Art Smitten
Arts
About
With a focus on the contemporary art scene in Naarm / Melbourne, we’re here to showcase art and culture. Contributors and presenters interview, review, and cover current and upcoming exhibitions, practices and everything in between. Art Smitten is the place for expanding your knowledge of art!Art Smitten is a SYN Media Podcast.
Episodes
- Radical Hope - with Isabella Hone-Saunders
In this episode we will be exploring Radical hope as a way to live, make and create during times of uncertainty. We discuss the current exhibition ‘Inter-narratives of hope: building catastrophe resilience’ curated by Isa…
- Art speak - how do we talk about art?
Art Smitten is dishing up a special on ‘art speak’ and the vernacular we use when talking about art 🗣️🗣️🗣️ The team will be reflecting on a recent attempt by the National Gallery of Art in Washington to Gen Z-ify art history…
- The natural world inspiring us all - with Pippa Milne from the Potter Museum of Art
For this week’s episode of Art Smitten ~ we are looking to the world around us and discussing how nature inspires artistic practice 🔍🐛🐜🌷🐦‍⬛ The team visited the Potter Museum of Art’s current exhibition ‘a velvet…
- Measures of devotion in art - Rebel Heart at SLV
We are putting the SMITTEN into Art Smitten this week as we discuss art that act as measures of devotion 🏹 During the show we will be joined by Isabel from the State Library of Victoria to discuss the current exhibition 'Rebel Heart: Love…
- The bedroom as site for artistic resistance - George from ' Bedside Oracle' + Nina on 'Forever Bedroom'
This episode explores the bed and our rooms as sites for artistic expression + resistance 💭 🛌 Speaking first to George @cinnam0nros3 about their essays on Beside Oracle before hearing about an upcoming group exhibition curate…
- Art Smitten - film experiences
The long weekend is the perfect time to tick off all those movies on your watchlist - so that's exactly what we will be talking about on today’s show! 📽️ Tyra talks about Vietnamese film 'Bunny!!' (2026), Astra speaks to 'Wanda' (19…
- Inspiration from the streets - Viva Gibb
Get out of your house and onto the streets for today’s episode of Art Smitten 🗞️ In our episode, we will be discussing the streets as inspiration featuring a discussion about Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Death in Brunswick (1990) and a&n…
- Ben from Fed Square's Open Air Program
Astra speaks with Ben, the programmer for Fed Square's Open Air! Hear them speak in detail about the uniqueness of outdoor cinematic experiences, public space activation and the films on offer for the 2026 program. Art Smitten airs 3…
- Mas and Fressie - Yarra Youth Artists-in-Residence
In this episode, we are fortunate to be joined by Francesca Smith and Mas Cremasco, two of Yarra Youth’s Artists-in-Residents 🖌️ We spoke to them about their practices and the workshops they have been running with young people in th…
- Capturing youthfulness in art with Angela Connor from MAPh
For our first show back in 2026, Art Smitten will be speaking to Angela Connor, Senior Curator at MAPh on the exhibition YOUNG 📸 🌟This episode kicks off with a new segment 'Art that has us SMITTEN' before focusing on how youthfulness is…
- RMIT Fine Art Graduates + 2025 reflections (finale for 2025)
For our last episode of 2025, Art Smitten is bringing you interviews with recent School of Art graduates from RMIT 🖼️ 🌟 Arabella, Millie and Tully will be in the studio to share their experiences of art school, the final works that appea…
- Special Features - Music as Art
This interview is part of a segment called Music as Art, implemented by Dani Roche. In this edition, we will be hearing from the members of Special Features for our Music as Art segment! 🥁Special Features @specialfeaturesband …
- Schoolhouse Studios + art reflections
Our team went on a super special excursion to the folks at Schoolhouse Studios in Coburg to learn more about the spaces, ethos and artists that inhibit this former supermarket space! 🛒 We spoke with Director Bron Belcher along with reside…
- Poetry Special with Lili from Roundtable Readings + Jen in Japan!
