* Art Resources

This is a series of podcast from the Ruskin School of Art. The Ruskin, as it is known, is the Fine Art Department of the University of Oxford. In an intimate and dynamic environment, the school gathers together cutting edge contemporary artists and art theorists with some of the brightest and most creative art students. Fine Art is taught as a living element of contemporary culture with a broad range of historical and theoretical references.
NOTE: Not all podcasts in this series have a Creative Commons license.

An International Symposium funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and co-organized by the Rothermere American Institute and the Art History Department, University of Oxford and the Department of American and Canadian Studies, University of Nottingham, UK.
NOTE: Not all the podcasts in this series have a Creative Commons license.

History of Art at the University of Oxford draws on a long and deep tradition of teaching and studying the subject. The core academic staff of the History of Art Department work on subjects from medieval European architecture to modern Chinese art. Over fifty associated academic staff (e.g. in Anthropology, Classics, History, Oriental Studies, and the Ruskin School of Drawing) include teachers and researchers across the full global and historical range of art and visual culture.
NOTE: Not all podcasts in this series have a Creative Commons license.

Alejandro Durán uses art to spotlight the ongoing destruction of our oceans' ecosystems. In this breathtaking talk, he shows how he meticulously organizes and reuses plastic waste from around the world that washes up on the Caribbean coast of Mexico -- everything from water bottles to prosthetic legs -- to create vivid, environmental artworks that may leave you mesmerized and shocked.

Visual artist Helen Marriage stages astonishing, large-scale public art events that expand the boundaries of what's possible. In this visual tour of her work, she tells the story of three cities she transformed into playgrounds of the imagination -- picture London with a giant mechanical elephant marching through it -- and shows what happens when people stop to marvel and experience a moment together.

In a lyrical talk full of radical imagination, poet Aja Monet and community organizer phillip agnew share the story of how they fell in love and what they've learned about the powerful connection between great social movements and meaningful art. Journey to Smoke Signals Studio in Miami, their home and community art space where they're creating a refuge for neighbors and creators -- and imagining a new answer to distraction, anger and anxiety.

There is a question that has been tossed around by philosophers and art critics for decades: how much should an artist's intention affect your interpretation of the work? Do the artist's plans and motivations affect its meaning? Or is it completely up to the judgment of the viewer? Hayley Levitt explores the complex web of artistic interpretation.

Craft curator Nora Atkinson takes us on a trip to Nevada's Black Rock Desert to see the beautifully designed and participatory art of Burning Man, revealing how she discovered there what's often missing from museums: curiosity and engagement. "What is art for in our contemporary world if not this?" she asks.

In this quick talk, visual artist Dread Scott tells the story of one of his most transgressive art installations, which drew national attention for its controversial use of the American flag and led to a landmark First Amendment case in the US Supreme Court.

Artist Ian Strange turns decrepit suburban homes into art. Using paint and chainsaws, photography and film, he interrogates our concept of home and the narratives we build around it. In this talk, Strange discusses the creative and personal impulses behind his work, and invites us to challenge our own relationships with the places we call home.

Art fair curator Touria El Glaoui is on a mission to showcase vital new art from African nations and the diaspora. She shares beautiful, inspiring, thrilling contemporary art that tells powerful stories of African identity and history -- including works by Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop, Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj and Zimbabwean painter Kudzanai-Violet Hwami. "It is really through art that we can regain our sense of agency and empowerment," El Glaoui says. "It is through art that we can really tell our own story."