Frances Morris on Agnes Martin

The Great Women Artists

Katy Hessel

Arts

4.8 • 877 Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2019

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In Episode 08 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Katy Hessel interviews the Director of Tate Modern, FRANCES MORRIS (!), on the mammoth American abstract painter, AGNES MARTIN!! And WOW, is it incredible to hear such a groundbreaking curator speak SO passionately and eloquently about one of the greatest abstract painters to ever live. With a career that spanned five decades, Agnes Martin was known for her square canvases and meticulously rendered grids that translated into some of the most otherworldly pieces of art. Born in 1912, she grew up in rural Canada surrounded by nature before relocating to New York, where she worked alongside the Abstract Expressionists. In 1968 she relocated back to rural life and later settled in New Mexico, where she lived in monk-like conditions, painting everyday, up until her death in 2004. We discuss Frances's first-hand experiences with Martin's work; how she feels in front of one of her sublime paintings; what led her to curate such a spectacular exhibition in 2015; and of course, what the great artist taught her – ultimately, to look. It was such a privilege to speak to Frances Morris on Agnes Martin, and to hear such a personal response to a great artist. I hope you enjoy!! WORKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE Morning, 1965 https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/martin-morning-t01866 Friendship, 1963 https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79842 On A Clear Day, 1973 https://www.moma.org/collection/works/63682 Happy Holiday, 1999 https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/martin-happy-holiday-ar00179 Further information Frances's Tate exhibition: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/agnes-martin Short film by Tate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=902YXjchQsk Mary Lance's documentary on Agnes Martin: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/withmybacktotheworld Thank you for listening!! This episode is sponsored by the National Art Pass/ @artfund: https://bit.ly/32HJVDk To receive a free tote bag with your National Art Pass, enter the code GREAT at checkout! Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Recorded by Joel Price Sound editing by @_ellieclifford Artwork by @thisisaliceskinner Music by Ben Wetherfield Thanks to Well Fray-Smith https://www.thegreatwomenartists.com/

Transcript

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0:00.0	As you can probably tell, visiting galleries and museums is one of my absolute favourite activities,
0:06.0	and our new sponsor, The National Art Pass, makes that a whole lot easier, smoother and cheaper for us art lovers and gallery goers.
0:14.0	Not only does the National Art Pass grant you free entry to over 240 museums, galleries and historic houses across the UK, such as Kensington Palace,
0:23.4	Cardiff Castle and the Hornemann Museum. It also gives 50% off major exhibitions at places such as
0:29.7	the British Museum, Tate, VNA, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, and so many more.
0:35.8	And we all know that they have some pretty good upcoming and
0:38.6	current exhibitions, from Dora Marr at the Tate Modern to Elizabeth Payton at the National Portrait
0:43.3	Gallery. Membership is just 70 pounds for an entire year and for those under 30, it's a mere
0:48.6	45 pounds. And for lucky great women artists listeners, you can also receive an exclusive tote bag designed
0:54.8	by Malika Fave when you buy a National Art Pass by entering the code, great, at checkout.
1:00.4	Thanks to our sponsor, the National Art Pass for making this podcast possible.
1:08.0	Hello everyone and welcome to the Great Women Artist podcast with me, Katie Hessel.
1:14.7	Some of you might know me from The Great Women Artists, an Instagram account I set up in October
1:19.1	2015, which celebrates female artists on a daily basis, ranging from young graduates to old
1:25.2	masters. Well, in a similar fashion to the Instagram,
1:29.2	this podcast is all about celebrating female artists from a variety of backgrounds and histories.
1:34.9	And I am so excited to be interviewing artists on their career or artists, writers, curators,
1:40.4	or general art lovers on the women artist who means most of them.
1:45.0	What I want this podcast to do is celebrate female artists in all different capacities, so you,
1:50.0	the listener, can gain a look into the greatest female artists working now or from art history.
2:07.1	My guest today is the groundbreaking curator and director of Tate Modern, Francis Morris.
2:12.0	A graduate of Cambridge of the Courthold, Francis joined Tate in 1987 before becoming head of displays at Tate Modern when it first opened in 2000, and director of collections
	...

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