Podcasts about Somerset House

Choreographer Sir Wayne McGregor is one of the most acclaimed, innovative and influential figures in contemporary dance. His works are often the result of creative collaborations with artists, musicians, filmmakers, or with scientists to explore technological issues. In 2006 he was appointed as Resident Choreographer at the Royal Ballet. He has created more than 20 new works at Covent Garden in that time, including Chroma, set to music by Joby Talbot and The White Stripes, and Woolf Works, a full-length ballet based on the life and writings of Virginia Woolf. More recently, McGregor brought the post-apocalyptic vision of Margaret Atwood to the stage in his ballet MaddAddam, based on the writer's acclaimed trilogy of novels. He has worked as a movement director on films including Harry Potter Goblet Of Fire and Mary Queen Of Scots, collaborated with bands including Radiohead and Chemical Brothers, and choreographed the virtual concert, ABBA Voyage. In October 2025, Somerset House in London will mount a landmark exhibition dedicated to McGregor's trailblazing collaborations that have radically defined how we think about performance, movement, and the body. Having won numerous awards, including two Oliviers, Sir Wayne McGregor was knighted in 2024.Wayne McGregor talks to John Wilson about his childhood in Stockport, where he took dance classes and was inspired by John Travolta's moves in Saturday Night Fever. He recalls the house and techno music of the late 80s when he was a student, and how the freedom of expression he felt on nightclub dance-floors informed his style of choreography. Whilst living in New York after leaving university, Wayne came across an open-air performance by the legendary American choreographer Merce Cunningham, whose company was dancing to live music conducted by the avant-garde composer John Cage. It was a chance encounter that had a profound impact on McGregor. He also discusses how science and technology has been a major thematic influence on much of his work in recent years, and how AI has been used to create new works through analysis of physical movement and artistic expression.Producer Edwina Pitman

Today's episode takes us from the fields to the heart of London to reflect on a truly unique and thought-provoking exhibition that has just wrapped up at Somerset House in London, marking its 25th anniversary. Titled Soil: The World at Our Feet, the exhibition brought together visionary artists to reframe how we think about the ground beneath us.Far from being “just dirt,” this exhibition invited visitors to see soil as a living, breathing system—one that underpins not only agriculture but culture, climate, and community. Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld from The Land Gardeners came up with the concept for the exhibition and they speak to Ben in this episode They talk about how the exhibition came to life, what it revealed, and put their case as to why soil should matter to everyone—not just farmers.SOIL | Somerset HouseHome — the land gardenersSoil Home — the land gardeners 

American documentary photographer and President of the Magnum Foundation Susan Meiselas speaks about her fifty-year career, as she receives the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award at the Sony World Photography Awards 2025, and as her work goes on display at Somerset House in London.We hear how President Trump's economic tariffs are affecting specialist manufacturers of musical instruments here in the UK. Author and screenwriter Ewan Morrison, whose previous books have explored cults and pandemics, talks about his latest novel For Emma, a concept thriller set in the world of artificial intelligence and brain computer interfaces. And In Holy Week Antoni Gaudi - nicknamed " god's architect" - has been confirmed by the Pope as on the path to sainthood even though his most famous work, Barcelona's Sagrada Familia Basilica remains unfinished. Art historian and reverend Dr Aila Lepeen, who's associate rector at St James Church in London's Piccadilly, assesses cultural figures who've become saints. Presenter: Kirsty Wark Producer: Mark Crossan

Artists Himali Singh Soin and David Soin Tappeser explore the complex weave of histories and myths around Britain's imperial salt monopoly in India. Paul Waters joins them as they create an open-air installation at the Somerset House gallery in London, paired with a poignant indoor exhibition occupying spaces formerly used to administer Britain's colonial-era salt tax. The 80 metre long fabric installation is to replicate the Inland Customs Line, a monumental 2,500 mile long hedge across India, created by Britain in the 1800s, to enforce salt taxation. This reinterpretation draws on cotton printed with botanical dyes from the hedge's original plants, to highlight the human and ecological cost of colonial extraction. Himali and David aren't just creating one exhibition in one location. They are also creating a parallel installation further along the river Thames, at the Tate Britain art gallery and we'll be following them as they work across both sites.

Free Thinking looks at today's world with "a pinch of salt" tonight. From stories in the bible to desalination plants, preserving food to salt taxes: how does salt help us think about the past and present? We use phrases like "being worth your salt" or "dropping salt" meaning to spread rumours. With food writer Bee Wilson, materials scientist Mark Miodownik, the novelist and writer on folklore Zoe Gilbert and artist David Soin Tappeser. Plus, especially salty guest Baga Chipz. Matthew Sweet hosts.David Soin Tappeser, along with Himali Singh Soin, is one half of Hylozoic/Desires, whose exhibition Salt Cosmologies is at Somerset House in London until the 27th April.Producer: Luke Mulhall

As Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy explain in our first Earthly Matters episode, people come for the flowers but they stay for the soil. Since forming their company, The Land Gardeners, in 2011, they have combined their cut flower-growing and landscape design businesses with a mission that fuels them on a daily basis: researching the earth beneath our feet to better understand how to repair the soil that feeds nearly everything we build our existence upon.Their work has seen them transform unloved gardens and agricultural plots into hives of thriving, promising productivity - and Henrietta and Bridget are always looking towards the techniques that the less courageous will take years to deploy. This year, their insight is being shared in a major exhibition at Somerset House, called Soil: The World at Our Feet. Amid drifts of snowdrops in the garden of Henrietta's Cornish home, we spoke about how The Land Gardeners' persistent commitment to soil health has taken them all over the world, learning, speaking and spreading the secrets of soil. Use code WWGSPRING at Crocus.co.uk's checkout to save 20% on full priced plants. The code is valid until 11.59pm on May 30th, 2025, It is valid when you spend a minimum of £50 on full priced plants and / or bulbs. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other codes or offers.

SOIL: Common Ground is a three-part podcast series produced by Somerset House exploring what soil can teach us about being human, through the lens of art. Our entire existence is dependent on our relationship with soil. As awareness builds of the enormity of the ecological crisis that we are facing, a growing number of artists are engaging with soil as a material in their work. This three part series responds to the Somerset House exhibition ‘Soil: The World at Our Feet', unearthing soil's role in our future through the work of artists and thinkers working with it. Soil is the basis of many creation stories around the world. It is our beginning, and it is what we will return to. In Episode 1 of Common Ground we look at soil as the matter from which life emerges. Exploring growth, beginnings and the ways soil as a material offers unique opportunities for exploration. We hear from artist Asad Raza who makes ‘neo-soil' from scratch and covers the floor of galleries with it. Artist Eve Tagny's work examines the cultivation of the Rose as a way to ask questions about the ways we interact with the world. Agroecologist Nicole Masters and farmer Abby Rose, lay out what soil is and why it holds the key to our survival. The episode is set within the garden of our presenter Shenece Oretha. Working with soil has shaped her relationship to the place where she lives and informed her art practice. The series launches off from the Somerset House exhibition SOIL: The World at Our Feet. Presented by Shenece Oretha Produced by Jo Barratt and Alannah Chance Exec produced by Alannah Chance and Eleanor Ritter-Scott. The series is mixed by Mike Woolley Original music by Andrew Pekler Episode Image: Asad Raza: Plot feat. BB (Fabrizio Ballabio, Alessandro Bava) + Lydia Ourahmane e Moriah Evans, Curated by Leonie Radine, Museion Bozen/Bolzano, 25.03.2023 – 03.09.2023, Photo: Lineematiche – L. Guadagnini, © Museion This series is part of the Somerset House Podcast.

