Esenija Bannan and I created a podcast together. Each episode focuses on one quote, using it as a spark to discuss broader themes, connect to specific artists and exhibitions, and debate aspects of contemporary art | available on all podcast platforms or on Spotify from April 30.
Introduction to the Podcast concept, episode Zero. 
Listen to episode Zero
WHY WE BEGIN WITH WORDS
When we created Art Unquoted, we asked ourselves: in a world saturated with images, why begin with words? The answer is simple: a quote is a bridge. It connects our own experience and intuition to the artwork itself, opening lines of inquiry we might not discover alone.
When artists speak about their work, they translate. They wrestle a visual, material language into a verbal one. And language has limits—it’s structured, linear, rational. It often fails when trying to contain what art excels at expressing: complex emotions, intuitive knowledge, the ineffable.
This tension fascinates us. When an artist struggles to articulate their creation, something profound happens. Sometimes the words are elegant. Sometimes they’re a beautiful failure. But we’re not looking for truth. We’re looking for the trace of their struggle to understand their own work.
The artwork itself also has limits. Its meaning is subjective. Its reception depends on the viewer. Which brings us to our central paradox: we use a non-visual medium to discuss a profoundly visual world.
We see this as an opportunity, not a limitation. It forces a different engagement. We paint pictures with words, creating “mental cinema.” We describe textures, flickers, weight. We become better viewers ourselves. And we invite our listeners into conversation rather than showing them the art.
The truth is, art and language exist in dynamic relationship. Art dissolves the clarity of language. Language gives us new anchor points for looking at art. Neither is complete without the other. And that’s where the real conversation begins.
