Barely Emerging

frances and syd have a mid-career crisis

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 03:13:27 GMT

It's the first episode of Season 2!

Over the break, we had a chance to reflect.

That reflection showed a couple of withered husks who no longer qualify for emerging artist grants.

We have been forced to admit that, after 4 years, the window of acceptability for sucking at our university's shapely tit is now closed.

That we are now just a couple of dudes in their 30s who keep hanging around their old high school to relive the glory days.

That the drum of time continues to beat out its relentless tune, as we shuffle closer and closer to the grave.

But anyway how have you been?

This episode's Two Minute Google is a discussion on fan art, wherein Syd is exposed as a Twilight fanatic.

Title theme by Blast Rhombus

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Season Finale Hate-fest!

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:12:08 GMT

Its the last episode of the season!

This episode is a bit different. There is no research, no educational overtones, just 28 minutes of us ranting about things in the art world that have made us eyeroll so hard we needed an ice pack.

It's more like "art rants and fuming" haha that's an episode 7 call back we have fun here

Thank you so much for joining us for our first season, we had such fun making it. We will see you all in the new year!

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Two Minute Googles: Hyperrealism

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 07:48:23 GMT

We would like to formally apologise to hyperrealism. For many years we were like "JuSt TaKe A pHoTo MaTe!", but then we googled it for two minutes and realised that there is more to it than just being technically impressive.

Content warning for this episode, Sydelle uses the phrase "bussin".

Links:

Guy who does the honey ladies

Bill Braun (crepe paper guy)

Andrew Grassie

Our website

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Two Minute Googles: Abstract Expressionism

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:11:40 GMT

On this episode we defend Abstract Expressionism, voted the #1 art movement most likely to baffle your snobby-ass grandparents.

Links:

Abstract Expressionism

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Two Minute Googles: Sublime!

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:11:30 GMT

This episode of Barely Emerging we give the word "Sublime" a quick Google and talk about what we found.

Mainly, a lot of seascapes and long-dead artists with too many names.

But also, we uncovered a rich catalogue of artists from throughout history who have sought to give face to their feelings of awe and inadequacy when confronted with the stupendousness of the natural world. Who have attempted to capture on canvas the feeling of overwhelm and wonderment that comes from pondering ones place in the vast and unknowable universe, and realising that they are but one diminutive cog in a machine that can, and will, survive long after they have ceased to be a part of it. Or, who have sought to understand and share the breathless love and quiet terror of existing under the weight of heaven.

You know, fun little things like that.

Links:

Turner's Steamboat

Turner's Shipwreck

Friedrich's Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog

Martin's Last Judgement Triptych

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Two Minute Googles: Kitsch on the Cob

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 08:08:41 GMT

On this highly informative episode of Barely Emerging, we learn that 'Kitsch' is derived from the German word for trash, and if you say it enough times on a podcast episode it loses all meaning.

We also discuss contemporary artists who work within the kitsch aesthetic, and debate whether or not these artists can truly be considered kitsch or not.

Artists mentioned include Paul Yore, Jeff Koons, Mab Graves, Troy-Anthony Baylis and Margaret Keane.

Links:

Paul Yore's Spectacular, Spectacular

Jeff Koon's Winter Bears

Mab Graves' DinoKitties

Margaret Keane's Big Eyes

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YouTube

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Art Conspiracies

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:51:53 GMT

This episode, Riley O'Keeffe joins us for a paranoid rant about the conspiracies that have plagued the art world.

Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" may be eyeroll-inducing, but what about rumours that Marina Abramovic is a cult leader? Or that the CIA assassinated Mary Pinchot Meyer?

From Abstract Expressionism being Anti-Soviet propaganda, to the bizarre death of Mark Lombardi, we bunk and debunk some of the art world's most easily Google-able conspiracies.

A trigger warning for this episode, some of the discussions include mentions of suicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, drugs and murder.

Links:

Da Vinci Conspiracies

Marina Abramovic's Cult

Walter Sickert Is Jack The Ripper

Mary Pinchot Meyer

Carl Andre and Ana Mendieta

Abstract Expressionism and the Cold War

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Two Minute Googles: Controversial Art

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 06:52:00 GMT

This episode we discuss artworks that have caused controversy both in and out of the art world.

We talk about Ai Weiwei's 1995 triptych Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, that pissed off people who saw it as nothing more than a brazen act of destruction.

And Santiago Sierra's Union Flag, proposed as an inclusion in 2021's Dark Mofo festival in Hobart. It caused so much outrage that not only was it scrapped, but Dark Mofo itself felt the need

to sanitise its 2022 exhibition line up in order to avoid any more negative publicity.

