Left to right (top to bottom): Ben Young, Richard Silver, Omar Ortiz, Fares Micue, Ian Berry, Navid Baraty, Sophie Gamand, Iris Scott, Alexa Meade, Liam Wong, Steve McCurry, Erin Hanson, Albert Dros, Refik Anadol, and Alexandre Farto (Vhils)
My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast is in between seasons right now, but there are plenty of amazing stories you might still want to catch up on! Whether you are an avid listener of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast or you’re considering giving it a try, this quick guide will help direct you to your new favorite episode!
We have compiled playlists of episodes that discuss unique mediums and processes, taking the leap into an artistic career, developing your own style, and also interviews with some incredible photographers. Keep scrolling to see which episodes will inspire you to create your own art.
If you loved these conversations, keep a look out for season 2 of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast where we talk to incredible creatives about the impact their art has made on others.
“Unique Mediums or Processes” Playlist on My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast
Left to right (top to bottom): Ian Berry, Vhils, Alexa Meade, Ben Young, Refik Anadol, Iris Scott, and Navid Baraty
Ian Berry
We talk with artist Ian Berry about his creative process and the way he uses denim to create spectacularly detailed installations and works of art. After working in advertising while perfecting his craft on the side, Berry decided to take a leap of faith and become a full-time artist. Since then, he has been fascinating the world with blue-toned scenes that celebrate the range of colors and textures found in jeans. Berry tells us that to him, this style is about portraying contemporary life out of a very urban fabric that may be the “material of our time.”
Vhils
We talk with street artist Alexandre Farto, also known as Vhils. Known for his groundbreaking carving and explosive street art, Vhils has made a name for himself by revealing thoughtful narratives behind city life. His work reimagines the role of graffiti as a method of reckoning with our past and celebrating our shared history.
Alexa Meade
We talk with artist Alexa Meade, who is known for her innovative technique of painting on the human body and 3D spaces to create an illusion that they are 2D pieces of art. We explore how Alexa moved from a career in politics to starting a successful art career and creating a team to help execute her vision. We also look behind the scenes at some of her most popular projects and discuss her venture into the world of NFT art.
Ben Young
We talk to sculptor Ben Young about his incredible glass and concrete sculptures and how he began making these unique pieces. He explains that boating and water sports were an important part of his life for a long time, but a family trip first introduced him to the glass art that would later define his career. We learn about the influence his time as a boatbuilder had on his craft and about the leap of faith he made when transitioning to work as a full-time sculptor.
Refik Anadol
We talk with media artist Refik Anadol of Refik Anadol Studio. This studio creates incredible pieces of art that exist in the public realm and seeks to be accessible to people of “any age, any background, and any culture.” Anadol’s media art exists in the form of incredibly immersive audio/visual installations, stunning projections, and parametric data sculptures that all explore the relationship between humanity and technology.
Iris Scott
Painter Iris Scott has built her career by forgoing one of the tools most artists work with—the paintbrush. Listen along as we chat with Iris about how she set the brush aside to launch a career as the world’s foremost finger painter. She’ll inspire you with her story of trusting her inner voice and knowing that she could break into the contemporary art market with her unconventional paintings.
Navid Baraty
Photographer Navid Baraty‘s love for space is clear in his work. Though astrophotography is just one series in his incredibly diverse portfolio as a photographer, people around the world are inspired by his carefully composed shots of solar eclipses, meteor showers, and more. We chat with Navid about his astrophotography, fictional kitchen space-scapes, and incredible planetary cross-stitching.
“Taking the Leap” Playlist on My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast
Left to right (top to bottom): Richard Silver, Elyse Dodge, Sarah K. Benning, and Fares Micue
Richard Silver
Photographer Richard Silver has a talent for capturing space in unique and unexpected ways. We talk about the techniques featured in his work, his upcoming Vertical Churches book, and much more. Silver has built up an impressive portfolio across the almost 100 countries and over 350 cities he has visited. In each new place, he documents iconic landmarks, incredible modern architecture, and beautiful vernacular designs. His photography also allows us to explore even the most famous or familiar places from a completely new perspective.
