The Installation Art Podcast

Listener feedback form: https://forms.gle/T6ywdFawXWKLu1UR6Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/installationartpodcastA conversation with New Zealand artist Mike Hewson, recorded inside his monumental installation The Key's Under the Mat at the Art Gallery of New South Wales – a 2,500 square meter underground park complete with working sauna, laundromat, barbecues, DJ booth, recording studio and playground that's broken every visitor record the gallery has ever seen.Mike's practice straddles the complex lines between art, infrastructure and public liability. He designs playgrounds that councils don't know how to regulate, builds permanent public sculptures that must survive Australian weather conditions and human interference and he takes on legal exposure that would terrify most artists, all while fighting the perception that making functional, interactive work is somehow "beneath" serious art.Key insights from this episode:• The Christchurch earthquake moment: barefoot in a broken city, wondering whether he should keep pursuing art• Project backlash: dealing with public anger, going into debt on his first major commission and lessons learned• Strategic pivot: setting a new precedent as an artist-engineer• True scope of the AGNSW project and how he sourced materials for it• Hard truth and advice: burnout is not a sustainable business modelMike Hewson is a New Zealand artist based in Sydney. You can find out more about his work on his website https://mikehewson.co.nz/ and follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehewson See his work in person:The Key's Under the Mat at AGNSW Tank (open until August 2026) https://mikehewson.co.nz/2025/10/the-keys-under-the-mat Coal Loader Palm Grove is a permanent public installation at Sydney Fish Markets: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2026/1/coal-loader-palm-grove Rocks on Wheels public art playground in Soutbank, Naarm (Melbourne): https://mikehewson.co.nz/2022/11/rocks-on-wheels Pockets Park in Pioneers Memorial Park, Leichhardt NSW: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2022/2/pockets-park St Peters Fences at Simpson Park, St Peters NSW: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2020/9/st-peters-fences Illawarra Placed Landscape at Crown Street Mall, Wollongong NSW: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2017/11/illawarra-placed-landscape 02:55 Work Life Balance Reality05:35 Growing Up in Rural NZ08:02 From Painting to Installations19:40 Building Playgrounds as Art27:37 Precarious Look Safe Design32:32 Sourcing Found Materials40:33 Maintenance and Record Crowds45:41 Afterlife and Financial Reality58:51 Geopets Art Fair Hack01:07:17 Contracts, Insurance and Codes01:20:51 Hard Truths And Advice01:25:51 After The Mammoth ShowAlso mentioned in this episode:Christchurch earthquake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Christchurch_earthquake JR: https://www.jr-art.net/ | https://www.instagram.com/jr/ Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/columbia/ | @columbiaSarah Sze: https://www.sarahsze.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/sarahszestudio Lloyd’s: https://www.lloyds.com/australia | https://www.instagram.com/lloydsoflondon/ | @LloydsinsuranceInfrastructure NSW: https://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/ | Gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com.au/ | https://www.instagram.com/gumtreeaus | @gumtreeaustraliaLett Thomas Gallery: https://lett-thomas.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/michaellett | https://www.instagram.com/lettthomasgallery Rirkrit Tiravanija: https://www.davidzwirner.com/artists/rirkrit-tiravanija | https://www.instagram.com/rirkrit_team Sydney Fish Market: https://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/ Images courtesy of the artist and Art Gallery of NSWThe Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive.🔔 Hit subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening to never miss a new episode.📢 Follow us on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@installationartpodcast📚 More information about the show and previous episodes: www.installationartpodcast.comYour host Anastasia Parmson: www.anastasiaparmson.art https://www.instagram.com/anastasiaparmson.art/