Links:

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn

Maximo Caminero Smashes Weiwei vase

Santiago Sierra Union Flag

Sierra on the decision to cancel

Dark Mofo One Year On

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Two Minute Googles: Art Feuds

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 08:59:55 GMT

On this episode of Barely Emerging, we discuss the scrappiest art world spats we could find on the first page of Google:

Anish Kapoor vs. Stuart Semple and Lucien Freud vs. Francis Bacon.

Links:

Vantablack: Kapoor vs. Semple

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The Studio Journals: The Abject

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 09:52:26 GMT

Buckle up baddies, this week it's Syd's favourite subject: the Abject!

Abjection is the feeling of horror or repulsion one gets when they encounter that which is usually repressed. Feelings of disgust and rejection can occur when one encounters behaviours that go against the understanding of proper social constructs, such as public masturbation or defecation. It can also happen when there is a breakdown in one's understanding of the self and the other. Particularly when one's own sense of cleanliness and propriety is threatened or interrupted by bodily transgressions - such as piss, shit, vomit, and death.

Trigger warnings for this episode: there are some mildly graphic descriptions of dead bodies and a lot of talk about "secretions".

Editor's note: whenever Syd references 'morality', she actually means 'mortality'. We love her but god damn...

Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva

The Disgusting, The Formless and The Abject in Art

Abjection Without Splendour: Gunter Brus and Transgression's Diminishing Returns

Andres Serrano's Morgue series

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Two Minute Googles: Outsider Art

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:08:16 GMT

This episode we talk about our favourite pieces of Outsider Art.

Outsider Art is a blanket term that is used to describe those who create artworks without any formal training or education, independent of any art movement, and often using unconventional means of production.

Outsider artworks can be made by anyone, anywhere.

A child care centre, a hospital.

A town in rural France...

Whatever circle of hell Zdzislaw Beksinski's paintings came from...

Links:

Ferdinand Cheval's Le Palais Ideal

Zdzislaw Beksinski

Y by Zdzislaw Beksinski

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Two Minute Googles: The Art Thing

Wed, 22 May 2024 08:16:58 GMT

This episode we discuss the pieces of art that have knocked us on our asses.

In our conversation with Riley O'Keeffe, he introduced us to a concept he called "the art thing". The feeling you get when you encounter a piece of art that makes you stop in your tracks, and resonates with you so deeply it leaves you breathless.

For us, that happens to be a feral demon woman and a dead sheep.

Enjoy.

Links:

Lilith (1994) by Kiki Smith

Born (2002) by Kiki Smith

Anguish (1878) by August Schenck

Orphan (1885) by August Schenck

Website

Youtube

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Art and Activism

Fri, 10 May 2024 11:02:03 GMT

For this very special episode we are joined by very special guest Riley O'Keeffe for a very special discussion about activism in the arts.

We take a look at how funding ties have caused art galleries, and in some cases artworks themselves, to be the target of activist groups.

We also discuss some examples of artwork that has been made as a form of protest, and try to guess why certain modern acts of protest have not been as successful as they could have been.

Links:

The Just Stop Oil Van Gogh Soup Throwing Incident

Just Stop Oil vs. The Rokeby Venus

Nan Goldin vs. The Sacklers

Maps of Gratitude, Cones of Silence and Lumps of Coal (2019): map linking connections between the arts and fossil fuel industry.

Interactive Map

Black Square protest at the TATE

Pro-Palestine Protest at the MoMA and Hamburger Bahnof

Guerrilla Girls

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Two Minute Googles: Dada

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 08:07:32 GMT

This episode we talk about one of art history's most justified temper tantrums, Dada.

Developed by a group of predominantly German artists during World War I, Dada defined itself as being about nothing. They were so anti-establishment, in fact, that they created an entire anti-art movement to show it. But actually, the movement arose as a reaction to the violent nationalism of many European countries during the war, and a rejection of the logic, reason and aesthetic of modern capitalism. Many of their works are protest works, railing against war, the bourgeoise and authority.

The mockery and oppositional defiance of Dadaist art was so influential that if you squint, you can still see it all over Reddit.

Links:

Dada Movement

Hugo Ball's Dada Manifesto

Hannah Hoch

Kurt Schwitters

The First International Dada Fair

Prussian Archangel

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Two Minute Googles: Performance Art

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 09:23:46 GMT

On this episode of Two Minute Googles we discuss how far is too far in performance art, and come to the conclusion that the key, as always, is consent.

We also discover that the 1970s were an ungoverned shitshow and that Sydelle can't pronounce Abramovic.

Links:

Seedbed (1972) by Vito Acconci

Rhythm 0 (1975) by Marina Abramovic

Imponderabilia (1977) by Marina Abramovic and Ulay

Our website

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Art Grants and Funding

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:44:51 GMT

This episode we take a look at the history of arts funding in Australia, and the different types of grants and funding options currently available to artists in Adelaide and around Australia.

We'd be lying if we said we didn't just hear the name 'Nugget Coombs' and build an episode around him...

