This episode of Exquisite Corpse brings together National Academicians and painters Elena Sisto and Carroll Dunham in a deep discussion about painting, abstraction, and the trajectories of their work.

Both painters are interested in the abstracted figure and their exchange explores the influences of childhood, freedom and risk in the studio, and mimesis versus non-objective painting. They share an investment in the expansive nature of abstraction through invention and revel in their commonalities as artists and most importantly as painters. 

In this episode of Exquisite Corpse, architects Wendy Evans Joseph and Billie Tsien discuss the art-centered roots of their friendship and the experiential nature of architecture. They discuss what it means to alter or create an experience and how they practice patience with projects in the public realm. 

They touch on their various projects that alter how the public engages with an environment, such as Wendy’s back-of-house glass box for the Music Hall at Snug Harbor Cultural Center or Billie’s project for David Geffen Hall, at the Lincoln Center where her firm restructured the lobby to be more inviting and multifunctional. Both invested in community engagement, they share a mutual admiration for producing projects that deepen public connection.

The second episode of Season 4 joins National Academicians Charles Gaines and Rashid Johnson in conversation about the multiplicities of blackness, the properties of representation, and exploring materiality in art making. They discuss mutual friends, common references, and a substantial reading list. Rashid shares key reference points from his childhood that inform his materials and structures. Charles delves into the nature of the grid, elements of language, and the dynamics of representation. Together they share a mutual appreciation for each other, and the intellectual investigations that underpin their practices.