In this episode of Visual Intonation, we're diving deep into the fascinating world of Myah Asha Jeffers, an artist whose multifaceted practice is reshaping how we view the complexities of diasporic life. Born in London, raised in Barbados, and now based in London, Myah's work spans photography, theatre, and film, with an emphasis on "Black Interiority." Her exploration of class, cultural identity, queerness, grief, and gesture challenges us to reconsider the nuances of daily existence within marginalized communities. She shares with us her insights, struggles, and triumphs, offering a window into the art that speaks to both personal and collective experiences.  At the heart of Myah's journey is her debut narrative short film, *Bathsheba*, which world-premiered at the Toronto Inside Out Film Festival and had its UK debut at the S.O.U.L Film Festival at the BFI. The film tells the story of a grieving widow facing eviction, forced to live with a younger woman who unknowingly holds the key to her emotional liberation. Through this narrative, Myah intricately explores themes of mourning, vulnerability, and unexpected connections, all while capturing the rawness of the human experience. As we explore the making of *Bathsheba*, Myah reflects on the personal and professional motivations behind the film's creation and its broader implications for her artistic practice.  In addition to her work in film, Myah's photography practice is both tactile and deeply personal. Using primarily analog techniques, she develops her own black-and-white negatives and hand prints in her local darkroom. This slower, more deliberate process informs her portraits, which emphasize the "regality and beauty" of her subjects, particularly those within the diaspora. Myah's eye for intimacy and truth is evident in the photographs she's shared with prestigious outlets like *Vogue* and *The Guardian*, as well as in her work with institutions such as Tate and Somerset House. She discusses the importance of her approach to portraiture, which blends careful preparation with improvisation, allowing for the creation of a genuine connection between artist and subject.  Her work doesn't just stand as art; it's a document of the realities that shape our world. From photographing frontline health workers during the pandemic for the Empathy Museum's 'From Where I'm Standing' project to capturing Black students for Cambridge University's 150th-anniversary celebrations, Myah seeks to elevate voices often left unheard. Her photography serves as both a social commentary and a celebration of cultural legacy. Through her lens, she invites us to witness the hidden moments of struggle and triumph that define lives in motion, making the invisible visible and the mundane extraordinary.  As Myah continues to build on her artistic journey, she's embracing new challenges, including her upcoming residency at the Visual Studies Workshop in New York and her 2024 Joan Wakelin Bursary project in Montserrat. In this episode, she takes us behind the scenes of her creative process, offering a glimpse into the future of her work in photography, theatre, and film. Through her eyes, we are reminded that art is not just about what is captured; it's about how it makes us feelSupport the showVisual Intonation Website: https://www.visualintonations.com/Visual Intonation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visualintonation/Vante Gregory's Website: vantegregory.comVante Gregory's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directedbyvante/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): patreon.com/visualintonations Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@visualintonation Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@directedbyvante

SOIL: Common Ground is a three-part podcast series produced by Somerset House exploring what soil can teach us about being human, through the lens of art. Much of the history of human making springs from the soil. Cuneiform, the earliest form of writing, was engraved into clay; paint pigments come from minerals in the soil; and much of our material history is held in ceramics. But soil is not neutral; it is deeply entangled with politics of ownership embedded in the land. In this episode Shenece Oretha probes the ways the soil and clay are inspiring artists today, looking at the stories soil can tell about our past and our potential future. Ceramicist and writer Jennifer Lucy Allan reflects on the ways clay connects us to the earliest forms of making. Artists Annalee Davis and Lauren Gault look at the ways soil bears witness to our histories, from the trauma of the plantation to the deep time of paleontology. We create art from soil, but through our extraction and interaction, it is also changed. How can we heal our relationship with the soil and in so doing, transform our relationship with the planet? Farmer and food justice advocate Leah Penniman unpacks how indigenous practices of soil care can reverse some of the most egregious effects of climate change. The series launches off from the Somerset House exhibition SOIL: The World at Our Feet. Presented by Shenece Oretha Produced by Jo Barratt and Alannah Chance Exec produced by Alannah Chance and Eleanor Ritter-Scott. The series is mixed by Mike Woolley Original music by Andrew Pekler. This series is part of the Somerset House Podcast.

SOIL: Common Ground is a three-part podcast series produced by Somerset House exploring what soil can teach us about being human, through the lens of art. Our Future is tied to the future of our soil. Our decisions as to how we care for and use it matter. Soil teaches us that cycles are ongoing, and even in decline every day offers us opportunities for new beginnings. In this final episode Shenece Oretha explores the regenerative qualities of soil and composting as a model for personal redemption. We hear from Palestinian grower Mohammed Saleh whose life story offers a personal story of hope, looking at how permaculture and art can help to heal the destructive impacts of war. Somerset Studios artist Harun Morrision's singing compost invites us to see decay in a new light and Fin Jordâo lays out how composting can be a radical action for rethinking our relationships with each other and the planet. Does the future hold a closer, more natural relationship with the soil by rethinking our relationship to burial? Radical undertaker Ru Callander reconsiders our attitude to death. The series launches off from the Somerset House exhibition SOIL: The World at Our Feet. Presented by Shenece Oretha Produced by Jo Barratt and Alannah Chance Exec produced by Alannah Chance and Eleanor Ritter-Scott. The series is mixed by Mike Woolley Original music by Andrew Pekler. This series is part of the Somerset House Podcast.

For February's Found Sound, Alice meets wood artist Darren Appiagyei in Greenwich Park in south-east London, before heading to his studio to learn more about his wood turning practice. In the background, you'll hear chirping parakeets, the rumble of traffic and the occasional plane overhead, all of which are part of the sonic tapestry of this urban landscape. This episode was produced by musician and sound artist Alice Boyd, featuring music by herself and The Breath. Thanks go to Darren Appiagyei - you can see his work at Somerset House in London from 28 February to 1 March as part of Collect Open. 'Found Sounds' are back for 2025 with another twelve episodes, each released on the middle Friday of the month. This year, Alice will be travelling across the UK to meet people inspired by heritage crafts, folklore and the landscape, creating a sonic scrapbook of their practice. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern in collaboration with Lia Leendertz. Each episode, released on the first of the month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. Found Sounds are released on the middle Friday of the month. Ffern is an organic fragrance maker based in Somerset. You can learn more about Ffern's seasonal eau de parfum at ffern.co

A CROSS DISCIPLINARY WORLD FOR YOUNG ARTISTS. Jonathan Reekie has been Director of Somerset House Trust in London since 2014. During this time, the renovation of the historic site with its grand Renaissance architecture has been completed, including the launch of Somerset House Studios for artist residencies. Reekie has established Somerset House as a home of cultural innovators and in 2025 Somerset House celebrates its 25th birthday, marking its extraordinary transformation to one of London's best loved cultural spaces and home to one of the largest creative communities in the UK. “Thinking about how artists can help us make a better world” “Bringing artists back into a space in the centre of the city is very crucial if London wants to remain a creative centre.” “If I can help make a better environment for artists to work, think and thrive then I will always feel very fulfilled.”

Ep.231 Lina Iris Viktor is a Liberian- artist who lives and works in Italy. Influenced by architecture, archaeology, West African sculptural traditions, ancient Egyptian iconography, classical astronomy and European portraiture, her paintings, sculptures, performances, photography and water-gilding with 24-carat gold produce a charged materiality that address philosophical ideas of the finite and the infinite, the microcosm and macrocosm, evanescence and eternity. Her use of gold, marble, bronze, wood and volcanic rock establish an intimate and intangible timelessness whilst her focus on black as ‘materia prima' challenges the sociopolitical and historical preconceptions surrounding ‘blackness' and its universal implications. By interweaving disparate materials, methods and visual lexicons associated with contemporary and ancient art forms, Viktor authors an idiosyncratic mythology that threads through deep time, knitting together a diasporic past with an expansive present in order to divine future imaginaries. Viktor received her BA in film at Sarah Lawrence College and studied photography at The School of Visual Arts in New York. Solo exhibitions include Sir John Soane's Museum, London (2024); Fotografiska Museum of Photography, Stockholm & Tallinn(2020); Autograph, London (2019); and New Orleans Museum of Art (2018), among others. Group exhibitions include the Museum of the African Diaspora [MoAD],San Francisco (2024); Hayward Gallery, London (2022); North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh (2020); Somerset House, London (2019); Ford Foundation, New York(2019) ); Ford Foundation, New York (2019); Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento (2018); Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville (2016); Spelman Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta (2016); and Cooper Gallery, Harvard University, Cambridge (2016). Photo credit ©2024 Courtesy of LVXIX Atelier.   Sir John Soane Museum https://www.soane.org/exhibitions/lina-iris-viktor-mythic-time-tens-thousands-rememberings Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD https://www.moadsf.org/exhibitions/liberatory-living Pilar Corrias https://www.pilarcorrias.com/exhibitions/419-lina-iris-viktor-solar-angels-lunar-lords/ Hayward Gallery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ZHUFirMRM&ab_channel=SouthbankCentre New Orleans Museum of Art https://noma.org/exhibitions/lina-iris-viktor-a-haven-a-hell-a-dream-deferred/ Fotografiska Stockholm https://stockholm.fotografiska.com/en/exhibitions/lina-iris-viktor Autograph https://autograph.org.uk/online-image-galleries/lina-iris-viktor-some-are-born-to-endless-night-dark-matter-exhibition-highlights Elephant https://elephant.art/lina-iris-viktors-distinct-mythology-a-photo-diary-from-the-artists-home-on-the-amalfi-coast/ Apollo Magazine https://www.apollo-magazine.com/lina-iris-viktor-soane-museum-review/ An Other https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/15758/lina-iris-viktor-interview-mythic-time-sir-john-soane-museum-exhibition Artnet https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lina-iris-viktor-2379189 British Vogue https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/lina-iris-viktor-sir-john-soane Something Curated https://somethingcurated.com/2023/03/21/interview-lina-iris-viktor-on-the-libyan-sibyl-beauty-as-a-tool-for-truth/ The Art Newspaper https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/03/a-brush-with-lina-iris-viktor New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/04/arts/design/in-the-black-fantastic-london.html