I made a 3-minute listener survey to help shape the podcast's future. What's working? What's not? Who should I interview next? Your feedback genuinely matters. Fill out here: https://forms.gle/qqHJrMXpsC9UYu2m7Get 15% off your .art domain name: https://get.art/?refdotart=art5044n9z17mpromo code: ART5044N9Z17MA conversation with Dutch artist Tanja Smeets, whose site-specific installations employ diverse and industrial materials (concrete spacers, leaf catchers, textiles, ceramics and 3D-printed steel) to create large scale works that appear to grow organically from architecture and cityscapes.Guided by her catchphrase “Under the pavement the roots are whirling,” Tanja's practice reveals what it takes to work at the intersection of art, craft, technology and collaboration.Key insights from this episode:• Why art school felt like failure• Finding and transforming unusual materials• Residencies at TextielLab and European Ceramic Work Center: pushing porcelain through frying sieves, learning embroidery and more• The volcano eruption: teaching an assistant to knot lentils into lycra via Zoom when flights were grounded• Miami airport interrogation: five suitcases, a letter and threatening border patrol agents with a lecture on artTanja Smeets is a Dutch artist based in Utrecht. Her work has been exhibited internationally including Manifesta and Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. See her work in person atWesterpark, Amsterdam (permanent public sculpture) and Centraal Museum, Utrecht (permanent installation in historic staircase).03:24 Favorite Quote – Under the Pavement the Roots Are Whirling09:35 The Iceland Trip That Changed Everything15:49 From Painting to Installation – When Everything Clicked20:10 A Government Building Commission – Dripping Through Multiple Floors22:50 How the Opportunities Started Coming29:24 TextielLab – Combining Felt with Leaf Catchers33:09 European Ceramic Work Center Residency47:47 When the White Cube Doesn’t Work48:52 Manifesta Barcelona – Installing on 5th-Century Graves51:17 Building Solo vs Working with Teams56:33 The Commercial Question – “I’m Always Disappearing into Big Installations”01:02:10 Miami Airport – Five Suitcases and the Threat of a Lecture01:06:56 MX3D Collaboration – 3D-Printed Stainless Steel01:11:43 Finding Technical Collaborators and Pushing Boundaries01:17:09 Dream Project01:20:00 Advice for Emerging ArtistsOpening of solo exhibition and launch of new publication and film about Tanja’s work: 11 April 2026 at the Utrecht in Leeuwarden.The book can be ordered via [email protected] can find out more about her work at https://www.tanjasmeets.nl/ and follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/studiotanjasmeets/Also mentioned in this episode:Dyckman Farmhouse Museum: https://dyckmanfarmhouse.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/dyckmanfarmhouse | @dyckmanfarmhousemuseum8502Museum Boijmans van Beuningen: https://www.boijmans.nl/en | https://www.instagram.com/boijmans/TextielMuseum: https://textielmuseum.nl/en | https://www.instagram.com/textielmuseum/TextielLab: https://textiellab.nl/enEuropean Ceramic Work Centre: https://ekwc.nl/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/ekwc_oisterwijk/ @sundaymorningekwc6951David Lynch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_LynchEraserhead: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074486/Blue Velvet: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090756/Kunsthal KAdE: https://www.kunsthalkade.nl/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/kunsthal_kade_amersfoort | https://www.youtube.com/user/KUNSTHALKADEManifesta: https://manifesta.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/manifestabiennial/ | @Manifesta_foundationMondriaan Fund: https://www.mondriaanfonds.nl/en/homepage-2/ | https://www.instagram.com/mondriaanfonds/Museum of Arts And Design: https://madmuseum.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/madmuseum | @madmuseumMuseum Vizcaya: https://vizcaya.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/vizcaya_museum/ | @VizcayaMuseumWesterpark: https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/explore/neighbourhoods/westerpark | https://www.instagram.com/iamsterdamMX3D: https://mx3d.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/mx3d.metal.printing/ | @officialMX3DCentraal Museum Utrecht: https://www.centraalmuseum.nl/en | https://www.instagram.com/centraalmuseumThe Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive.🔔 Hit subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening to never miss a new episode.📢 Follow us on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@installationartpodcast📚 More information about the show and previous episodes: www.installationartpodcast.comYour host Anastasia Parmson: www.anastasiaparmson.art https://www.instagram.com/anastasiaparmson.art/Mentioned in this episode:Get your .art domain namehttps://get.art/?refdotart=art5044n9z17m promo code: ART5044N9Z17M