Links:

Tertiary and emerging artists only:

UniSA Creative Scholarships

Helpmann Academy Creative Boost Grant

Mid-career artists only:

Guildhouse Fellowship

Council and government grants:

City of Adelaide Council Grants

Department of the Cabinet Arts and Culture Grants

Regional Arts Fund

Creative Industries SA

Creative.gov.au

Other funding bodies:

Access2Arts Opportunities Page

Metro Arts

Artist Run Initiatives

ArtsHub Grants List

Resources:

A handy calendar with all the grant application dates

A place to donate to support independent grants

Find us!

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Two Minute Googles: Art Selfies

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 06:30:00 GMT

We hope you are hungry, because we are here with another batch of Two-Minute Googles!

Drawing on years of poor time management at university, we use our powers of last-minute research to bring you a discussion on a topic we have just looked up.

This week we come to the conclusion that its better to die than make a self portrait.

Links:

Bryan Lewis Saunders Website

Blind Dweller:Bryan Lewis Saunders Video

William Light- Self Portrait

Connect with us:

Haunted Cow Collective Instagram

Barely Emerging Instagram

Website

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Two Minute Googles: Ancient Penis Art

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 06:30:23 GMT

We hope you are hungry, because we are here with another batch of Two-Minute Googles!

Drawing on years of poor time management at university, we use our powers of last-minute research to bring you a discussion on a topic we have just looked up.

This episode we giggle our way through a discussion about the Secret Cabinet and Mediaeval Marginalia.

Links:

Gabinetto Segretto (Secret Cabinet) in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli

Snackish.com blog entry on Secret Cabinet with more images

Atlas Obscure entry on Mediaeval Marginalia

Jeanne De Montbaston gallery

Connect with us:

Haunted Cow Collective Instagram

Barely Emerging Instagram

Website

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The Studio Journals: Surrealism

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 02:17:44 GMT

Studio Journals are a form of creative research tool that are used in most art schools. For this episode, we got ours out of the bin to bring you an episode on one of the most commonly taught art movements - surrealism!

We talk about the historical context behind the movement, discuss some of its key players, and try our best to hide our hatred of Sigmund Freud.

Links:

History.com entry on Surrealism

Manifesto of Surrealism by Andre Breton

Artworks discussed:

Max Ernst, 'Forest and Dove', 1927

Salvador Dali, 'The Persistence of Memory', 1931

Meret Oppenheim's 'Object (Fur Lined Tea Cup)', 1936 and 'Table With Bi rd's Feet', 1939

Rene Magritte's 'The Treachery of Images', 1929, 'The Son of Man', 1946 and 'Golconda', 1953

Leonora Carrington, 'Self-Portrait', 1937

Dorothea Tanning, 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik', 1943

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Two Minute Googles: The Other Guys

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:18:32 GMT

We hope you are hungry, because we are here with another batch of Two-Minute Googles!

Drawing on years of poor time management at university, we use our powers of last-minute research to bring you a discussion on a topic we have just looked up.

This week we talk about Lee Krasner and Maria Blanchard, two artists from history who have been overshadowed by their contemporaries.

Links:

Lee Krasner: Living Colour at The Barbican

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Two Minute Googles: Titles

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 07:05:12 GMT

We hope you are hungry, because we are dishing up some Two-Minute Googles!

Drawing on years of poor time management at university, we use our powers of last-minute research to bring you a discussion on a topic we have just looked up.

This episode we look at titles. Did you know that a lot of really famous artworks weren't actually titled by the artist? We didn't.

We also chat about some of our favourite uses of titles that have added meaning to an artwork.

Articles referenced:

Ruth Yeazell's article on art titles

Laura Mulvey's analysis of Cindy Sherman's Untitled Film Stills

NY Times article on Jens Haaning

Artists:

Cindy Sherman: Untitled Film Stills 1977 - 1980

Jens Haaning: Take The Money and Run 2021

Us:

Our Instagram

Our Website

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Centrelink for the Talented Freelancer (whatever the fuck that means)

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 04:43:49 GMT

Workforce Australia announced that certain ‘creative activities’ now count towards JobSeeker Mutual Obligations. Which is great news. Sort of.

In this episode we cover a brief history of the unemployment benefit in Australia and how those with intermittent or unstable employment (like creative freelancers) have often struggled to find support in this system.

We also take a look at what these new ‘creative activities’ are, and what this means for artists now.

Mainly we have a bit of a rant about how these new activities are a bit flawed and don’t relate to the vast majority of artists out there.

But you know, baby steps.

Links to articles discussed in this episode:

NAVA's Centrelink Win

Mutual Obligations for Creatives

Irregular and Freelance Work factsheet

Support for Talented Freelancers factsheet

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Haunted Cow Collective Instagram

Barely Emerging Instagram

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