After a chilly January in the UK, the days are starting to lengthen and there's signs of life as bulbs are pushing through the soil. DIG IT's Peter Brown and Chris Day discuss news, events and gardening tasks for the gardening month ahead.What's onSaturday 1st February Buckingham Garden Centre's Grow & Grow Day, 10am-4pm. Saturday 1st February to Sunday 2nd March: Peruvian Orchid Spectacular at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. The Plant Fair Roadshows are back in full swing with the first event of the year on Sunday 2nd February at Hole Park, Rolvenden, Kent, on Sunday 2nd February.Running until 13th April: Soil - The World at Our Feet Exhibition at the Embankment Galleries, South Wing, Somerset House in London.Saturday 15th February – Sunday 23rd February: Exhibited during Eco-Week at Hever Castle & Gardens, Earth Photo will be featuring work by some of the best photographers from around the world.Thursday 20th February: Monty Don in conversation with Sophie Raworth online or in person at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington, London, SW7 2AR. 7pm. 20th - 22nd February: Shepton Snowdrop Festival, Somerset. Free event.Discover snowdrops across the UK. NewsBritain's oldest RHS Garden is calling for compensation from the Government as it faces a ‘catastrophic' £11m loss - thanks to roadworks.Home to 100-year-old specimens, the 60-acre Coton Orchard, the largest traditional orchard in Cambridgeshire and 8th largest in the country is at risk of becoming a new bus lane. Two plant collections - Amelanchier and Witch hazel National collections have been accredited at National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.Monty Don's new British Gardens series airs on the BBC.Sarah Dyke MP's Horticultural Peat (Prohibition of Sale) Bill has been pushed back to a later date. Kew Gardens and partner scientists have identified more than 170 new species in 2024New Year's Honours for garden industry figures including Gill Hodgson founder of Flowers From the Farm and Alan Titchmarsh, CBEScotland consults on its peat-free future.Latest Thompson & Morgan survey suggests garden expenditure is set to increase in 2025.More crystal ball gazing from the RHS with its gardening predictions.Eden Project appoints 'horticultural showman' Peter Jones.Kew build two advanced glasshouses to help in major restoration projects.David Domoney becomes new brand ambassador for Keder Greenhouses.Guiness World Records searches for world's oldest glasshouse.Forest England biodiversity study reveals DNA secrets.Butterflies heading north says NatureScot.RSPB suspends sale of flat bird feeders.Suttons given the Royal Warrant of Approval.Plants mentioned: Broad bean The Sutton, New Fothergill's Oh Sow Simple range, Seed Potatoes, Pea Meteor, Sweet Peas, Carnivorous plants (Venus flytraps), Carrot Amsterdam Forcing, Asparagus crowns, root-wrapped roses, celebration roses, strawberry runners and raspberry canes can be established now, Lilies, Dahlias, Begonia corms and Hosta. Hardwood cuttings Buddleja, Dogwoods, Forsythia, Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Roses and Salix (Willows).Products mentioned: Westland New Horizon Compost, Melcourt SylvaGrow Composts, horticultural fleece, Haxnicks jackets, raised beds and water butts. Dig It Top 5: Our Top selling Fothergills flower seeds of last year. No5 ‘RHS Flowers for Insects Mix', No4 Sunflower ‘Giant Single', No3 Sweet Pea ‘Old Spice Mixed', 2nd place Poppy ‘Victoria Cross' and at No1 ‘RHS Flowers for Wildlife Bright Mix'.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for supply the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vicky has been to Somerset House for the Soil exhibition and has come away suitably inspired. Karin has been under the weather and has spent almost no time on the plot. Her old trusty car has made it through another MOT though, making more potential compost collections possible.

Episode 286 President Trump has signed executive orders pulling the US out of the Paris climate agreement, and out of the World Health Organization. Although he claims that withdrawing from Paris will save the US $1trillion a year, the reality is much less clear. As the world's second largest emitter and amid bans on renewable energy permits, just how catastrophic is this for global climate action? Leaving the WHO raises concerns too over the future of global health action. You probably know of the placebo effect, but have you heard of the ‘nocebo' effect? Known as the evil twin of the placebo, this is where being told something won't work or is inferior can make it less effective or problematic. Find out how researchers have been testing it out. Last year we heard the shock discovery that oxygen is being produced in the deep ocean. Believed to be coming from metallic nodules on the sea floor, the finding could upend accepted wisdom. And now the researchers who discovered this have set out on a 3 year mission for more data. Hear about the planned research and why lead researcher Andrew Sweetman has been subjected to “online bullying”. A new exhibition at Somerset House in London is celebrating the wonder of soil, titled ‘SOIL: The World at Our Feet'. Hear from co-curators of the show, Henrietta Courtauld and Bridget Elworthy. Hosts Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet discuss with guests James Dinneen, Michael Le Page, Alexandra Thompson and Madeleine Cuff. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Visit: https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/press/soil-the-world-at-our-feet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anora is one of the leading contenders in the current film awards season - and its star Mikey Madison looks likely to get an Oscar nomination too. Its director Sean Baker explains how he uses both violence and comedy to explore the story of a son of a Russian oligarch who becomes entangled in the world of a sex worker in New York. Caryl Phillips talks about his new novel, Another Man in the Street about a young Caribbean man's search for a new home in 1960s London and the other people, all migrants in different ways, who become part of his life there.And Soil is more than dirt - co-curators Claire Catterall and May Rosenthal Sloan explain how a new exhibition at Somerset House in London sheds light on how the ground under our feet has played a crucial role in human civilisation, with 50 artists in the show using sculpture, painting, tapestry and video to explore its qualities. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

The first days of January are for rest and recuperation but also new ideas, resolutions and, above all, dreams. This month we’re at London auction house Bonhams for a conversation that reflects on jewellery design and human emotion with expert Kate Flitcroft. We’ll meet British artist and stage designer Es Devlin and discuss her incredible show at Somerset House, ‘Face to Face: 50 Encounters with Strangers’, and speak to writer and biographer Justine Picardie about Dior’s incredible journey to Scotland for its 2025 cruise collection. So take up a pen to scribble your own ambitions while hearing our tips, thoughts and ideas for the year ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘A seagull flies across the sky, its wings flapping up and down like a wooden puppet's.' Please note before you start listening: this podcast is recorded in 3D sound! So make sure that you're wearing headphones for the very best experience. The small details in life can pass you by. Unless you take the time to stop to notice them. Which is exactly what author, actor and social media personality Miranda Keeling does in this podcast series. Expanding on the observations she shares on her popular Twitter account, she invites you to join her out and about as she captures those small, magical moments of everyday life, in sound. Thanks to 3D recordings, you'll hear everything she does as if you were right there with her. There are new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. These short but lovingly crafted episodes are an invitation to escape from life's hustle, immersing you in Miranda's world for a few minutes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘The sky above is dappled with white clouds, against a blue-grey sky.'  Please note before you start listening: this podcast is recorded in 3D sound! So make sure that you're wearing headphones for the very best experience. The small details in life can pass you by. Unless you take the time to stop to notice them. Which is exactly what author, actor and social media personality Miranda Keeling does in this podcast series. Expanding on the observations she shares on her popular Twitter account, she invites you to join her out and about as she captures those small, magical moments of everyday life, in sound. Thanks to 3D recordings, you'll hear everything she does as if you were right there with her. There are new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. These short but lovingly crafted episodes are an invitation to escape from life's hustle, immersing you in Miranda's world for a few minutes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textNasim Nasr is an Iranian-born Australian artist whose work focuses on the issues facing her home country of Iran and the challenges she has experienced as a woman and female artist. These circumstances ultimately led her to leave Iran at the age of 25. Nasim relocated to Australia with her younger siblings, where she has built a life for herself and her family while establishing herself as a prominent artist.Working across photography, installation, and performance, Nasim has gained significant recognition, with her works recently acquired by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. We had the pleasure of speaking with Nasim about her life journey and her beautiful, thought-provoking art. Enjoy listening to her story, and feel free to reach out to Nasim to see her work or for a studio visit. 'Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1984Moved to Adelaide, Australia 2009,  Currently lives and works in SydneySince graduating with a Master Visual Arts (Research), University South Australia, 2011, Nasim Nasr's art practice has sought to comment upon the transience of cultural identities. With an interest in cultural relationships in contemporary society, her artworks have engaged themes of intercultural dialogue and perspective between the historical and contemporary. Using video, photography, performance,  3D objects and sound, these works highlight notions of cultural difference as experienced in her past and present homelands, between West and East and seeks to create a harmony between the two.Nasim Nasr is a third time finalist at Fisher's Ghost Art Award and will exhibit at Campbelltown Art Centre Oct-Dec 2024 with her new light box; Impulse 2024, In March 2024 Nasr won AUSTRALIAN CONTEMPORARY ARTIST OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD from the Art's Minister Tony Burke and Shadow Art Minister Paul Fletcher at the Paliment House, Canberra. Nasr's latest video work ‘Impulse' was presented at the 2023 Adelaide Independent Film Festival where it won the best Micro Short Film Award, and was in the official selection at the 2023 A Shaded View on Fashion Film Festival Awards in Paris. In 2017 Nasr won People's Choice Award in The William and Winifred Bowness Photography Art Prize, Monash Art Gallery Melbourne, and her Women in Shadow II video documentation won an award at the 10th Anniversary Edition, A Shaded View on Fashion Film, Maison Jean Paul Gaultier and Club De L'Etoile, Paris, France in 2018. Nasr exhibited in the inaugural Triennial of Asia: We Do Not Dream Alone, Asia Society Museum in New York, October 2020–June 2021, her latest solo presentation Impulse at Mars Gallery, Melbourne March-April 2023. She exhibited at Photo London, Somerset House, London in May 2023. Nasr's latest photograph Impulse (2023) was reproduced on the front cover of ART COLLECTOR magazine in Australia, issue 104 included 8pp profile story on her practice.'

