Exhibitionistas: Notes on Art – Details, episodes & analysis

Your host, writer and curator Joana P. R. Neves, challenges you to explore the mystery of a missing paragraph in Virginia Woolf's 'The Mark on the Wall', and its significance for creative pursuits. You're about to dwell on the flow of consciousness as creative flow – the art of mastering and letting go simultaneously.

How do we create? How to we get to that special place where we're in control while accepting the randomness of the reactive materials we work with? And what does that say about life?

Links, as promised:

Explorations of Sex and Self (reference to the Angel in the House): https://joanaprneves.substack.com/p/explorations-of-sex-and-self

About being drawn to "minor works": https://joanaprneves.substack.com/p/when-art-says-the-unspeakable

Subscribe to the free newsletter (and become a paid member if you can): https://joanaprneves.substack.com/subscribe

Buy us a book, support our researches: https://buymeacoffee.com/exhibitionista

We're fine-tuning the show in the background, so we're on a hiatus of sorts–but episodes will drop every two weeks, now on Mondays. We're clarified our purpose: we're now Exhibitionistas - Notes on Art, which feels good and more in tune with our vibe.

Takeaways

• Textual discrepancies in literary works can reveal insights into the author's creative process.
• Favorite texts can deeply influence creativity and self-perception. Better than self-help books? Find out for yourself!
• The Mark on the Wall by Virginia Woolf explores the balance between creative control and letting go, reflecting the complexities of the artistic process.

Chapters

• 00:00 Unraveling the Mystery
• 11:41 Introduction to the Special Series
• 17:28 Virginia Woolf's Life and Influence
• 32:31 The Angel in the House and Creative Freedom
• 01:01:24 Reading 'The Mark on the Wall'

ART BOOK CLUB is a segment where a guest suggests a book which was not written with visual arts in mind and yet is a source of inspiration, guidance and / or creativity for their work. Hosted by Joana P. R. Neves, this episode welcomes visual artist Laisul Hoque.

• How can a work of fiction influence the work of an artist?

• Can a visual arts practice be illuminated by storytelling? How can art practices she light on the value and limitations of archives and photographic documentation of the past?

• To what extent do images convey the truth?

• Is visual arts the territory where we reckon with our ties with the past, and our emotional needs?

Laisul chose: Babu Bangladesh!, written by Numair Atif Choudhury.

To know more about our guests → ⁠SIGN UP TO THE EXHIBITIONISTAS FILES.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://joanaprneves.substack.com/s/exhibitionistas⁠

+ you can become a member and support us.

What you get from this episode: Curating revelations, unexpected curating methods, lessons in community, art philosophies, ethical art questions.

→ DONATE (give it some time for the donorbox window to charge):

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://exhibitionistaspodcast.com/support-us⁠

If you appreciate Exhibitionistas but can only go for a small donation: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/exhibitionista⁠

For behind the scenes clips, links to the artists and guests we cover, and visuals of the exhibitions we discuss follow us on Instagram: @exhibitionistas_podcast

0:00 Intro

04:19 Choosing an artistic career

11:13 Autobiography in visual arts

18:26 Book: Babu Bangladesh! By NUmair Atif Choudhury

20:14 How a book intersects with personal life

22:15 The personal, the politics, the art, the book

28:20 What is Babu Bangladesh! about?

35:14 Family photo archive and visual arts

39:26 Break and call for action

41:43 Speculative fiction as device for truth telling

45:58 Why is Babu Bangladesh! In English?

48:32 Taking ownership of the historical archive?

56:18 StorytellingThe Ground Beneath Me: An artistic exploration of care

01:03:34 Displaced spaces of art

01:10:16 Does art provide answers?

01:21:14 Outro 

#visualarts #visualartist #bangladeshiartist #bangladeshart #arteducation #artbookclub #bookclub #bangladeshfiction #numairatifchoudhury #joanaprneves #exhibitionistas #exhibitionistaspodcast #arttalk #art #visualartsepisode #visualartspodcast #contemporaryart #talkart #youngartist #bowarts #nunnerygallery #londonexhibitions #londongallery #londonmuseum #bestlondonart

Get an art education with our 2 guests, curators Gemma Rolls-Bentley and E-J Scott!

