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In their own words
Created off the back of @thegreatwomenartists Instagram, this podcast is all about celebrating women artists. Presented by art historian and curator, Katy Hessel, this podcast interviews artists on their career, or curators, writers, or general art lovers, on the female artist who means the most to them.
Why you'd press play
A museum doubts a woman painted Bacchus; Katy Hessel invites you to ask who got the credit.
Press play if you want
- to question who turned Mary Magdalene into a single, tidy archetype
- to hear how Schiaparelli's friendships opened a path into fashion
Talks about
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Episodes
- 1
Alyce Mahon on Dorothea Tanning
Hidden gemKatie Hessel interviews art historian Alice Mahan, author of Dorothea Tanning: A Surrealist World, about the American Surrealist painter born in Galesburg, Illinois in 1910.
Apr 14, 2026·50m·3 clips - 2
Sonnet Stanfill on Elsa Schiaparelli
Hidden gemHost Katy Hessel introduces the podcast, promotes her new book, and thanks the Levitt Collection sponsor before beginning an interview about women artists.
Apr 7, 2026·48m·2 clips - 3
Diane Apostolos-Cappadona on Mary Magdalene
Katie Hessel interviews Diane Apostolos-Cappadonna, a Georgetown University professor emerita and author of Mary Magdalene: A Visual History, about how artists have represented Mary Magdalene across sixteen centuries.
Apr 2, 2026·54m·4 clips - 4
Meryl Tankard on Pina Bausch
Meryl Tankard describes performing with Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal from 1978 to 1988, when audiences initially booed, slammed doors, and threw oranges.
Mar 31, 2026·44m·3 clips - 5
Michaelina Wautier told by Katlijne Van der Stighelen (part 1) and Julien Domercq (part 2)
Hidden gemKathleen van der Stighelen recounts finding Michalina Wautier’s gigantic The Triumph of Bacchus in Vienna museum storage in 1993 and identifying an obscure 17th-century woman painter.
Mar 25, 2026·1h·4 clips - 6
Dita Amory on Helene Schjerfbeck
Mar 18, 2026·41m - 7
Nicholas Fox Weber on Anni Albers
Mar 11, 2026·50m - 8
Katherine Rundell – World Book Day Special!
Mar 4, 2026·4m - 9
Katherine Rundell – World Book Day Special!
Mar 4, 2026·48m - 10
Tracey Emin
Feb 25, 2026·1h - 11
Audiobook teaser: The Story of Art without Men – for younger readers!
Feb 18, 2026·10m - 12
How to Live an Artful Life: December
Nov 30, 2025·9m - 13
Bonus: Katy Hessel & Es Devlin
Nov 28, 2025·58m - 14
Magda Keaney on Julia Margaret Cameron
Nov 12, 2025·41m - 15
Megan Fontanella on Gabriele Münter
Nov 5, 2025·42m - 16
Ekow Eshun on Toni Morrison, Octavia E. Butler, Hilary Mantel, Wangechi Mutu, and more
Oct 29, 2025·1h 3m - 17
Sally Mann
Oct 21, 2025·51m - 18
Eva Helene Pade
Oct 14, 2025·44m - 19
Hilton Als on Jean Rhys
Oct 7, 2025·29m - 20
How to Live an Artful Life (Audiobook Taster!)
Oct 6, 2025·11m - 21
Tania Bruguera
Oct 1, 2025·37m - 22
Emily Kam Kngwarray as told by Kelli Cole [Exhibition walkthrough at Tate Modern!]
Jul 8, 2025·31m - 23
Meret Oppenheim as told by Lisa Wenger
Jun 3, 2025·47m - 24
Lois Dodd
May 27, 2025·37m - 25
Lorna Simpson
May 18, 2025·39m - 26
Michaela Yearwood-Dan
May 7, 2025·46m - 27
Danielle Mckinney
Apr 29, 2025·35m - 28
Bharti Kher
Apr 22, 2025·43m - 29
Andrew Hottle on Sylvia Sleigh
Apr 15, 2025·46m - 30
Katherine Bradford
Apr 8, 2025·39m - 31
Rose Wylie
Mar 31, 2025·33m - 32
Jenny Saville
Mar 22, 2025·35m - 33
Sheila Heti on Jenny Holzer, Berthe Morisot, Margaux Williamson, and more
Dec 10, 2024·34m - 34
Barbara Walker
Dec 3, 2024·31m - 35
Shahzia Sikander
Nov 26, 2024·51m - 36
Katharina Grosse
Nov 19, 2024·34m - 37
Cecilia Vicuña
Nov 12, 2024·43m - 38
Maria Balshaw on Museums (+ Tracey Emin, Frida Kahlo, and more!)
Nov 6, 2024·44m - 39
Audrey Flack (1931–2024)
Oct 30, 2024·34m - 40
Bonus episode: Witches in Art
Oct 28, 2024·30m - 41
Merve Emre on Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf
This episode introduces the podcast's mission to celebrate women artists and features a sponsor segment about a museum dedicated to female artists.
Oct 22, 2024·49m - 42
Emerson Bowyer on Camille Claudel
An interview podcast celebrating women artists, hosted by art historian Katy Hessel, with this episode sponsored by the Levitt Collection and FAM museum.
Oct 15, 2024·54m - 43
Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova
An interview podcast celebrating women artists, hosted by art historian Katy Hessel, with a sponsor segment about a museum dedicated to female artists.
Oct 8, 2024·49m - 44
Sophia Jansson on Tove Jansson
This episode celebrates women artists, featuring a discussion about Tova Janssen, creator of the Moomins, and highlights the Levitt Collection and FAM museum.
Oct 1, 2024·38m - 45
The Story of Art Without Men (Abstract Expressionism -- Audiobook!)
Aug 27, 2024·14m - 46
Cat Bohannon on the female body
Jun 25, 2024·32m - 47
Amy Hale on Ithell Colquhoun
Jun 18, 2024·45m - 48
Sam Taylor-Johnson
Katy Hessel introduces Series 11 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, sponsored by the Levitt Collection, and announces the opening of the Female Artists of the Mougins Museum.
Jun 11, 2024·45m - 49
Chloe Aridjis on Leonora Carrington
Jun 4, 2024·40m - 50
Natalie Haynes on Medusa
May 29, 2024·34m