About the podcasts

American art writer Suzi Gablik, wrote a book called Conversations Before the End of Time, which she published in the mid 90s, and which is a transcription of dialogues she had with 19 artists, critics, historians, philosophers to explore her own doubts about the way ‘Western’ art was going; how it was being made in isolation, how it was regarded, being discussed, considered, funded, consumed, understood in history, in exhibitions, permanent displays, museums and galleries.

She felt the need to question the very meaning and purpose of art. The original book was written at the end of the last millennium and, in some ways perhaps, everything seemed longer in the shadow, but her concerns resonate today, accelerated even, by the internet. 

Her conversations were with admired artists, critics, activists, scientists: articulate people some of whom had aired concerns in different ways already. On the whole, they are a mixture of liberal, socialist and conservative figures, some of whom have now died. The dialogue form allowed for all arguments and views: there was no attempt to hide disagreements or draw everything to a singular, coherent conclusion, though in the end, the reader feels a great sense of shared humanity.

Listen to the podcast Conversations Before the End of Time

Listen to the podcast Conversations in Time