Author:Alistair Sooke,Alistair Sooke,Steven Pinker,Steve Martin,Orhan Pamuk,Stanley Tucci,Fiona Shaw,Roxane Gay,John Waters
30 leading cultural figures choose an artwork from the Museum of Modern Art's collection, and discuss the response it provokes in them
Art critic and broadcaster Alastair Sooke, accompanied by some of the world's leading creative thinkers, takes an in-depth look at the outstanding exhibits in New York's MoMA, exploring how the way we 'see' art is shaped by our experiences and perspectives. His guests include some of the sharpest minds of our time - artists, writers, designers, comedians, musicians and scientists, among them Steve Martin, Margaret Cho, John Waters, Roxane Gay, Fiona Shaw, Orhan Pamuk and Stanley Tucci.
Each guest selects a piece of art that speaks to them - one that's inspiring, startling, intriguing or challenging. Some pick familiar works, others ones they've never seen before, and their choices range from paintings and sculptures to photographs, films and even symbols. Drawing on their personal history and expert knowledge, they share their thoughts, insights and observations.
How does a cosmologist view Van Gogh's The Starry Night? What does a jazz pianist see in Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie? What will a top fashion designer decode from the clothes painted by an artist in Harlem in the 1930s? And what will a psychologist make of Picasso's unflinching depictions of man's inhumanity, The Charnel House and Guernica?
These questions, and many more, will be answered in this eye-opening series. Revealing, surprising and perceptive, it deconstructs the gallery experience, bringing us a new way of looking at, and appreciating, art.
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Produced by Paul Kobrak and Tom Alban
The Way I See It is a co-production of the BBC and the Museum of Modern Art, New York
Tracklist:
1. Starry Night and Janna Levin
2. Steve Martin and the Lonely Synchromists
3. Jason Moran and Piet Mondrian
4. Neri Oxman and the Endless House
5. Steven Pinker and Picasso
6. Steve Reich on Richard Serra's Equal
7. Margaret Cho and Lady Vengeance
8. Duro Olowu on William H Johnson's 'Children'
9. Michael Bierut on Ed Ruscha's OOF
10. John Waters on Lee Lozano's Untitled 1963
11. Roxane Gay and Christ's Entry into Journalism
12. Es Devlin on Felix Gonzalez-Torres's Perfect Lovers
13. Hisham Matar with Man Sleeping Along the Seine
14. Renee Fleming chooses Colors for a Large Wall
15. The Director's Choice
16. Fiona Shaw on Georgia O'Keeffe's Lake George, Coat and Red
17. Bryan Stevenson on Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series
18. Richard Serra on Jackson Pollock
19. Madeleine Thien on Vija Celmins' Bikini
20. Zac Posen on Constantin Brancusi's Bird in Space
21. Mark Morris on Florine Stettheimer's Costume Design for Orphée
22. Sarah Sze and Siddhartha Mukherjee on Louise Bourgeois's Quarantania, I
23. Orhan Pamuk on Taglioni's Jewel Casket by Joseph Cornell
24. Liz Diller on Marcel Duchamp's Network of Stoppages
25. Isabella Boylston on Maya Deren and Talley Beatty
26. Stanley Tucci and Giacometti's Head of a Man on a Rod
27. Lady Ruth Rogers on Henri Rousseau's The Dream
28. Yves Behar and the IEC's Power Symbol
29. David Henry Hwang on Martin Wong's Stanton near Forsyth Street
30. Alastair Sooke
A liberation and a joy, beautifully written and brilliantly thought. What Artists Wear is at once a revelatory account of how art is made and an electrifying investigation into the relationship between clothes and autonomy, freedom and power
—— Olivia LaingBrilliant, loving, visually incisive
—— Hilton AlsCompelling
—— ApolloRevelatory
—— GuardianAn insightful account ... whether offering visual analysis or social observation, Porter writes with clarity and wit
—— FriezeA fascinating exploration of the clothing worn by the rebels, rule breakers and outliers of the artistic world, and what it means to live in it ... The book defies convention ... Porter's curiosity is infectious
—— EsquireEclectic, invigorating ... the chapters devoted to female artists make for the most fascinating reading, their clothes liberating them by giving them permission to be different
—— ObserverUnique, intelligent and enlightening, super interesting and so well researched. It is rare indeed to come across a book that not only captures the imagination, but informs and amuses at the same time. Each turn of the page is a surprising delight. Perhaps what is most striking about this book is its authenticity ... Charlie Porter's seriousness and genuineness, coupled with his off-kilter sense of humour, not forgetting his huge talent, seep through the entire production. Not a fake nor pompous note anywhere. This is simply the real article, just like Charlie.
—— Adrian Joffe , President of Comme des GarçonsA roving, intimate analysis of the clothes that inform art
—— AnOther MagazineWonderful ... I read it in one delicious gulp. An important page-turner.
—— Jennifer Higgie , author of The Mirror and the PaletteDelicious ... What Artists Wear can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of your art or fashion knowledge ... Porter shares each anecdote with the confidence and clarity of a story teller, weaving memories into the book
—— GlassTimely ... intimate ... A leisurely, contemplative journey through the art world of the 20th Century, as shown through the medium of the artists' own clothes.
—— HypebeastBrilliant and unexpected... What Artists Wear approaches fashion in a wholly different way
—— ShowstudioPersonal and brimming with anecdotes ...Porter explores the intrinsic connections between artists and their choice of clothing with agility, nuance and insatiable curiosity... His diverse curatorial eye holds both geographic and historical breadth
—— Dan Thawley , A Magazine Curated ByA clarion call to examine not only the clothes of artists but also our own
—— The Art NewspaperUnexpected, lushly illustrated ... As a connoisseur of the lived-in, Porter delights at Lee Krasner's paint-spattered slippers and the tactile richness of Alberto Giacometti's rumpled suit
—— Hettie Judah , V&A MagazineAs he cycles through the lives of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sarah Lucas, Martine Syms, and Joseph Beuys, Porter's deep dive is a tender report on the legacies we leave behind and the clothes that accompany us along the way.
—— Dazed Books of the YearInquisitive and insightful, Porter's skillful dissection of the historical context, social commentary, and personal symbolism behind each artist is a pleasure to get lost in
—— Publishers WeeklyUnique, wide-ranging... Style guru Charlie Porter takes us on a voyage of discovery
—— Creative BoomPorter captures the various 'archetypes' associated with artists. He emphasises the shift from the 'codification of patriarchy to the breaking of the canon
—— Araba Opoku , The Art NewspaperClothes can be a prison. But Porter makes a powerful argument that they offer freedom too, to work against the structures "that control what we all wear"
—— En Liang Khong , Times Literary Supplement[A] tale of extraordinary resilience...Ai Weiwei vividly reflects on his own life and that of his father
—— Fiona Sturges , Guardian, *Books of the Year*A powerful memoir-cum-manifesto
—— New StatesmanEntirely keeping Ai Weiwei's taste for provocation...his memoir refuses to play by the rules... [1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows] leaves the reader with little doubt of Ai's commitment to freedom of expression and his willingness to confront power and inequality in all its forms
—— Nick Holdstock , Literary Review[A] brave commentary on totalitarianism and his confrontation of the Chinese authorities
—— Art Newspaper, *Summer Reads of 2022*An eye-raising, compelling read.
—— Creative Bloom, *Best Art Books of Summer 2022*