Best friends Phil Grabsky, BAFTA-winning filmmaker and founder of Exhibition on Screen, and everyday art fan Laura Bentham meet to talk about the paintings that inspire and excite them in an all-new series of the entertaining and informative podcast Painting of the Week.
In each episode the pair chat about an exceptional piece of art from their very different and equally valid viewpoints, offering fascinating insights into art in a very relatable way. Phil’s knowledge paired with Laura’s enthusiasm and genuine curiosity make Painting of the Week a rewarding listen for art lovers and novices alike.
In the all-new Season 4, Phil and Laura continue to explore some of history’s most significant paintings including J. M. W. Turner’s magnificent Rain, Steam, Speed, which Monty Python legend Michael Palin has picked as the piece of art which means the most to him in Exhibition on Screen’s new film My National Gallery, London which comes to cinema’s nationwide from 4th June 2024.
There are also insightful discussions about John Singer Sargent’s scandalous Madame X and Las Meninas by the legendary painter Diego Velázquez. In episode 2, in honour of National AIDS Memorial Week, Phil and Laura meet with Professor Yvonne Gilleece to discuss the moving and monumental AIDS Memorial Quilt.
Painting of the Week is produced by Seventh Art Productions. The podcast explores some of the world’s most amazing art, with all episodes available at https://seventh-art.com/podcast/. Also available on YouTube, Stitcher, Prime Music, Google Podcasts, Spotify & Apple.
Season 4 Episode Listing:
Ep. 1 available now – John Singer Sargent, Madame X
Season 4 kicks off with Sargent’s scandalous masterpiece, which he called “the best thing he ever did”. This painting caused a big enough stir to force him to both edit the painting and to relocate from Paris to London in 1886…
Ep. 2 available now – Yvonne Gilleece, Aids Memorial Quilt
In honour of National AIDS Memorial Week, Phil and Laura met with Professor Yvonne Gilleece to discuss the moving and monumental AIDS Memorial Quilt, which memorialises those lost to the HIV AIDS epidemic of the 80s and 90s. For more information, visit https://www.aidsquiltuk.org/about/
Ep. 3 (Thu 9 May) Holbein, The Ambassadors
This week’s topic of discussion is Holbein’s masterpiece from one of the most important years in British history – 1533. This was the year that Henry VIII broke from the Catholic church, married Anne Boleyn and had a daughter who would become one of England’s most popular monarchs, Elizabeth I…
Ep. 4 (Thu 16 May) Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks
Today, Phil and Laura discuss the ultimate renaissance man, often called the greatest artist of all time, Leonardo da Vinci, and the painting so nice he did it twice…
Ep. 5 (Thu 23 May) Turner, Rain, Steam, Speed
In this episode, Phil and Laura discuss the wonderfully dynamic Turner work which Michael Palin called his “science fiction painting” in the Exhibition on Screen film My National Gallery, London…
Ep. 6 (Thu 30 May) Degas, Miss La La
This week, co-directors of ‘My National Gallery, London’ Ali Ray and Phil Grabsky examine Ali’s favourite work in this world-renowned gallery, and just why it stuck out to her amongst this enormous collection of masterpieces…
Ep. 7 (Thu 6 Jun) Velázquez, Las Meninas
This week, Phil and Laura discuss what has been repeatedly named one of the greatest paintings in history, the monumental ‘Las Meninas’ or ‘The Maids’ by the legendary Velázquez…
Ep. 8 (Thu 13 Jun) John Constable, Colliers Unloading on Hove Beach
This week, Phil takes leading BBC radio presenter Danny Pike on a fieldtrip to the Brighton Pavilion to examine local legend John Constable’s stunning work depicting the seafront a stone’s throw from our office…
Ep. 9 (Thu 20 Jun) Statue of Augustus of Prima Porta (20AD) at the Vatican Museums
This painting of the week is a sculpture by an unknown artist which sits in the Vatican Museums, depicting a stunning larger-than-life image of the first official emperor of Rome…
Ep. 10 (Thu 27 Jun) Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night over the Rhone
To round off Season 4 of Painting of the Week, Phil and Laura look at Vincent’s other ‘Starry Night’, painted just down the road from his famous yellow house in Arles, and explore the themes of love, madness and beauty that have followed this beloved and troubled artist over the centuries…