Art Insider is an art discussion segment with fascinating visual arts thinkers and curators who lift the veil on their corner of the field (hosted by Joana P. R. Neves).

Our art talk explores

• ​The old question "what is contemporary art" but in light of queer communities and trans people.
• ​Curating strategies and innovative approaches.
• ​We discuss their co-curated exhibition "Talisman" about objects with symbolic and energetic force bringing safety and protection, but also of resistance in queer lives–the relation between the talisman and the art object and visual arts is timeless.

(Talisman was an art exhibition presented by Cardion Arts in Collaboration with The Museum of Transology.)

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→ Donate ⁠HERE⁠: https://exhibitionistaspodcast.com/su...

Key Themes Explored in This Episode: The importance of inclusivity in visual arts. Trans rights. Trans guidance. LGBTQIA+ art and artists. Queering the museum. Curating as an LBBTQIA+ person. Recentering female queer and trans narratives.Major Themes: Curating, Queer art, Museum Communication Strategies and Failures, Queer narratives, LGBTQIA+ art visibility, Lesbian histories, Trans histories, Audience Engagement, How to Engage with inclusivity. Art and activist. Non profit art organisations. Curating. Museums and heritage. New forms of curating. Exhibitions as safe spaces explores the importance of contemporary art spaces, museums and galeries for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Follow us on Instagram: @exhibitionistas_podcast

About us: Exhibitionistas is an independent visual arts podcast created and hosted by art writer and curator Joana P. R. Neves

www.exhibitionistaspodcast.com

#visualarts #contemporaryart #lgbtqia #exhibitionistas #exhibitionistaspodcast #joanaprneves #gemmarollsbentley #ejscott #museumoftransology #arteducation #healing #safespaces

What if a visual artist’s favourite tool revealed their underlying art themes and intrinsic creative processes?

Hosted by Joana P. R. Neves.

Guests: Ana María Caballero and Alexandra Jabre.

This segment is as much:

• ​an art education as
• ​an introduction to art critique,

by empowering you

• ​with art tips
• ​art techniques we seldom talk about.

My Art Tools is a segment associating two art talks where an established visual artist opens their tool box: what is their fetish instrument? An artist life can get as technical as it can be spiritual. In fact, they may be related...

But most of all, a visual artist's hand guides you through the passion of following one’s vision, the pleasures of trusting an instinct, and the resilience it takes to work creatively. After all, creative processes are everywhere, for the visual artist as for any problem-solving situation, with an added philosophical twist.

Our two guests also discuss what it takes to embark on a creative life, what it takes to create poetry, sculpture, and more. What sacrifices do you make, what path do you take, and what kind of healing does art bring?

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Exhibitionistas Files on Substack: https://joanaprneves.substack.com/s/e...

Joana P. R. Neves on Substack https://joanaprneves.substack.com

Compensate the work. If a membership is too much, leave us a tip.

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Host & Founder

Exhibitionistas is hosted by Joana P. R. Neves, a seasoned curator and writer with over 20 years of experience in the contemporary visual art field. She loves demystifying contemporary art by blending art history, theory, and personal reflections to reveal how art can uncover views on today's hottest topics as much as on everlasting existential questions.

For collaborations, text commissions and inquiries: joana@exhibitionistaspodcast.com

#arteducation #contemporaryart #artistlife #femaleartist #greatartists #contemporaryartist #artiststudio #artistinterview #artisttalk #greatwomenartists #visualartists #arttalk

For some, colour is subjective, for others it's vital. In visual arts, is it a universal idea or a local material? As far as art themes go, this one leads to a world of possibilities. Curator Joana P. R. Neves welcomes María Castro Jímenez, whose Substack page "Pigments, Colours & Other Stories" reveals new pathways into art history, art making and creativity. Perfect for artists, ideal for polymaths, superb for creative souls and idyllic for those who enjoy a mix of prehistory, archeology, chemistry, anthropology and magic. Ultimately, this is the best art podcast to creatively explore creativity...

