Seen

This week, Carrie Scott interviews artist Richelle Rich. What does Margaret Thatcher have to do with Mr. Whippy ice cream? And why does it matter to contemporary art?Listen to this episode to find out. Working from her vine-covered studio in Santa Monica, Richelle is finally looking back at the Isle of Wight—the small island where she grew up. Her current work explores systems of power through unexpected objects: ice cream, chalk cliffs, and folklore. She's investigating the urban legend that Margaret Thatcher invented soft-serve ice cream as an entry point to the intersection of personal and political history.We talk about her decade traveling with an inflatable sex doll as her alter ego, creating a giant floral installation spelling "cunt" in the California desert, and why she prefers subversive ambiguity over overt political messaging—except when it comes to abortion rights.But this goes beyond art. We get honest about motherhood and creative practice—making art from dirty nappies during postpartum depression, raising teenage boys who understand privilege without guilt, and feeling like a wild horse being broken in even with help and privilege.We explore "escape velocity" from island culture, becoming more politically active in LA than she ever was in London, and how our generation of women is partnered with the first generation of men figuring out modern fatherhood with no roadmap.Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast. Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art (⁠⁠⁠⁠https://seen.art⁠⁠⁠⁠).Join our free newsletter and become an art insider:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://mailchi.mp/seen/waitlist⁠⁠⁠If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/watchseenart⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of the Seeing series, curator Carrie Scott sits down in studio with Joel Mesler . In this deeply personal conversation, Joel opens up about the end of his abandonment issues, why he deliberately chooses discomfort, and what it really means to create permission for others to feel. As an introvert who holds office hours at galleries, he embodies fascinating contradictions—and his radical honesty about parenting, art market strategies, and personal healing makes this one of our most destabilizing interviews yet. What happens when you sit down with an artist whose work demands genuine vulnerability from everyone in the room? Listen to find out. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast. Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art (⁠⁠⁠https://seen.art⁠⁠⁠).Join our free newsletter and become an art insider:⁠⁠⁠ https://mailchi.mp/seen/waitlist⁠If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/watchseenart⁠⁠⁠).

In this episode, artist Richard Phillips sits down with Carrie Scott to talk everything from his meteoric rise after being featured on Gossip Girl, to being 'cancelled' and the abrupt closure of his show at Gagosian. From his unconventional creative process and willingness to destroy seemingly finished works to why he believes today's artists are creating from a place of fear - Richard reminds us that we can't always believe what we hear or see on the internet.Richard Phillips is an American artist known for large-scale photorealistic paintings that often depict women sourced from fashion magazines and gossip publications. After receiving his BFA from Massachusetts College of Art in 1984 and MFA from Yale School of Art in 1986, Phillips worked as an art handler at the Guggenheim Museum before establishing his painting career. His glossy, hyperrealistic style transforms mass media imagery into fine art, with the artist stating that "fashion is not separate from art" when describing his approach to appropriating commercial source material.From Carrie: "Perhaps my expectations were low. But I left so happy to have met this man, and indeed happy to have seen his work in person. His facility, and agenda are both extraordinary. His art speaks to the complexities of modern life, exploring themes of celebrity, consumerism, and the intersection of art and popular culture. And I think the art world needs Richard right now. Even if we don’t really want to look at how ugly that side of things can be." Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast. Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art (⁠⁠https://seen.art⁠⁠).Join our free newsletter and become an art insider:⁠⁠ https://mailchi.mp/seen/waitlist⁠If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/watchseenart⁠⁠).

In this episode, Carrie sits down with Berto Herrera, an American artist and former U.S. military member now based in Germany, who brings a unique perspective to exploring themes of identity, power, and technology through multidisciplinary work. Trained at Parsons and involved early in his career with Los Angeles's influential art collective Box Eight, he worked for a decade as an art director at Adidas before returning to fine art. His practice spans installations, photography, painting, and digital works, driven by philosophical reflections on humanity and addressing themes of consumerism, late-capitalism, corporatism, and cultural identity, with all of his work since his first exhibition in 2006 centered on dismantling and examining subtle cultural biases that shape societal dynamics.From Carrie: "Berto Herrera's work might not be overtly political or totally autobiographical, but we talk about both those things in our interview. He's constantly trying to raise awareness around things that matter to him, but also that should matter to all of us. Issues around surveillance and racism and military force, these are big things, and he puts them in his work so vividly, but he does it under the veil of beauty."Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast. Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art (⁠⁠⁠https://seen.art⁠⁠⁠).Join our free newsletter and become an art insider:⁠⁠⁠ https://mailchi.mp/seen/waitlist⁠⁠If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/watchseenart⁠⁠⁠).

In this week's episode of Behind the Seen, Carrie Scott sits down with the art world's favourite YouTuber and art educator: James Payne from Great Art Explained. What happens when a self-proclaimed "worst artist in history" becomes one of the world's most beloved art educators? Meet James Payne, the mastermind behind Great Art Explained - the YouTube channel that's quietly revolutionized how we think about art.In this conversation, James reveals the beautifully accidental journey that led him from giving tours to North American students to creating 15-minute videos that have captivated nearly 2 million followers. We dive into his "sleepy voice" that sends people to sleep (and he loves it), why he never shows his face on camera, and how a tweet from Stephen Fry changed everything.But this isn't just about YouTube success - it's about democratizing art. James breaks down his mission to make art accessible to everyone, from art experts to "that 15-year-old boy in Wisconsin" he keeps in mind with every video. No art speak, no gatekeeping, just pure passion translated into the clearest, most compelling language possible.We explore the myths James debunks in his new book - from Georgia O'Keeffe's flowers (spoiler: Stieglitz was the problem) to Rodin's factory-made sculptures, and why Monet getting France's first speeding ticket actually matters for understanding his work. Plus, the three-year research journey that nearly broke him but resulted in something he's never been more proud of.This is a masterclass in turning expertise into accessibility, following your gut, and proving that the best educators aren't always academics - sometimes they're passionate tour guides who stumbled into something extraordinary during lockdown.Perfect for: Art lovers, educators, content creators, anyone who's ever felt intimidated by the art world, and people who believe culture should be for everyone.Featured: James Payne's new book "Great Art Explained: How to Look at Art and Understand It" - out October 2nd (UK) / October 14th (US & worldwide)Grab your copy: https://amzn.to/4nLZFzp Thanks for listening to this episode of the Seen podcast.Liked what you heard? Get early access to these episodes and a ton of other great art content by becoming a member of Seen at seen.art.If you want to connect with us between episodes, follow us on Instagram, @watchseenart.About Behind The SeenTheBehind The Seen Series brings on art world professionals of all sorts to give you insight into what the art world is really like. Curious what it’s like being a gallerist, an art critic or a curator? Then this series is for you.