Oscar-winning Michelle Yeoh's career has spanned four decades. Starting out as a martial arts actor, she became a key figure in the Hong Kong action scene. But it was her role in James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies that catapulted her into Hollywood. She's since starred in many hits including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the multi-Oscar winning movie - including for her own performance - Everything Everywhere all At Once. Now, she's in the film adaptation of the musical Wicked. She joins Nuala McGovern live in the studio to discuss it.The Women's Equality Party voted to dissolve the organisation at a special conference this weekend. The political party was launched in 2015 to campaign for gender equality. Citing financial challenges and a changed political landscape, the leadership chose to recommend members vote to close down the party. In an exclusive interview, the two party co-founders - Catherine Mayer and Sandi Toksvig - join Nuala. In a recent article, the author and writer Alice Vincent asks: Why does nobody speak about post-breastfeeding depression? This was something she experienced after she stopped breastfeeding her son. Alice joins Nuala to discuss her experience of stopping breastfeeding along with Hilda Beauchamp, perinatal and infant mental health lead at the Institute of Health Visiting, and a midwife and health visitor by background.Es Devlin is the artist and stage designer responsible for some of the most iconic moments in recent popular culture. Her innovative staging is currently on display at the National Theatre's The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre and her new work, Face to Face, is coming soon to Somerset House. She joins Nuala to discuss her career. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce

Join Fergus and Ed on location at Somerset House for a series of exclusive interviews from the Presidents' Challenge, the event that officially kicks off the 2025 Boat Race season. Guests on today's show include: Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race CompanyPaddy Ryan, Cambridge Chief Coach, Women.Mark Fangen-Hall, Oxford Men's Head Coach.Allan French, Oxford Women's Head Coach.Tom Mackintosh, Oxford Men's President Annie Anezakis, Oxford Women's President.Gemma King, returning Cambridge Blue.Noam Mouelle, returning Cambridge Blue.James Robson, first year Cambridge trialist.  Douwe de Graaf, first year Cambridge trialist.JRN will cover the  2025 Boat Race season in more depth than ever before. Stay tuned for industry-leading analysis, classic JRN previews, and exclusive features.  This episode is sponsored by WinTech & King Racing.WinTech & King Racing have established themselves as the largest and foremost sustainable boat builder, producing over 2000 boats annually. They are dedicated to expanding the reach of the sport by making it accessible to all through the integration of cutting-edge technology and the use of the highest-quality materials. Drawing on the combined expertise of US engineering and German and Australian design, WinTech & King craft exceptional racing shells that set new standards for performance and durability.  WinTech and King's unwavering commitment to sustainability, affordability, and innovation drive them to propel the sport of rowing into a more inclusive and exciting future where excellence knows no boundaries.WinTech & King Racing shells are available worldwide through their network of distributors. Learn more about how you can get a fair price and unfair advantage by finding your local distributor: www.wintechking.comSend us a textSend us a text

This week's text is about Imran Perretta's A Riot in Three Acts @ Somerset House, a lament for a dead city, mourning London. read it here: thewhitepube.co.uk/riotin3acts

Visible representation survey https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/50625-visible-representation-who-do-young-lgbtq-britons-say-helped-them-growing-uphttps://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/Internal_LGBTTabs_240618_combined.pdf More need for asexual representation in the media ? https://nique.net/opinions/2024/10/04/breaking-barriers-the-need-for-asexual-representation-in-media/Agatha All Along https://ew.com/agatha-all-along-infused-queer-energy-kathryn-hahn-aubrey-plaza-8722317Who Killed Emma? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09bxhkf/episodes/downloadsInto the Fire: The Lost Daughter https://www.netflix.com/title/81769165Queer family picnic at Somerset House https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/summer-in-the-courtyard-2024/queer-family-picnic This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thelesbianprojectpod.com/subscribe

-> This episode is an extract from an interview. You will find the entire interview on this same account.In this episode, we are at Somerset House during Photo London with David Campany. He is a curator, writer, publisher, and educator, teaching at the University of Westminster, London, and serving as Curator at Large for the International Center of Photography, New York. We talked about his love and addiction for writing, the projects he undertakes as an independent, as a teacher, and at ICP. Through his experiences, he gave us advice on how to protect our passion and keep our curiosity alive. Subscribe to the podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/lesvoixdelaphotonewsletterStay updated with the podcast: https://bit.ly/lesvoixdelaphotowebsiteYou can also find the podcast on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @lesvoixdelaphoto Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

In this episode, we are at Somerset House during Photo London with David Campany. He is a curator, writer, publisher, and educator, teaching at the University of Westminster, London, and serving as Curator at Large for the International Center of Photography, New York. We talked about his love and addiction for writing, the projects he undertakes as an independent, as a teacher, and at ICP. Through his experiences, he gave us advice on how to protect our passion and keep our curiosity alive. 1'40 - Born in the late '60s, he was influenced by TV culture and movies by Fellini, Godard, etc. 6' - He quickly realized that he wanted to be involved with images because he found pleasure in looking at them and thinking about how they fit into the world. 9' - After his graduation, he was invited to curate shows and write texts. He became known for making unexpected connections between things. For example: an exhibition at Le Bal about Anonymous Americans in film. 19' - Why it is important to write to a writer if you think their work is good. 20'30 - Writing as an addiction. 23'10 - Juggling multiple projects: working on 3 shows and 8 books at the same time. He does not support repetition. 27'30 - The first text he wrote as a professional and his book for Phaidon, "Photography and Art." 32'10 - The magazines he created with the auction house Christie's and the collector Christina Belker. 37' - His experience in NY at the ICP, managing the program for 5-6 years. 45' - Now, exhibitions are collaborations between photographers and curators because, most of the time, the photographer has an idea of what the show will look like. Making exhibitions is part of their work. 47'40 - Advice for curators: you need to go beyond your ego in helping the artist create the work they can't do on their own. It's tempting to say, "I will do it like this." But it is important to move past that phase. 51'30 - Advice for writers: just write, whether it will be published or not, and your writing will improve. Don't be afraid to approach people you admire. Stay interested and aware of the possibilities. There is no formal career path. 53'15 - Now, he says yes to only 10% of the proposals he receives. If his heart is not in it, he cannot say yes. He cannot do something he is not interested in because it would kill the thing he loves. One important thing is to keep your curiosity alive.Subscribe to the podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/lesvoixdelaphotonewsletterStay updated with the podcast: https://bit.ly/lesvoixdelaphotowebsiteYou can also find the podcast on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @lesvoixdelaphoto Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

My guest today is Holly Gramazio, a writer, curator, and game designer. Born in Australia, she earned her PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, then moved to London where she founded the Somerset House-based games festival Now Play This, an annual celebration of experimental games. In 2019 she wrote the script for Dicey Dungeons, a game that subsequently sold 850,000 copies and won the Indiecade Grand Jury Prize. In April this year, Vintage Books published her debut novel “The Husbands”,  in which a young single woman discovers a limitless supply of husbands in her attic. The Times has described the book as “a brilliant satire on the Tinder generation's commitment issues.” LINKSHolly's websiteThe Husbands generatorNow Play This festivalSimon's write up of this year's NPT(Photo by Diana Patient.) Be attitude for gains. https://plus.acast.com/s/my-perfect-console. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AP correspondent Rica Ann Garcia reports on a fire that broke out at London's Somerset House, which houses priceless artworks.