Art Topic is an art discussion segment focusing on the most intriguing art themes, or providing exciting new approaches to classic art themes in visual arts, with art experts, thinkers or curators (hosted by Joana P. R. Neves).

Hosted by Joana P. R. Neves

Guest: María Castro Jímenez

María's Substack: https://mariacj.substack.com

PROMO LINK for her PIGMENTS GUIDE (20% discount until 1/2/2026): https://mariacj.substack.com/exhibitionistasdiscount 

✺ Exhibitionistas Files on Substackhttps://joanaprneves.substack.com/s/exhibitionistas

We're allergic to newsletters and passionate about writing.

✤ Joana P. R. Neves on Substack (Art Thinkosaurus) If you enjoy 1)reading; 2) our topics... you'll love Joana's Substack

https://joanaprneves.substack.com

Donating allows us to produce more and better. https://exhibitionistaspodcast.com/support-us

If a membership is too much, leave us a tip–every donation is a boost! ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/exhibitionista⁠

Host & Founder

Exhibitionistas is hosted by Joana P. R. Neves, a seasoned curator and writer with over 20 years of experience in the contemporary visual art field. She loves demystifying contemporary art by blending art history, theory, and personal reflections to reveal how art can uncover views on today's hottest topics as much as on everlasting existential questions.

Instagram: @joanaprneves / @exhibitionistas_podcast

For collaborations, text commissions and inquiries: joana@exhibitionistaspodcast.com

00:00 WELCOME TO OUR COLOUR EPISODE!

00:43 Is colour merely subjective?

02:33 Colour & Line in art academies

05:18 Colours are cultural. Is RED an exception?

01:02:54 BLUE, a favourite.

01:05:29 Book recommendation about colour in art

01:12:23 OUR GOODBYES.... until next time

Exhibitionistas Season 3: a constellation of 8 episode segments opening new doors onto the fascinating, thought-provoking and creative world of contemporary art. Exhibitions, Art Talk, Art Insider Interviews and more.

Starting: 5 September 2025.

Music by Sarturn

Featuring Catherine Li, Susie Ridell, Ben Luke, Marina Roca Díe, Sarah Le Quang Sang, Nick Taylor, and the O.G. Emily Harding.

Created & hosted by Joana P. R. Neves

What do curators do? THE CARRIER BAG THEORY OF FICTION

It's a very very short text that can basically change your life.

With a simple shift in narrative, Le Guin demonstrates how we can totally change the STORY.

But... how does this apply to curating?

ART BOOK CLUB is a segment where a guest suggests a book which was not written with contemporary art in mind and yet is a source of inspiration, guidance and / or creativity for their work. Hosted by Joana P. R. Neves.

Catherine Li chose: Ursula K. Le Guin

#curators #artpodcast #artbook

To know more about our guests → ⁠SIGN UP TO THE EXHIBITIONISTAS FILES.

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://joanaprneves.substack.com/s/exhibitionistas

+ backstage information and much much more. All the references in the episode are linked there too. And you get to explore all my published texts.

+ you can become a member and support us.

What you get from this episode: Curating revelations, unexpected curating methods, lessons in community, art philosophies, ethical art questions.