Take the listener survey: https://forms.gle/r2EN8w9C7wisUxJe7Help shape the future of the podcast! Your feedback matters. A bonus solo episode about my last minute art trip to Helsinki: what I saw at Helsinki Biennale on Vallisaari island, three must-visit museums (Kiasma, Amos Rex, HAM), and why sometimes the best art experiences require a little effort to reach.Last August, I hopped a ferry from Estonia to catch the closing days of Helsinki Biennale. In a day and a half, I discovered why island biennales create magic, why Nordic countries do art infrastructure better and what Australia can learn from Finland's approach to supporting artists and making contemporary art accessible to everyone.This isn't a comprehensive review, it’s my honest impressions, favorite discoveries and a few rants.What I cover in this episode:• Why the ferry journey to Vallisaari island matters (hello, Cockatoo Island nostalgia)• The challenge of installing art outdoors: scale, setting and competing with historic buildings• Standout works: Sara Bjärland's bronze "inflatable" sculptures, Tania Candiani's immersive bunker installation, Ana Teresa Barboza's woven bark forest• Three essential Helsinki museums: Kiasma (timeless favorite), Amos Rex (new obsession), HAM (Biennale HQ)• Gushing about Helsinki Central Library (Oodi): free recording studios, 3D printing, instrument hire – everything Sydney libraries lack…• Free museum days and artist benefits: how my Australian NAVA card got me free entry in Finland (but not in Sydney... explain that)00:00 Why I Went To Helsinki Biennale01:20 Getting to Vallisaari03:31 Island Setting and Challenges07:06 Scent Art Surprise08:46 Standout Works13:14 Lesson About Rushing15:28 Rainy Day Museum Crawl: Kiasma16:32 Amos Rex and HAM21:44 Finland Artist Perks23:37 Wrap Up and Listener PollResources:Listener survey - help shape this podcast! https://forms.gle/r2EN8w9C7wisUxJe7Send a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/installationartpodcast Write an email: https://installationartpodcast.com/contact Also mentioned in this episode:Helsinki Biennale: https://helsinkibiennaali.fi/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/helsinkibiennial/ Vallisaari: https://vallisaari.fi/en_US | https://www.instagram.com/vallisaari.fi Biennale of Sydney: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/ | https://www.instagram.com/biennalesydney/ | @biennaleofsydneyCockatoo Island: https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/harbourtrust/ | @HarbourTrust2088Olafur Eliasson: https://olafureliasson.net/ | https://www.instagram.com/studioolafureliasson/ Raimo Saarinen: https://www.raimosaarinen.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/raimosaarinen/ Sara Bjarland: https://sarabjarland.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/sbjarland/ Tania Candiani: https://taniacandiani.com/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/tcandiani/ Ana Teresa Barboza: https://www.anateresabarboza.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/anateresa.barbozagubo/ Nabbteeri: https://www.nabbteeri.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/maria_birkhuhn/ | https://www.instagram.com/nabbage/ Kiasma: https://kiasma.fi/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/kiasmamuseum Amos Rex: https://amosrex.fi/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/amoskonst/ Anna Estarriola: https://www.annaestarriola.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/annaestarriola/ HAM: https://www.hamhelsinki.fi/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/hamhelsinki/ Oodi: https://oodihelsinki.fi/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/oodihelsinki/ NAVA: https://visualarts.net.au/ | https://www.instagram.com/nava_visualarts/

Get up to 40% off your Hostinger plan: https://hostinger.com?REFERRALCODE=INSTALLATIONARTA philosophical conversation with Berlin-based artist Monika Grzymala, whose spatial drawings transform architecture with nothing but kilometers of black tape, intuition and intense physical labor.Monika's practice is deceptively simple: she works alone, without assistants, using adhesive tape to create immersive three-dimensional drawings that respond to each unique space. But beneath that simplicity we discuss profound questions about ephemerality, energy, presence and what remains when a work only exists for weeks before disappearing…From training as a stone sculptor to making her first site-specific drawing on ice at a Hamburg skating rink, from dumping all her figurative work after one transformative conversation with her professor to developing custom tape formulas with German manufacturers—Monika's journey reveals how radical simplicity can be the most powerful artistic choice.Key insights from this episode:• How one professor's comment changed everything• The longevity of tape installations: 2-3 months before they fall apart (and why that's intentional)• Documentation philosophy: why time-lapse videos don't capture the real process• Living inside an installation: the collector who surrounded herself with Monika's work• Advice for emerging artists: you don't need funding or large studios—just do itMonika Grzymala is a Polish artist based in Berlin. You can find out more about her work on her website: http://www.t-r-a-n-s-i-t.net/ and follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monika.grzymala/Monika’s publications: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/search/results?q=monika grzymalaShe is represented byGalerie CRONE: https://www.galeriecrone.