In this riveting episode with dive deep with Best-Selling author Ruth Whippman about the task of raising boys in a way that charts a new path to give boys a healthier, more expansive, and fulfilling story about their own lives. With young men in the grip of a loneliness epidemic and dying by suicide at a rate of nearly four times their female peers, Whippman digs into the impossibly contradictory pressures boys now face; and the harmful blind spots of male socialization that are leaving boys isolated, emotionally repressed, and adrift.
 Ruth Whippman is a British author, journalist and documentary film maker living in the United States. Her essays, cultural criticism and journalism have appeared in the New York Times, Time magazine, New York magazine, The Guardian, The Huffington Post and elsewhere. Fortune Magazine described her as one of the "25 sharpest minds" of the decade. She is a regular speaker at venues including TEDx, Google, The Moth and Somerset House in London and appears regularly as a guest on radio, television and podcasts. 

To purchase her latest book: “Boy Mom” visit https://www.amazon.com/BoyMom-Reimagining-Boyhood-Impossible-Masculinity-ebook/dp/B0CH9M2CNN/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1703009937&refinements=p_27%3ARuth+Whippman&s=books&sr=1-2 If you love our podcast, you need to check out our membership with ICP!   80+ Parenting & Mental Health Courses Certificates of Completion for Continuing Eduaction Weekly Parent Coaching sessions Printables & Parenting Scripts Resource Library Webinars & Live Events And a Supportive Community Listeners can take 40% OFF their annual membership (or $19.99/m). Get your 7-Day Free Trial today! And we do not want to forget about our Best-Seller The Parenting Handbook: Your Guide to Raising Resilient Children For a limited time only, buy a copy of our book and recieve a free gift! Yes, you get access to our Compassionate Discipline workshop valued at $87.84. Click here for more info or navigate to www.icphelps.com !

Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to Lakwena Maciver about processing emotions, navigating comparison and using her artwork to speak powerful messages to herself and wider culture. Lakwena is a London-based artist who combines colour and bold text to inspire joy and the gentle subversion of cultural messaging. Her work has been shown internationally with brands such as H&M, Fiorucci & Mini, and at institutions including the Tate Modern, Somerset House, and the Rotterdam Kunsthal.

Det är ingen nyhet att den kreativa sidan av modefältet domineras av vita människor och att dess utveckling präglats av att främst vita människor haft tillträde till den.  Just nu pågår många initiativ för att öka mångfalden och inkluderingen i olika modeföretag och modeskolor.  Men man behöver också berätta andra historier om mode och vidga idén om vad mode är. I dagens avsnitt står social hållbarhet i fokus, där mångfald och inkludering är en självklar del. Vi tar avstamp i en utställning som gick på Somerset House i London under hösten och vintern, The Missing Thread: Untold Stories of Black British Fashion, som på ett fantastiskt sätt berättade historien om svart brittiskt mode genom fyra teman: home, tailoring, performance och nightlife. Varje tema inbegrep, i vid bemärkelse, rum där svart brittiskt mode och design dels hämtat inspiration, dels utvecklats och blomstrat på helt egna villkor. Historien, som återberättas i podden, är oerhört gripande men också djupt fascinerande och utställningen var i sig en hyllning och ett erkännande till en uppsjö svarta brittiska designers som tidigare inte fått den uppmärksamhet de förtjänar.  Vi talar om strategier man tar till när ens karriär inte tar fart på samma sätt som den vita normen, om hur rasism kom till uttryck på 80- och 90-talen, om Joe Casely-Hayford – den förbisedda designern som till slut fick ett postumt erkännande av British Fashion Council i höstas, vi pratar om intersektionalitet, om anpassning, om vad Morgan Stanley som var stolt huvudsponsor av utställningen kunde lära sig av den, om korsbefruktning mellan mode, konst, musik, nagelbarer, med mera, om kulturell appropriering och autenticitet.  Vi samtalar med utställningens curator, Andrew Ibi, forskare och lärare vid Liverpool John Moores University där han leder modeinstitutionen, men också själv designer, och DJ och entreprenör. Vi träffar också Patricia Saunders, professor i engelska vid University of Miami, specialiserad inom karibiska studier och författare till boken Buyers Beware och Donna Hope, professor i kultur, samhälle och genus vid University of West Indies i Jamaica, och också hon specialiserad inom karibiska studier. Donna Hope är författare till boken Dancehall Queen. Designers som omtalas i avsnittet är bland andra Joe Casely-Hayford, Ozwald Boateng, Bruce Oldfield, Chris Ofili, Eddie Chambers, Ninivah Khomo, Monisola Omotos, Maud Sulter, Faisal Abdu'Allah, Christine Checinska, Keith Piper, Nicholas Daley, Bianca Saunders och Saul Nash. Programmet leds av Jenny Lantz, docent i företagsekonomi med inriktning på kulturekonomi vid Handelshögskolan i Stockholm. Intervjuerna med Patricia Saunders och Donna Hope görs av modejournalisten Sofia Hedström de Leo. Bakom podden står också forskaren Tina Sendlhofer, Stockholm Environment Institute. Tack för att du lyssnar! Följ oss gärna på Instagram.

Hey there, fashion enthusiasts! Welcome back to Just A Fashion Minute, I'm your host, David M. Watts. In this week's episode, we have the incredibly talented stylist and designer, Harris Elliott, joining us for a captivating discussion on the impact of AI in the fashion industry, the unique challenges faced by stylists, and the power of fashion as a form of identity.Harris shares insightful experiences from his impressive career, including working with high-profile clients such as Gorillaz & Pharrell, and his involvement in thought-provoking exhibitions such as "The Missing Thread" at Somerset House. We dive into the world of fashion styling, the essence of fashion as a means of expression, and the fascinating alchemy of styling that combines various elements to create visually impactful looks.We also discuss Tokyo Rakuten Fashion Week, the significant early influences on Harris's career, and much more. As always, we have our Just A Fashion Minute News Roundup, bringing you the latest updates from the exciting world of fashion.If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe on your favourite podcasting app to stay up-to-date with our latest fashion discussions and interviews. Let's dive into the world of fashion with Harris Elliott!Timestamps & Topics00:00:01 - Intro and BackgroundIntroduction to the podcast "Just A Fashion Minute" and overview of the topic of fashion styling.00:05:51 - Tokyo Fashion WeekHarris shares his thoughts on Tokyo Fashion Week restarting with international buyers and the press, which he sees as good news for Japanese fashion.00:07:08 - Dries Van Noten SuccessionDiscussion of Belgian designer Dries Van Noten stepping down and the succession plans for his brand.00:09:39 - Early Fashion InfluencesHarris Elliott shares his earliest memories and influences that sparked his interest in fashion, including shop window displays and military regalia.00:11:11 - Career Start with Judy BlameHow Harris got his start in fashion by cold-calling stylist Judy Blame, who gave him opportunities that launched his styling career.00:13:15 - Defining Fashion as IdentityHarris defines fashion as identity, relating to attitude, stance, cultural context and self-expression.00:17:56 - Working with Japanese ClientsHarris explains why he loves working with Japanese clients, who have a deep understanding and respect for his creative role.00:22:07 - Styling ExamplesHarris provides examples of his styling work, including projects with Gorillaz putting the band in head-to-toe pink looks, and styling Pharrell Williams.00:25:22 - Challenges with BrandsHarris describes some of the challenges and mistreatment stylists can face from brands that don't understand or value their role properly.00:28:09 - AI Already ExistingHarris points out that AI technology for styling is already being used, like virtual fitting rooms, and will continue advancing.00:30:46 - "The Missing Thread" ExhibitionDiscussion of the concept and creation of the groundbreaking exhibition "The Missing Thread" at Somerset House, spotlighting underrepresented Black British fashion designers.00:35:00 - Being a Black Male StylistHarris discusses his perspective as a Black male stylist and how he has moved the needle on perception of stylists in the industry.00:36:59 - AI Impact on StylingExploring how artificial intelligence is already impacting and may continue to transform the role of the fashion stylist.00:39:12 - AI PerspectivesHarris and David discuss their perspectives on the AI revolution in fashion, seeing it as both necessary but needing to be carefully monitored.00:42:42 - Quick Fire QuestionsRapid fire questions included an embarrassing fashion moment, Harris' favourite store, an unsung hero shoutout, and...

