Ugh, As If! - contemporary art and culture podcast · Lisa Fevral

How did you finally "GET" Art? - 3x11

·54 min·5 clips

Lisa dipped her long hair in ink and slept on a canvas to create an artwork that challenged her father's traditional views on femininity.

This episode features the two hosts of the contemporary art and culture podcast "Ugh, As If!" reflecting on their personal journeys to understanding conceptual art. They discuss their early art education and the pivotal moments that shifted their artistic perspectives. One host recalls a high school project where they had to paint something white without using any white paint, which was a formative technical challenge. The other host describes a first-year university installation piece involving a glitching video of "Little Nemo" on a vintage TV paired with old car seats. They both detail the financially draining experience of second-year art school, citing expensive materials like Ilford film and specialty printmaking paper. The hosts mention a influential teaching assistant named Matt, who provided blunt but constructive feedback on early work. A surprising insight is that one host, who initially focused on painting, ultimately gravitated toward digital art and avatar rigging as their primary medium. They argue that truly understanding conceptual art made them more attuned to contemporary culture and technology. The other host notes that many peers transitioned away from purely technical mediums like painting or printmaking once they grasped conceptual practices. Both agree that second-year art school forces a practical, often costly, exploration of various mediums. The conversation reveals that a common early artistic pitfall is creating overly sentimental or personal work before learning to engage with broader themes. The hosts share a mutual frustration with the high material costs of art education, feeling tuition should cover more supplies. They humorously bond over the universal struggle of explaining to a pet why you must leave them at the vet. The tone is casual, confessional, and filled with inside jokes, mirroring a conversation between close friends. The style is anecdotal, moving freely between personal stories, art school memories, and tangential banter. Listeners who are art students or early-career artists will relate to the financial and conceptual struggles described. Anyone nostalgic for the messy, formative years of artistic education would enjoy this episode. Listeners seeking a highly structured, formal art history lesson might find the conversational detours less engaging.

As heard by us

A sharp, scrappy conversation about art's price, process, and the absurdity of being judged for trying.

Two voices work through the rough, funny business of making art: what materials cost, what judgment feels like, and how hard it is to keep working while broke and watched.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if you want art talk that starts petty and lands somewhere real.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Ugh, As If! - contemporary art and culture podcast