The Royal Drawing School's Creative Conversations are dialogues between artists, curators and writers, curated by Dr Claudia Tobin, these lectures are held Wednesday evenings during term-time.

British artist Daniel Crews-Chubb has developed an intensely physical, mixed-media painting style, for which paint is smeared with the fingers, scratched with a stick, glopped on straight from the tube, sprayed from a can, and mixed into sand or pumice gel. The combination of this ‘wild’ and experimental use of materials with historical subject matter is a recurring characteristic of his work. His abstracted paintings are currently on view at the Ashmolean in the exhibition ‘Ashmolean NOW: Flora Yukhnovich x Daniel Crews-Chubb’. Making new works for the show, Crews-Chubb was particularly interested in international pre-historic sculptures that depict non-human figures, such as deities. In his Immortals series, he has experimented with their postures and expressions to create his own fantastical figures. 

This in-conversation between Daniel Crews-Chubb and Ashmolean curator Lena Fritsch will explore the artist’s work with time for questions and comments from the audience.

Image: Daniel Crews-Chubb in his studio with paintings from the Immortals series, 2022. Photo credit: © T. Craig

TASCAM SD-20M

Daniel Crews-Chubb in conversation with Dr Lena Fritsch

The Royal Drawing School's Creative Conversations are dialogues between artists, curators and writers, curated by Dr Claudia Tobin, these lectures are held Wednesday evenings during term-time.

Alicia Foster, author of the recent acclaimed critical biography of Gwen John (Thames & Hudson) and curator of the accompanying exhibition at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester and Holburne Gallery, Bath, in conversation with Claudia Tobin. Demolishing the myth of the recluse which has often cut Gwen John (1876-1939) off from the art worlds of London and Paris she was part of, Foster has told a story of connection rather than isolation in her writing and curation, creating a fresh, more nuanced and deeper understanding of John’s art and life. In discussion, the significance of John’s work and life story in her day, and ours, will be explored and discussed.

On Gwen John: Alicia Foster and Claudia Tobin in conversation

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and co-creator of Freakonomics—the cultural phenomenon that, over the past 20 years, has grown into a global franchise, changing how millions think, revealing the hidden side of everything, and challenging us to question what we know.

Stephen J. Dubner

To celebrate 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits highlights from her conversations with groundbreaking artists Bisa Butler, Deborah Kass, Marilyn Minter, Amy Sherald, and Ai Weiwei. This anniversary collection brings together the voices of five visionaries whose work challenges conventions, sparks dialogue, and redefines the role of art in our culture.

20th Anniversary celebration with legendary artists Bisa Butler, Deborah Kass, Marilyn Minter, Amy Sherald, and Ai Weiwei

In celebration of 20 years of Design Matters, Debbie Millman revisits one of the show’s most endearing traditions—the very first question. For years, she’s opened each conversation with a playful, deeply researched inquiry: something personal, unexpected, and revealing. In this special anniversary episode, listeners will hear some of Debbie’s favorite first questions and the illuminating answers they inspired.

Surprising First Questions

20th Anniversary celebration with podcast hosts Krista Tippett, Ira Glass, Hrishikesh Hirway, Kara Swisher, and Jad Abumrad

As part of the 20th anniversary of Design Matters, Debbie Millman shares Part Two of her most surprising first questions, the curious openings that sparked honesty, humor, and revelation. These excerpts highlight the unexpected moments that shaped some of the show’s most memorable conversations.

Guess the Guest: Surprising First Questions Part Two

Design Matters by Debbie Millman features interviews with designers, artists and cultural leaders, including Lawrence Weiner, Barbara Kruger, Malcolm Gladwell, Eric Kandel, Stefan Sagmeister, John Maeda, Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones, Michael Arad, Milton Glaser, Massimo Vignelli, Paula Scher, Steven Heller, Jonah Lehrer, among others.

In 2011, Design Matters received the People’s Design Award from the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards.

Subscribe to Design Matters for free on iTunes, where new episodes are uploaded weekly: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-matters-debbie-millman/id328074695

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