Fear can hold us back and make us feel stuck. But if we don't face the things that scare us, how will we ever progress? That's certainly the case for us creatives. Whether we're afraid of going freelance, starting a side project, applying for that job, or making a complete lifestyle shift, embracing what terrifies us could actually lead us to happiness. And if it doesn't? Well, there's always a lesson to be learned. Joanna Henly is no stranger to change. She spent her childhood moving around, as her parents' careers dictated. On making new friends at different schools and getting used to new roots, she naturally built resilience and, as a result, didn't shy away from her fears. That's not always been the case. Just like any of us, Joanna has her ups and downs. But in 2019, she suddenly decided to leave London for Lisbon, completely changing her entire lifestyle and career. And when the global pandemic happened, that only encouraged her to pursue her dreams even more. She became a creative mentor and now works with aspiring, emerging and mid-term career artists to propel their creativity and careers forward. She's taken everything she's experienced from her own journey of being an illustrator, muralist, fine artist, and digital and VR painter to help others. Joanna has worked with Reebok, Google, Vivienne Westwood, and Wacom. She's presented her work and ideas as inspiration sessions for Apple and sold out workshops and masterclasses at venues including The V&A, The Saatchi and National Portrait Galleries. Her artworks have even hung in the Saatchi Gallery and Somerset House, while her books are stocked at the Tate and National galleries. She's curated and exhibited solo shows in London and Hong Kong. More recently, she's presented ideas and interactive art with everyone from Google to fashion giants Galliano, painted in VR for the Land Rover Evoque world premiere, and so much more. So, how on earth do the rest of us face and overcome fear? How do we move forward as creatives and discover new ways of working and living? Essentially, how do we become unstuck and move forward? Joanna gives some excellent advice for anyone itching to make a significant change this year. This season is sponsored by MPB, the largest global platform for buying, selling, and trading used photo and video equipment. Visit MPB.com to find out more.

A series of conversations with Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and people who have been part of Qatar's architecture & culture development journey.In this episode, Her Excellency hosts former president of the Museum of Modern Art, and member of the Board of Trustees of the Qatar Museums Authority, Marie-Josée Kravis.Kravis is an economist who has served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the board of French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. Since 2011, she has been involved with the biannual Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music at the New York Philharmonic, and she has also served as the Board Chair of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). With her husband, she runs the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Foundation, which has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to arts, culture, and medicine. Marie-Josée Kravis additionally supports New York's Lincoln Center for Performing Arts and Metropolitan Opera, and the Hermitage Collection at Somerset House in London.Marie-Josée Kravis and Her Excellency discuss the role of art and culture in enriching minds and contributing to the growth of grassroots small and medium-sized businesses. They also explore the intersection of art, fashion, and luxury hospitality; as well as how museums inspire and anchor the careers of future artists, contributing to nation building.The Power of Culture Podcast is a Qatar Creates production.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian, Michelin-starred chef and former food editor for Vogue, Skye Gyngell, invites Patrick into her beautiful restaurant, Spring, at Somerset House in London. Together they savour the story of Skye's upbringing through her choice of deep, dark greens and bright, bold yellows. She says: ‘If you've grown up in a country like Australia, the majesty of nature is so huge, the skies are so vast, the seas are so strong, the earth is so red, it gets into your DNA.' Skye also describes her passion for soft pink, which is the colour of Spring restaurant and of where she feels her life is now. ‘A lot of my life has been about trying to define who I am. I really wanted Spring to feel female, delicate and soft and to celebrate that it's a restaurant headed up by a woman.'Learn about the colours featured in each episode hereSee the colours of Skye's life hereFollow Skye on Instagram hereSign up to our weekly newsletter for inspiration Follow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We visit the contemporary craft and design fair celebrating its 20th anniversary at Somerset House.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artist Paige K.B. calls into the stream to discuss three major exhibitions: “Cute” at Somerset House in London, “Poetics of Encryption” at KW Institute of Contemporary Art in Berlin, and Simon Denny's shows in New York. Follow: https://www.instagram.com/guiltgroupe/ Exhibitions: https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/cute https://poeticsofencryption.kw-berlin.de/src/html/Exibition.html https://www.petzel.com/exhibitions/simon-denny5 https://www.petzel.com/exhibitions/multi-user-dungeon-mud https://dunkunsthalle.substack.com/p/simon-denny-exhibition-read-write

Det är sött, det är gulligt och det är över allt. Varför svämmar världens digitala flöden över av gulligheter i form av mjuka djur, söta serietidningsfigurer, färgen rosa och förstås kattungar? Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. 2014 fick mannen som anses vara den som skapade The World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, svara på frågor om internets utveckling. På frågan om denna världsomspännande teknik användes till något han inte alls hade förväntat sig, hade han ett kort och kärnfullt svar: kattungar. Och antalet bilder av kattungar, eller katter rent generellt, som postas och delas och tittas på, har inte minskat sedan dess. I stället håller världens digitala flöden på att svämma över av gulligheter i form av små djur med mjuka pälsar och stora ögon, söta seriefigurer, ännu sötare bakverk och rosaklädda Barbies. Frågan är förstås, varför vi blivit så besatta av det barnsligt gulliga och söta.Redan för drygt åttio år sedan lanserade den österrikiske zoologen Konrad Lorenz idén att vissa sorters små djur med stora runda ansikten med klotrunda ögon och små munnar triggar igång känslor av ”åhhhhh, så sött” och får oss att vilja ta hand om och beskydda dem, på liknande vis som små hjälplösa barn kan göra. Men det förklarar inte varför vuxna människor idag leker med filter som får dem att se ut som leksakskaniner, använder söta emojis i stället för bokstäver eller springer benen av sig för att se en film om en Barbiedocka. Eller varför 2023 var året då ordet ”girl” kom att bli ett vanligt förekommande prefix, som i ”girl dinner” och ”girl math”. Eller varför utställningen ”Bubble Planet”, som uppmanar besökare att ”släppa loss sitt inre barn” genom att kasta loss i bubblor av olika slag har blivit en sådan framgång i både USA och Europa.Handlar intresset om det gulliga om en allmän infantilisering, tröst i dystra tider eller om nostalgi? I veckans avsnitt pratar vi med Hello Kitty-fanet Jessica Lindberg, ringer upp Claire Catterall som är curator för den nyöppnade utställningen Cute på Somerset House i London, samt diskuterar somer och söta kakor med cookie-experten Kaja Hengstenberg och redaktören Johanna Boström.Veckans gäst är Lisa Ehlin, doktor i digital kultur.

The creator of Sex and the City, Candace Bushnell, whose column in the New York Observer was the inspiration behind the TV series, joins Anita in the studio. The real-life Carrie Bradshaw is bringing her one-woman show about creating the hit series to the West End and then doing a UK tour.After 20 years of silence, prize-winning author Lisa St Aubin de Terán is back with a new book. Aged 16, Lisa married a Venezuelan landowner-turned-bank robber; she eventually ran away from him with her young daughter only to end up trapped in a castle with the Scottish poet George MacBeth. From there she eloped to Italy and in 2004 she settled in north Mozambique, establishing the Teran Foundation to develop community tourism. She lived there until 2022 when a cyclone took the roof off her house, and returned to London with a bag full of manuscripts including her memoir, Better Broken than New. She joins Emma in studio.A new study says that an ideological gap has opened up between young men and women in countries on every continent. These increasingly different world views could have far-reaching consequences. One of the leading researchers in gender studies Dr Alice Evans, Senior Lecturer in the Social Science of Development at King's College London tells Emma why Gen Z is two generations, not one. Emma also speaks to Professor Rosie Campbell, Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London.Emma talks to the TV presenter Kaye Adams about her 10-year battle with HMRC over their claim she owed almost £125,000 in unpaid taxes. Best known for her role on the Loose Women panel show, she also hosts the morning show on BBC Radio Scotland. She says the protracted legal case has left her feeling “utterly, utterly beat up and gaslit”, despite her vindication.From cute cat memes to plush toys, a new exhibition at Somerset House explores the power of cuteness in contemporary culture. But is buying into a cute aesthetic regressive or even sexist, or can cute be reclaimed as a form of protest? And how would you feel, as a grown woman, about being labelled 'cute' or 'adorable'? To discuss, Emma is joined by Dr Isabel Galleymore, a consultant on the Cute exhibition; and the journalist Vicky Spratt.Have you ever thought about where your name came from? Perhaps you were named after a favourite relative, a character in a movie or maybe your parents just liked the sound of it. Photographer Deirdre Brennan wanted to mark the 1500th anniversary of Saint Brigid, one of the patron saints of Ireland. To do this, she photographed Brigids all over Ireland and asked them how they felt about their name. She joins Emma to discuss the project - as does one of the Brigids involved in her project - Brigid McDonnell, a sheep farmer from County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Episode No. 639 features artists Sin Wai Kin and Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork. The Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, University of California, Berkeley is presenting "MATRIX 284/Sin Wai Kin: The Story Changing," the artist's first US exhibition. BAMPFA's exhibition includes Sin's two most recent video works: The Breaking Story (2022) and Dreaming the End (2023). "The Story Changing" was curated by Victoria Sung and is on view through March 10. BAMPFA's eight-page exhibition brochure features a conversation between Sung and Sin. Sin often uses speculative fiction and narrative in performance and in filmic works. Informed by their experience in London's drag scene, Sin's work asks questions about history, the present, and the construction of reality and factuality. Sin was shortlisted for the UK's Turner Prize in 2022. Their work has been shown at museums such as Fondazione Memmo, Rome, Centre d'Art Contemporain, Geneva, Somerset House, London, The British Museum, London, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, the 2019 Venice Biennale, and more. On the second segment, a re-air of a 2017 segment with Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork. The Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Harvard University is presenting "Poems of Electronic Air," Gork's East Coast institutional debut, through April 7. The exhibition combines recent sculpture with a commissioned, site-specific installation made for the CCVA's Le Corbusier-designed building. Gork has previously exhibited at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, SFMOMA, SculptureCenter, New York, BAMPFA, and in the Hammer Museum's 2019 Made in L.A. biennial. For images, see Episode No. 302. Instagram: Sin Wai Kin, Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork, Tyler Green.