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/galerie_crone/BERG Contemporary: https://www.bergcontemporary.is/en | https://www.instagram.com/bergcontemporary/SECCI Gallery: https://www.seccigallery.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/secci_gallery/03:20 Studio Rituals03:48 Berlin Life And Process05:44 Origins And Training08:01 Finding The Line13:25 Ephemeral Tape Philosophy31:24 Hunting For The Perfect Tape32:21 Liquid Drawing Mindset36:14 Funding Ephemeral Installations38:06 Energy, Memory And Reality41:31 Logistics And Documentation56:15 Advice For Young ArtistsAlso mentioned in this episode:MoMA: https://www.moma.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/themuseumofmodernart | @themuseumofmodernartThe Drawing Center: https://drawingcenter.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/drawingcenter/Biennale of Sydney: https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/ | https://www.instagram.com/biennalesydney/ | @biennaleofsydneyTokyo Art Museum: https://www.tobikan.jp/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/tokyometropolitanartmuseum/ | @tokyometropolitanartmuseum7280Louise Bourgeois: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Bourgeois | https://www.instagram.com/artistelouisebourgeois/Documenta: https://documenta.de/en | https://www.instagram.com/documenta_official | @documenta_officialBogomir Ecker: https://www.artforum.com/events/bogomir-ecker-2-226647/Olafur Eliasson: https://olafureliasson.net/ | https://www.instagram.com/studioolafureliasson/ Dian Woodner: https://patronview.com/patrons/dian-woodnerFrac Lorraine: https://www.fraclorraine.org/en/ | https://www.instagram.com/fraclorraine/ | @49nord6est-fraclorraineKunstlerhaus Dortmund: https://www.kh-do.de/ | https://www.instagram.com/kuenstlerinnenhaus_dortmund | @kunstlerhausdortmund2577Kunstmuseum Basel: https://kunstmuseumbasel.ch/ | https://www.instagram.com/kunstmuseumbasel/ | @kumubaselThe Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive.🔔 Hit subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening to never miss a new episode.📢 Follow us on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@installationartpodcast📚 More information about the show and previous episodes: www.installationartpodcast.comYour host Anastasia Parmson: www.anastasiaparmson.art https://www.instagram.com/anastasiaparmson.art/

Get 15% off your .art domain name: https://get.art/?refdotart=art5044n9z17mpromo code: ART5044N9Z17MGet Carrie's Artist Inventory Template here: https://www.seen.art/store/p/artist-inventory-template A refreshingly candid conversation with Carrie Scott: curator, art consultant, broadcaster and founder of Seen, a media platform connecting the art world to the real world.This is our most unfiltered episode yet, where we tackle topics that might "get us in trouble": what consultants actually charge, why artists should have elevator pitches (despite what famous curators say), whether museums should pay artists a percentage of ticket sales, and how galleries claim they'll "find you" while rejecting all submissions.Carrie's career spans working with major galleries in Seattle and New York, collaborating with Nick Knight for a decade, launching groundbreaking exhibitions and now building a consultancy that refuses to be motivated purely by commission. She is opinionated, pragmatic and genuinely invested in making the art world less intimidating and more transparent.Key insights from this episode:• The real numbers: what art consultants charge• Why Carrie is building an art consultancy that is not centered around transaction• The controversial debate: should artists have an elevator pitch?• What galleries mean when they say "don't contact us" (and should you ignore it)?