Kunst Please

Now a symbol of peace and resistance, Maria Prymachenko was one of Ukraine's greatest artists. Self-taught, she became a legendary example of the Naive art movement. But in looking at her work, with the context of the time period in mind, could we say that is was just folksy and whimsical, or did it contain some brilliantly camouflaged criticisms of Stalin's genocidal operations...

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

After being locked down for a year recovering from a lung infection, the artist Rebecca Horn emerged from her cocoon to embark on a 40-plus multi-disciplinary art career that explored the feelings of isolation and the limitations of the human form. Highly relatable stuff for 2022.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

A modernist through and through, Alexander Liberman was not only one of the greatest art directors in history –legendary for his decades-long reign as Editorial Director at Condé Nast– he was also a celebrated artist in his own right. In contrast to the bold, fabulous fashion of his Vogue shoots and editorials, his art was highly minimal –  everything about him was devastatingly chic.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

After having his painting of a woman eating oysters alone barred from an exhibition in Antwerp, the artist James Ensor banded together with his friends to form a new group of artists known as Les XX. They would spend a decade exhibiting together alongside other luminaries of the time including great artists, musicians and literary folk.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

After her time at the legendary Black Mountain College, Ruth Asawa went on to create incredible sculptures — way ahead of their time. Inspired by Mexican basket weavers and empowered after a unique and experimental art school experience, she battled against racism and subjugation to create art with impact, eventually cementing her legacy by spearheading more community based education opportunities.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Candid and controversial and yet with filled with delicate sensitivity, Egon Schiele's artworks and in particular his nudes are brutally honest reflections of our fragile forms. He was problematic, accused of being pornographic but undeniably important as an artist who captured the human form in a truthful and creative way.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Despite being part of the hip to be avant-garde New York School, Fairfield Porter went against the conventional cool of the period and painted decidedly realistic paintings of the beautiful everyday. Revolutionary pieces of total normality.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Overshadowed but not to be underestimated, Sonia Delaunay had a truly free creative spirit that saw her become not only an influential taste-maker and important modern artist, but also a consummate entrepreneur and master of her own personal brand.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

It’s an interesting time to look at Giorgio de Chirico and the influence of Nietzsche on his work. The streets outside are looking mighty familiar to De Chirico's paintings – desolate, full of foreboding, and with a sense of warped reality. We know them well, but now they’re empty or populated by hidden, masked versions of ourselves.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

The “Socialist Realism” art movement was created in the early days of the Soviet Union to encourage/order Russian artists to create propaganda that inspired people to be better citizens. It resulted in a wealth of saccharine and kitsch art that failed to portray the realities of Russian life. However, Aleksandr Deineka and Alexander Rodchenko found a way around the guidelines and managed to create some incredible pieces.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. 

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Arte Povera, or "Poor Art" was born in Italy during the 60s. The movement's artistic aims were to rail against what they saw as cynical consumerism and elitism in the art world, by creating pieces from the most everyday and banal materials. Despite being marginalised at the time as the only female member, history has shown Marisa Merz to be one of the greatest exponents of the group.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

A little over 20 years after a psychiatrist completed a thesis on the artistic talents of the inmates of various German mental asylums, Jean Dubuffet coined the expression "Art Brut". Thus creating a movement that totally democratized the artistic process, and distanced itself from the de rigueur modes of the art scene. This was raw art – and anyone could make their mark.  

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

In 1937, Hitler signed-off on a massive exhibition of confiscated so-called Degenerate Art. The some 600 works represented some of the finest artists from Germany and beyond (all despised by the Nazis) working in various mediums of modern art. In a somewhat hilarious twist of fate, the exhibition proved to be one hell of a back-handed compliment. 

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

With a prolific career spanning six decades, Bridget Riley moved from  monochromatic 60s Cool Britannia to modern expressions of beautiful,  blended colour. Her Op Art style is all at once mesmerizing and trippy,  but it exudes an innate mathematical precision thanks to meticulous  preparation and detail.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Joan Brown was a founder member of the San Francisco based art provocateurs, The Rat Bastard Protective Association. From the 60s to the 80s she regularly switched up her styles and approach to painting whilst inhabiting the same vibrant attitude. A talented swimmer, she adored the water and it provided a continuous inspiration to her until her untimely and tragic death.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

The total void created by the beyond black pigment known as Vantablack was perfect for the infinite voids created by the legendary and highly celebrated artist Anish Kapoor. Unfortunately, his somewhat exclusive rights to use the anti-colour would become a tad divisive amongst the art community...

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Mark Wallinger's 1993 "flesh and bone" readymade was a racehorse dubbed 'A Real Work of Art'. Although not so successful at the track it serves as an impressively dense, and very wry commentary on the British class system all wrapped up in a celebration of the suffragette movement.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Jenny Holzer's "Truisms" and "Inflammatory Essays" are brilliantly brutalist works of text-based art. Initially created between 1977 and 1982 the work is startlingly prescient and guaranteed to provoke a strong emotional reaction whether displayed as guerilla advertising or in a gallery setting.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Chris Burden spent much of the 1970s creating wince-inducing performance art, and then evolved into a creator of stunning sculptural objects. The importance of the performative element was never lost in the transition though and his entire catalogue is filled with gems that demand a physical presence and attendance.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Tamara de Lempicka captured some of the most iconic imagery of the Art Deco period. Her clean and powerful style became synonymous with the movement. Whilst her personality and style captivated the art world and captured the hearts of many collecting luminaries such as Madonna, she should be best remembered as icon in feminist art and a hero to those who live on the fringes of society.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

John Heartfield has been described as “the greatest political artist and graphic designer of the twentieth century.” Throughout the thirties his anti-fascist imagery ran rampant throughout Berlin, much to the displeasure of the Nazis who forced him to flee Germany. His work was always biting and often hilarious, and his impact on contemporary culture is undeniable. 

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

Françoise Gilot was the muse that became a master. She and Picasso spent 10 topsy-turvy years together, resulting in two children, amazing artistic progressions for both of them, and for the first time in Picasso’s prolific history of affairs, it was he who would be dumped. 

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

One night in 1953, Robert Rauschenberg knocked on the door of Willem de Kooning's house. He held a freshly purchased bottle of Jack Daniels in his nervous hands, and a concept in his head so fiendishly ingenious that it’s execution would reverberate around the art world and help turn Rauschenberg into an icon himself.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.

As a collective, The Hairy Who exhibited together for just three years – but their success brought wide international acclaim to Chicago’s homegrown art movement. Their work was weird and dorky, quite unlike the colossally successful Pop Art of the time from such luminaries as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein whose efforts were far more clinical and detached.

Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. Tune in every fortnight for an exploration into the more unexpected side of modern art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. 

Created and produced by Jonathan Heath.