Following the speech last week by the head of the British Armed Forces calling for a new ‘citizen army', we look at what this could look like and what role women would play. Emma Barnett speaks to former RAF Group Captain Kathleen Sherit the author of Women on the Front Line, and to Diane Allen, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel. It's been reported that the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fasts for 36 hours at the start of each week. He is said to stop eating by 5pm on a Sunday and doesn't permit himself to touch food again until 5am on a Tuesday, and allows himself to drink only black coffee and water. It is said that he has followed this practice for years. Emma is joined by Dr Saira Hameed to discuss fasting and how men and women should approach it differently. Amy and Anu are identical twins, but just after they were born, they were taken from their mother and sold to separate families. Years later they connected online and realised they were among thousands of babies in Georgia stolen from hospitals and sold, some as recently as 2005. Emma speaks to one of the twins, Amy Khvitia, and also Fay Nurse, a BBC journalist behind a new documentary, Georgia's Stolen Children. From cute cat memes to plush toys, a new exhibition at Somerset House explores the power of cuteness in contemporary culture. But is buying into a cute aesthetic regressive or even sexist, or can cute be reclaimed as a form of protest? And how would you feel, as a grown woman, about being labelled 'cute' or 'adorable'? To discuss, Emma is joined by Dr Isabel Galleymore, a consultant on the Cute exhibition; and the journalist Vicky Spratt.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

Welcome to the final episode in my seven part, end of year series! Inspired by the Black radical tradition of the harmony between the lyrical and visual, I am joined by friends to explore the musical influences that inspire their work. We also look to the people, real and imagined, familial and ancestral who guide them.Cynthia is a costume designer, whose work you will have seen in successful British films, like the recent Rye Lane directed by Raine Allen-Miller. Cynthia's currently showing work at Somerset House in London as part of the exhibition Missing Thread, which charts the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the unique contribution it's made to Britain's design history. Our friendship began in the early 2000s, when we worked together in my capacity as a photographer.It was Cynthia's generosity of ideas and her unique approach to design that inspired me and makes her one of the most revered costume designers today. Cynthia and I sneaked in a super quick, ten minute conversation whilst she was on set last week. She shares her musical influences and talks about how music is the foundation of her design for all of her characters.Please share and review this independent Black art show. Thank you!ENJOY!Follow us:Shade Podcast Spotify Playlist (updated daily)Shade Art Review Shade Art Review Christmas offer codeShade Podcast InstagramMissing Thread Exhibition Somerset HouseCynthia Lawrence John AgentCynthia Lawrence John InstagramThis series was produced and hosted by Lou MensahMusic King Henry IV for Shade Podcast by Brian JacksonMixing by Tess Davidson Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/shadepodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Curator Alice Wilke transports from Switzerland to sub-Saharan cities in Africa, tracing Carnival traditions across continents, via Carrie Mae Weems' 20th century wallpapers, ceramic plates, and photographs. In 1993, the North American artist Carrie Mae Weems undertook a ‘pilgrimage' to West Africa to discover her heritage. With photographs of historic architectures, former slave sites, and colonies, she seeks to retell histories about the origins of civilisation - but ones which also highlight her position as a contemporary artist practicing from a diaspora. As The Evidence of Things Not Seen - the final stop on Weems' current ‘world tour' of exhibitions - opens in Switzerland, curator Alice Wilke talks about how the show has changed from between the Barbican, in London, and Basel. Starting with the Missing Link series (2003), we consider the particular history of Carnival in Basel, a time of social and political critique, and tradition with unexpected connections to the Caribbean. We see how Weems relocates celebrated - and celebrity - Black women like Mary J. Blige in her practice, composing photographs like Baroque paintings to play on conventions of Western/European art, and keep stories alive through their retelling. Moving through Weems' wider work, we consider the racism, internalised shadism, and hyper-visibility of Black people in society, and what European institutions haven't yet seen, in their under-representation of POC artists. Carrie Mae Weems. The Evidence of Things Not Seen runs at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Switzerland until 7 April 2024. For more, you can read my article. Part of JOURNEYS, a series of episodes leading to EMPIRE LINES 100. Return to Carrie Mae Weems: Reflections for Now at the Barbican in London, with curator Florence Ostende's EMPIRE LINES episode on From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried (1995-1996): pod.link/1533637675/episode/b4e1a077367a0636c47dee51bcbbd3da For more about Weems' wallpapers, read about BLACK VENUS: Reclaiming Black Women in Visual Culture at Somerset House, in gowithYamo: gowithyamo.com/blog/reclaiming-visual-culture-black-venus-at-somerset-house For more about Dogon architecture in Africa, listen to Dr. Peter Clericuzio's episode on The Great Mosque(s) of Djenné, Mali, on EMPIRE LINES: pod.link/1533637675/episode/079e9ccf333c54e7116ce0f9a6e7a70c WITH: Alice Wilke, assistant curator at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Switzerland. She has worked as a research assistant at the city's HGK FHNW Art Institute, where she supervised the podcast series Promise No Promises!, the Kunsthalle Göppingen, and the Museum Tinguely. She is the assistant curator of The Evidence of Things Not Seen, with curator Maja Wismer. ART: ‘Africa Series, Carrie Mae Weems (1993)'. PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic. Follow EMPIRE LINES on Instagram: instagram.com/empirelinespodcast And Twitter: twitter.com/jelsofron/status/1306563558063271936 Support EMPIRE LINES on Patreon: patreon.com/empirelines

In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with the remarkable Skye Gyngell, a renowned chef, author, and inspirational figure who has weathered one of life's biggest storms - addiction. From her early struggles with addiction and mental health challenges to her triumphant rise in the culinary world, she has harnessed the power of self-discovery and has rebuilt her life.As a talented chef, Skye has left an indelible mark on the culinary landscape, with her acclaimed restaurants including Petersham Nurseries, Spring restaurant at Somerset House, and Heckfield Place. Her culinary expertise is matched only by her unwavering dedication to mental health advocacy.Through her story, Skye reminds us that recovery is possible, that passion can be a path to healing, and that sharing our struggles can inspire and uplift others on their journeys.Find Skye:Website: https://springrestaurant.co.uk/about/skye-gyngell/Instagram: @skyegyngellFollow Hurt to Healing on Instagram: @hurttohealingpod--A big thank you our wonderful charity partner Shout. Shout is the UK's first 24/7 mental health text support service so if you're struggling or in need of someone to talk to, please remember to text Shout to 85258. Thank you to our corporate supporter, Brown Advisory, a global investment management firm which is passionate about raising awareness of mental health challenges in order to help people thrive in an ever-changing world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birmingham Royal Ballet is celebrating the city's pioneering heavy metal band in a new production, Black Sabbath – the Ballet. Tom Sutcliffe talks to the director of BRB Carlos Acosta about how the marriage of apparently conflicting cultures came about. He also hears from the composer and arranger Christopher Austin on adapting the music for contemporary choreography and the dramaturg Richard Thomas about creating a narrative structure for an abstract dance form. Today it was announced that Michael Gove has appointed commissioners to take over Birmingham Council. To find out how this might affect arts organisations in the city, Tom speaks to the Birmingham-based journalist and broadcaster Adrien Goldberg. In our occasional series on cultural bugbears we hear from the author and Guardian journalist Tim Dowling. As London Fashion Week draws to a close, we put the business of the British fashion industry under the spotlight with the Yorkshire-based designer and Professor of Fashion Matty Bovan, the New York Times fashion journalist Elizabeth Paton and the designer, academic and curator Andrew Ibi, whose exhibition The Missing Thread: Untold Stories of Black British Fashion is about to open at Somerset House. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Emma Wallace Black Sabbath Ballet 1:18 Birmingham Funding 17:20 Immersive Theatre 22:18 Fashion 28:12