• Creative health as the third pillar of wellness alongside physical and mental health• Practical advice for ambitious artists and where to find helpful resourcesCarrie Scott is a curator, art historian, consultant and broadcaster based in London. She is the founder of Seen, a media platform and consultancy dedicated to connecting the art world to the real world.You can find out more about her work at https://www.seen.art/ and follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/carriescottcurates/00:34 Carrie's Favorite Quote03:34 Background and Early Life07:13 Journey into Art and Education09:58 First Job and Early Career Challenges21:26 Transition to Consulting and Launching Her Own Business40:24 The Value of Installation Art43:48 Challenges in Monetizing Installation Art45:35 Artist-Museum Revenue Sharing52:05 Curating and Supporting Artists56:26 Advice for Emerging Artists01:09:45 Dream Projects and Future PlansAlso mentioned in this episode:Brothers And Keepers by John Edgar Wideman: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50891912-brothers-and-keepersOverherd oat milk: https://overherd.uk/ | https://www.instagram.com/overherd.ukThe Wallace Collection: https://www.wallacecollection.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/wallacemuseum | @TheWallacecollectionJean-Honoré Fragonard: https://www.wikiart.org/en/jean-honore-fragonardDickinson College: https://www.dickinson.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/dickinsoncollege | @dsoncollegeConde Nast: https://www.condenast.com/University of Washington: https://www.washington.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/uofwa/ | @universityofwashingtonSeattle Magazine: https://seattlemag.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/seattlemag/The Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/seattletimes/Seattle University: https://www.seattleu.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/seattleu/ | @seattleuniversityThe Stranger: https://www.thestranger.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/thestrangerseattle/James Harris: https://jamesharrisgallery.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/jamesharrisgallery/Rashid Johnson: https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/2830-rashid-johnson/ | https://www.instagram.com/rashidjohnson/Nicole Klagsburn: https://www.nicoleklagsbrun.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/nicole_klagsbrun_inc/Matt Day Jackson: https://www.hauserwirth.com/viewing-room/matthew-day-jackson/ https://www.instagram.com/matthewdayjackson/Mika Rottenberg: https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/23390-mika-rottenberg/ | https://www.instagram.com/mikarottenberg/Jimmy Moffat: https://www.instagram.com/jimmymoff/Art + Commerce: https://artandcommerce.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/artandcommerce/Annie Leibovitz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Leibovitz | https://www.instagram.com/annieleibovitz/Steven Meisel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Meisel | https://www.instagram.com/stevenmeiselofficial/Nick Knight: https://www.nickknight.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/nick_knight/180 Studios: https://www.180studios.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/180.studios/The Art Show on Sky Arts: https://www.carrie-scott.com/theartshoq | https://www.instagram.com/artshowtv/ | @theartshow791Simonette Quamina: https://www.simonettequamina.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/simonette_quamina/John Pawson: https://www.johnpawson.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/johnpawson/Arthur Jafa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Jafa | https://www.instagram.com/anamibia/Daelim Museum: https://www.daelimmuseum.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/daelimmuseum/ | @DaelimMuseumThe Design Museum: https://designmuseum.org/ | https://www.instagram.com/designmuseum | @designmuseumHarland Millers: https://www.whitecube.com/artists/harland-miller | https://www.instagram.com/harlandmillers/V&A: https://www.vam.ac.uk/ | https://www.instagram.com/vamuseum/ | @vamuseumTate: https://www.tate.org.uk/ | https://www.instagram.com/tate | @TateEllen Jong: https://ellenjong.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/_____ellenjong/SXSW: https://sxsw.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/sxsw/ | @SXSWLubaina Himid: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubaina_Himid | https://www.instagram.com/lubainapics/CIRCA: https://circa.art/ | https://www.instagram.com/circa.art/ | @CIRCA-ARTMax Neuhous: https://www.max-neuhaus.estate/The Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive.🔔 Hit subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening to never miss a new episode.📢 Follow us on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@installationartpodcast📚 More information about the show and previous episodes: www.installationartpodcast.comYour host Anastasia Parmson: www.anastasiaparmson.art | https://www.instagram.com/anastasiaparmson.art/Mentioned in this episode:Get your .art domain namehttps://get.art/?refdotart=art5044n9z17m promo code: ART5044N9Z17M