode tells the story of a different artist and artwork including the traditional big names like Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol along with lesser-known artists working in such diverse media as video game design, dance, the culinary arts, and more. Who Arted is written and produced by an art teacher with the goal of creating a classroom resource that makes art history fun and accessible to everyone. Whether you are cramming for your AP Art History exam, trying to learn a few facts so you can sound smart at fashionable dinner parties, or just looking to hear something with a more positive tone, we’ve got you covered with episodes every Monday and Friday.

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