Florida State University Department of Art Assistant Professor Anne Stagg and alumna Laura Tanner launched a new podcast that focuses on the long-term impacts of the pandemic on the visual arts.
The Open Call Podcast, released every other week on Thursdays, gives a glimpse into the creative practice and features engaging discussions with artists, curators and arts organizations about the importance of art and staying connected.
“So much of what we do as artists is already done behind the scenes, and the pandemic has increased that,” Stagg said. “For artists, sharing what we make is vital to our practice. This nurtured the idea to create a space of our own that would provide a new platform for a broad spectrum of voices within the arts community to come together and share ideas.”
The podcast allows Stagg and her team to engage in conversations with other artists about their inspiration, research and current projects as a means to document the hidden side of the creative practice.
“We are discovering that these conversations are critically important,” Tanner said. “Not only do they breathe new life into the work, but they connect artists to each other in new ways.”
The podcast focuses on amplifying the voice of their featured guest while highlighting the significance of their work.
“Discussing visual art through an audio platform offers an opportunity for listeners to engage in conversations about the ideas within the artwork and explore the work in a new way, relying on senses other than eyes,” Stagg said.
On a recent podcast, internationally known artist Ethan Murrow discussed the importance of collaborating, not only through the production of art, but also as fuel for maintaining a sustainable creative practice. Murrow creates larger-than-life wall-based drawings and paintings through a practice of research, experimentation and play. Working with other artists informs the ideas behind his work.
“Through a mashup of images, I hope to cut away at the neat and tidy narrative of progress and domination and create moments that deal with the abundant misinformation, deep confusion, genuine absurdity and billowing mass that has always kept this country on its toes,” Murrow said.
Stagg and Tanner intentionally curate guests’ voices to engage in important conversations that reflect our community, society and politics.
“We understand this to be a form of collaboration in its own right — a collaboration between ourselves and other artists in an effort to document this unprecedented moment,” Tanner said.
Stagg and Tanner still recognize the importance of visually seeing the work and use Instagram to do this by posting on @the_open_call_podcast multiple times a week.
“This endeavor is an effort by Professor Stagg to help open the conversation on visual arts to a broader audience,” said James Frazier, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “I look forward to seeing where this project takes her.”
Stagg received help from five FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) students: Erin Miller, Alyssia Price, Christian Pruitt, Ainsley Coty and Syd Cole. The students contributed to the project through production scheduling, communications and outreach, sound editing, and promotion.
Visit The Open Call Podcast website for more information and to listen to episodes.