Skye Gyngell is an Australian-born chef who has spent much of her career shaping the British food scene. I first became aware of her cooking when I visited Petersham Nurseries' cafe in Richmond, which she opened in 2004 and later earned it a Michelin star. Nowadays she runs her own beautiful restaurant, Spring, at Somerset House in London, and is the culinary director of Hampshire hotel Heckfield Place. For this episode, Skye generously invited us into her home in west London and we talked about all sorts of things, including her favourite things to eat here and what it's like being a mother to grown-up kids. This conversation was recorded in person at Skye's home in West London. For more: Head over to our website for more images of the places discussedVisit Spring and Heckfield PlaceSign up to The Modern House newsletter for weekly interiors inspiration Check out Matt Gibberd's latest book, A Modern Way To Live Executive Producer: Kate Taylor of Feast CollectiveProduction: Hannah PhillipsMusic: FatherGraphic Design: Tom Young Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Season 17!!! For the first episode of our NEW SEASON we meet the legendary photographer and activisit AJAMU X, at his studio on Railton Road, South London.Ajamu X (1963, Huddersfield, UK) is a photographic artist, scholar, archive curator and radical sex activist best known for his imagery that challenges dominant ideas around black masculinity, gender, sexuality, and representation of black LGBTQ people in the United Kingdom.He is the co-founder of rukus! Federation and the rukus! Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer + Archive and one of a few leading specialists on Black British LGBTQ+ history, heritage, and cultural memory in the UK. In 1997, Ajamu was the Autograph x Lightwork artist-in-residence in Syracuse, USA developing a series of self-portraits during his residency. He studied at the Jan van Eyck Akademie, Maastricht, The Netherlands, and is currently an PhD candidate at Royal College of Art, London. In 2022 Ajamu was canonised by The Trans Pennine Traveling Sisters as The Patron Saint of Darkrooms in his hometown Huddersfield and he received an honorary fellowship from the Royal photographic society.Ajamu's works have been shown in exhibitions in museums, galleries, and alternatives spaces across globally since the 1990s, his recent solo exhibitions include Archival Senoria at Cubitt Gallery, 2021. As well as included in several thematic group Very Private? at Charleston House, 2022; Fashioning Masculinities, Victoria and Albert Museum, 2022; Kiss My Genders, Hayward Gallery, 2019; Get Up, Stand Up Now, Somerset House, 2019; On our Backs: The Revolution Art of Queer Sex Work, Leslie Lohman Museum, 2019. Ajamu's works are held in collections including Tate, London; Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow; Autograph, London; Neuberger Museum of Art, New York amongst others. His second monograph AJAMU: ARCHIVE was published in 2021.Ajamu X: The theoretical provocations, politics, and aesthetic qualities of my work unapologetically celebrate black queer bodies, the erotic, sex. pleasure and play. The work also poses the imagination/fiction in opposition to the constant framing of our complex and nuanced experiences from with a sociological framework, which constitutes a paradigm based on deficit. As a fine art studio-based and darkroom led photographer working with both digital/large format cameras and early analogue printing processes, my practice privileges process over outcome. The tangible/tactile sensuous elements of fine art photography are essential to my visual-photographic philosophy.In tandem with this, the work explores the ‘thingness; of the photographic print as well as the sensual, material attributes of both print and image, without allowing the usual flattening -out of the photographic image to simple notions of representation to enter the frame.Follow @AjamuStudios and visit his major solo exhibition in London: https://autograph.org.uk/exhibitions/ajamu-the-patron-saint-of-darkroomsAjamu: The Patron Saint of Darkrooms runs until Saturday 2nd September 2023, Free entry! @AutographABP Gallery address: Autograph, Rivington Place, London EC2A 3BA, UK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode carries content warnings for slavery and indentured servitude, kidnapping, discussion of taxidermy, blood, injury, physical harm, death, and the discussion of sports-related injuries. Here, in Somerset House, drama of the most unlikely kind is afoot.  With the family fortune withering away, the Solstice clan plays host to a pair of powerful Pact dignitaries: the data-magnate Exenceaster March and the notorious Admiral Bel'Agos Bloom.  They aim to draw March away from his loyalties to the Columnar with an exquisite retreat prepared by the house's staff,  featuring hunting, fine dining, and other entertainment. But one after another, the unpredictable has become the occuring: A terrible accident among the hedges. The discovery of an explosive device. And next, the return of an absentee member of the household…  Can Solstice House's staff turn the situation around and save the day? Or is something—like the mysterious, dark pall that surrounds the estate—due to break? Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. The Branched: A post-human culture from the Golden Branch star sector who have transformed their bodies into spectacular forms, but who are now weighed down by an endless war with the Principality.   Persons Crevera Solstice (she/her): (Largely absent) matriarch of the Solstice family.  Coughton Solstice (he/him): Crevera's husband. An absolute pushover. Carvisle Solstice (he/him): The cruel son of Somerset House. Catalina Solstice (she/her): Adventurous older daughter of the house, who's never met a cause she wouldn't turn into a vanity project.  Catrina Solstice (she/her): Morose younger daughter of the house with a special interest in taxidermy. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. Guliford Gain (she/her): March's bodyguard. Cinephile. Bel'Agos Bloom (bel/bels, they/them): Pact admiral and March's sibling-in-law.  Laris, Leah, and Laurice: March's servants. Indentured indefinitely.  Vivian Exler (she/her): Somerset House's “award winning” gardener and groundskeeper.  Martine Sprue (she/her): Somerset House's mechanic, in charge of the family's small fleet of terrible machines. Eileen Lilas (she/her): One of Somerset House's maidservants and erstwhile companion to Catrina. Locations Kaliope: A planet at the very periphery of the Golden Branch star sector. Once, it was known for cutting edge genetic modifications, avant garde fashion, and a streak of anti-authoritarianism. Now it is just one jewel on the bracelet of the principality.  Somerset House: Estate of the Solstice family, deep in the forests of Kaliope. It's hidden away and defensible, but some say that it carries a dark past connected to the Branched..   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart),Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can buy Upstairs and Downstairs right here: https://richardwrecks.itch.io/upstairs-downstairs

This episode carries content warnings for slavery and indentured servitude, kidnapping, discussion of taxidermy, animals bred to be hunted, blood, injury, physical harm, death, and the discussion of sports-related injuries. It is often noted that the Bilateral Commission (formerly the Curtain) is mostly comprised of people from Stels Kesh and Nideo, and likewise that the Pact is largely made up of Apostolosians and Columnar. Room is made for exceptions because, in many cases, such cases are all the more important. Thus could be the case of Exanceaster March, Columnar data magnate and long time friend of the (ever diminishing) Solstice family of Kesh. Today, the troubled aristocrats bring their powerful ally to their estate for a visit, during which they hope to persuade March to leave the Pact behind.  For the Solstice family, this could be everything they need to be catapulted back into the upper crust. For their servants, it will be just one more hellish event left for them to clean up after. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Upstairs & Downstairs Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. The Branched: A post-human culture from the Golden Branch star sector who have transformed their bodies into spectacular forms, but who are now weighed down by an endless war with the Principality.     Persons Crevera Solstice (she/her): (Largely absent) matriarch of the Solstice family.  Coughton Solstice (he/him): Crevera's husband. An absolute pushover. Carvisle Solstice (he/him): The cruel son of Somerset House. Catalina Solstice (she/her): Adventurous older daughter of the house, who's never met a cause she wouldn't turn into a vanity project.  Catrina Solstice (she/her): Morose younger daughter of the house with a special interest in taxidermy. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. Guliford Gain (she/her): March's bodyguard. Cinephile. Bel'Agos Bloom (bel/bels, they/them): Pact admiral and March's sibling-in-law.  Laris, Leah, and Laurice: March's servants. Indentured indefinitely.  Vivian Exler (she/her): Somerset House's “award winning” gardener and groundskeeper.  Martine Sprue (she/her): Somerset House's mechanic, in charge of the family's small fleet of terrible machines. Eileen Lilas (she/her): One of Somerset House's maidservants and erstwhile companion to Catrina. Locations Kaliope: A planet at the very periphery of the Golden Branch star sector. Once, it was known for cutting edge genetic modifications, avant garde fashion, and a streak of anti-authoritarianism. Now it is just one jewel on the bracelet of the principality.  Somerset House: Estate of the Solstice family, deep in the forests of Kaliope. It's hidden away and defensible, but some say that it carries a dark past connected to the Branched..   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart),Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can buy Upstairs and Downstairs right here: https://richardwrecks.itch.io/upstairs-downstairs