→ DONATE (give it some time for the donorbox window to charge):

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://exhibitionistaspodcast.com/support-us

If you appreciate my work, why not buy me a coffee? It's a nice way to show your appreciation without having to commit to a membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/exhibitionista

For behind the scenes clips, links to the artists and guests we cover, and visuals of the exhibitions we discuss follow us on Instagram: @exhibitionistas_podcastBluesky: @exhibitionistas.bsky.socialexhibitionistaspod@gmail.com

00:00 Intro 00:05:10 What does a curator do?00:09:57 The book over which Joana and Catherine bonded00:15:29 The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction00:23:16 An exhibition the size of a lunchbox00:33:22 Ideas and practicalities of curating00:40:49 Le Guin’s critique of the hero-centric story00:45:55 The curator: hero, opinion maker?00:52:09 Feminism, pre-history and curating00:59:49 The curator as a carrier01:07:23 Traditions and experimentations in curating01:16:59 Le Guin’s vision: process rather than conflict

#contemporaryart #ursulakleguin #howtomakeart #artexhibitions #catherineli #exhibitionistas #exhibitionistaspodcast #joanaprneves #artbook #artbookclub #bookclub #painting #contemporarypainting #londonart #museum #londonmuseum #artpodcast #artconversations #arttalk #talkart #greatwomenartists #sciencefiction #drawing #museums #artisttalk #artpodcast #artgallery

Visual artist Ed Atkins’s work is an existential theatre with avatars, CGI, motion capture technology, traditional figural drawing, Unreal Engine, filmed performance, experimental writing and much more.  Architect and first-time guest on the podcast, Nick Taylor, and I, get lost, fall into the temporary exhibition through a faulty door, rush through the show to watch the timed film, return a second time because one of us went to Tate Modern first, discuss exhibition-visiting methods, critique wall texts, and reflect upon our own relation with time, narrative, devotion and death

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Episode......................................................................

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If you enjoyed the episode, you may enjoy my essays on Substack: ⁠⁠https://joanaprneves.substack.com⁠⁠

Across all technologies, we've asked the same questions: 

…are we spectators or actors? 

…contemplative or engaged? 

…are images and the people in them dead? 

…and if so, why are they moving (both as a verb and an adjective)?

Hailed as a pioneer of digital technology, Ed Atkins' work found its groove in early experiments with video-editing. These quickly migrated into the world of gaming, with its motion capture and CGI animation, and their striking similarity with live performance through timed duration, but with a complicated relation with the physical world and real, fleshy bodies.

For behind the scenes clips and visuals follow us on Instagram: @exhibitionistas_podcast

We discuss: #parenting, #audience #engagement, #theatre spaces, fear, #vulnerability, #narrative building, #virtual realities, #self-representation, #identity, spatial dynamics, #modernism, #existentialism, #mortality, #parenthood, #theatre, #experimental film, emotional detachment, #intergenerational connections, #illness, #family dynamics.

Instagram:   @exhibitionistas_podcast  

Bluesky: @exhibitionistas.bsky.social

Website: https://exhibitionistaspodcast.com

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setup

02:31 Memories of Tate Modern

07:07 Pivotal Moments in Ed Atkins' Career

14:03 A Few Points Of Reference For Ed Atkins' Work

18:21 When The Artist Writes Their Own Wall Texts

22:35 Narratives On And Off The Screen(s)

27:17 The Exhibition as Experimental Writing

32:07 Narrative Building in Art Experiences

37:33 Theatre Without Actors

41:03 Self-Representation and Identity in Art

46:19 Spatial Dynamics and Human Scale in Art

53:23 Modernism and Its Absence in the UK

55:31 Life As Utter Devotion, Art As Its Awareness

01:02:36 The Disconnect Between Generations in Art

01:07:18 Reading Emotion: Ed Atkin's New Film With Real Actors

01:11:40 The Journey Through Illness and Art

01:16:51 The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Spectators

01:22:16 OUTRO

About us: If you enjoy the podcast If Books Could Kill and You Are Good, you will enjoy Exhibitionistas, where artists are unveiled through current and pertinent angles, and through thoughts and feelings. These podcasts were a great inspiration for our format because they're nerdy and engaging, researched and approachable. The co-host and the guest co-host engage in a conversation informed by an accessible and lively presentation of the subject, through which you can reflect on a show you've seen or discover it if you can't go, learn or re-evaluate artistic topics crossing over into our everyday lives.