Elyse Dodge
We love that painter Elyse Dodge’s art style, which includes both digital and traditional techniques. We talk with Dodge about how she developed her unique style and much more. Dodge describes her work as the “intersection between art and design.” You can find the result of this beautiful hybrid in her colorful landscapes with abstracted low poly mountains.
Fares Micue
Photographer Fares Micue chats with us about her striking self-portraits that tell interesting stories about self-growth and mental health. Using imagery of flowers, origami, and other delicate props, Micue transforms self-portraits into beautiful narratives about life. Her work is accompanied by thoughtful prose that brings new meaning to each piece.
Sarah K. Benning
Embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning shares some amazing insight on her successful professional journey and about how her work has changed along the way. Benning tells us about her decision to embark on an art career. We hear about how she manages an 80-hour workweek to fill an Etsy shop, pursue new projects, and to keep up with demand. We think you’ll enjoy hearing about this artist’s relatable struggle with finding a work-life balance—especially when your work includes creating art that you love.
“Developing Your Own Style” Playlist on My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast
Left to right (top to bottom): Erin Hanson, Omar Ortiz, Liam Wong, Refik Anadol, and Vhils
Erin Hanson
Successful oil painter Erin Hanson has cultivated her own, distinct style called Open Impressionism. This fresh take on landscape painting is a reflection of her love for the great outdoors. Listen as we chat about her transition into painting full-time (and how art fairs helped her do so), as well as her innovative new 3D prints of her canvases.
Omar Z. Ortiz
Artist Omar Ortiz creates some shockingly realistic paintings. Ortiz specializes in hyperrealistic female nudes with abstract backgrounds. The painter shares that he has always been interested in technique and precision. He experimented with airbrushing in university because it allowed him to achieve a texture and blurriness common to the realism he is now known for. He currently works with oil paint as he believes it the “noblest technique.”
Liam Wong
We talk to photographer and game designer Liam Wong about his cinematic photography. He tells us about the effect video games and film had on him as an artist. These artistic influences helped him develop a sharp eye for composition that allows him to capture such dramatic shots of lively urban streets, often in Tokyo, Japan.
Refik Anadol
Vhils
Photography Playlist on My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast
Left to right (top to bottom): Richard Silver, Fares Micue, Sophie Gamand, Steve McCurry, Omar Robles, Albert Dros, Liam Wong, Gregg Segal, and Navid Baraty
Steve McCurry
We were thrilled to welcome acclaimed photographer Steve McCurry for an intimate look at his incredible career, which spans more than four decades. We touch on his early photojournalism in Afghanistan, as well as how his work has been impacted by COVID-19. And, he gives us a preview of his new book In Search of Elsewhere, which contains previously unpublished photographs.
Sophie Gamand
We talk to photographer Sophie Gamand about her many dog photography series and the changes they have made in both dog and human lives. Gamand’s Pit Bull Flower Power series is just one example of photography that tackles unjust treatment of animals by questioning our prejudices and getting us to appreciate the fragility of life. We talk to her about this work, her experiences at shelters and dog meat farms, and about what motivates her to use photography to give a voice to the voiceless.
Albert Dros
We sat down with Dutch landscape photographer Albert Dros to learn more about how he made the leap into full-time photography. Along the way, we discuss how photographing his own backyard got his work recognized internationally, how he managed to enter the famous Keukenhof tulip garden during the coronavirus lockdown, and how he discovered the beauty of Kyrgyzstan.
Gregg Segal
American photographer Gregg Segal has always been fascinated by the way we consume. From what we throw away to what we eat, nothing is off-limits. We spend time chatting with Gregg about his groundbreaking series 7 Days of Garbage and Undaily Bread to understand what he’s learned about the way we produce waste and what we can take away from other cultures.
Richard Silver
Fares Micue
Omar Z. Robles
Liam Wong
Navid Baraty
Related Articles:
Painter Elyse Dodge on Her Colorful Low Poly Landscapes [Podcast]
Street Artist Vhils on His Iconic Art Style and Creative Process [Podcast]
Artist Alexa Meade on Her Successful Career and the NFT Art Revolution [Podcast]
Media Artist Refik Anadol on His AI-Driven Artwork Redefining Space [Podcast]