Art Smitten is bringing you a special on poetry this episode ✍️ To begin, we hear from our Executive Producer Jen all the way in Tokyo to share a little bit of her trip and examples of poetry within Japanese art 🖼️ that she has seen in th…
- Art that has moved us
On this episode of Art Smitten, presenters Afrina, Astra, Larissa and Tyra shared the art that has moved them. Tyra begins with the 2025 film 'Sinners' dir. by Ryan Coogler; Larissa speaks on her observations of the legal system in Reginal…
- Art Criticism - with Victoria Perin from Memo Review
Art Smitten is bringing you a special episode on Art Criticism✍️🗞️ The team will be chatting about the importance and the impact of criticism of art in all forms, as well as our own views on how criticism effects our encounters with art.…
- Pepper at NCM + 'Her' (2013) film review
This episode of Art Smitten features our conversation with humanoid robot Pepper who is currently on display at the National Communication Museum in Hawthorn. Restored for their current exhibition ‘Friend’, we asked Pepper many…
- Archives are Hot! with Amy Spiers + 'Love Serenade' (1996) film analysis by Tyra
Art Smitten is joined by Amy Spiers in this episode to discuss the ‘Archives Are Hot! Artists in the Archive’ program developed by Next Wave in collaboration with CAST, Saluhan and An.Other Collective. Our presenter Tyra…
- Artist Interview with Aisha Hara + Review of 'French Impressionism' at the NGV
In this episode of Art Smitten, we are fortunate to be joined by artist Aisha Hara who recently had an exhibition at CAVES 🌼titled 'Green Age'. Aisha is a Japanese-Australian visual artist based in Naarm/Melbourne. She is interested in th…
- Ayah Zakout and Ebony Maurice-Wilmott with KINGS Artist-Run
For our first episode of season 4, the team is so excited to be speaking with two of the artists featured in KINGS current exhibition program. Ayah Zakout and Ebony Maurice-Wilmott joined us to share insights about their art practices and…
- TOYF x Art Smitten - Gemma from Food For Everyone
We are dishing up a real treat for you all 🍽️ this collaboration with our dear friends at Talk On Your Fork brings an episode focused on the intersection of food & art! To begin, Astra will be sharing their thoughts on the film ‘The…
- Artist Interview - Nur Aishah Kenton + MIFF 2025 Film Reviews
We are joined by photographer, artist and co-founder of the Pacific Centre for Photographic Arts Aishah Kenton in this episode of Art Smitten. Listen to hear all about the workshops and programs that PCPA facilitate along with Aishah&rsquo…
- Spring1883 - Kate Barber
Listen to our conversation with Kate Barber, cofounder of Spring1883, an art fair hosted inside the iconic Hotel Windsor on Spring Street 🏩 ! Within their own reserved room, gallerists uniquely display works by artists they represen…
- Fugitive Archives - MJ Flamiano and Catherine Ortega-Sandow
Tune in to hear an interview with Saluhan Collective collaborators MJ Flamiano and Catherine Ortega-Sandow about their current curatorial project Fugitive Archives !! 🏷️ The exhibition series examines the role of artist-led, community-bas…
- Interview with Maya Borjesson + a brief history of Sound Art
Maya Borjesson @handclap joined us in the studio 🔊 for this episode of Art Smitten. Based in Naarm/Melbourne, Maya is a sound artist and architect who explores ambient music’s potential in evoking memories as well as sound&rsq…
- AI in art + 'The Man Who Sleeps' film review
For our first episode of season 3, we are kicking things off with a discussion about the rise of AI in art 📟 Afrina asked local art students for their opinion on the use of AI and the team shared their own perception of the ever-changing…
- FortyFiveDownstairs - Emerging Artist Award ft. Felix Oliver
In this episode, we had a chat with FortyFiveDownstairs all about their annual Emerging Artist Award! 🏆We were fortunate to be joined by Felix Oliver, 2024 Winner, and learnt more about the process and story behind their winning piece 🙌…
- Melbourne Art Book Fair - UnProjects and Pilot Magazine
This special episode features a panel discussion with @un_projects (AU) and @pilotmagazined (UK) @ngvmelbourne for Melbourne Art Book Fair! 📚 We spoke about all things publications - finding out what it takes to create a…
- Alta Forma - Meredith Turnbull
Jen and Zeta are joined by Alta Forma's Director Meredith Turnbull on this episode of Art Smitten. ⛓️ Located on St Kilda Rd, Alta Forma supports artists who work in expanded object and jewellery practices to create experimental and social…
- Mass Memo - Ned Dwyer and Pepa Neralic McPherson
For our final episode of season 1, we’re keen to chat with two writers who participated in the Mass Memo program in 2024! Mass Memo is an annual opportunity for young arts writers to review fine art, architecture and fashion graduate…
- BLINDSIDE DEBUT XXI - Emmy and Celline
To kick off season 2, we spoke to curator Emmy Robinson-Shaw and artist Celline Mercado, featured in DEBUT XXI. At BLINDSIDE gallery, DEBUT is an annual project committed to fostering new talent by exhibiting works of recent graduates from…
- WET Collective - BLINDSIDE
This episode we had a great chat with WET Collective about their exhibition at BLINDSIDE💦 ‘Cruising’ is a gallery activation playing with hospitality, the queer body and the illicit. WET will be providing a food service during…
- The Museum of Falling - Patrick Pound
For our first episode of 2025, we are very excited to share with you our interview with artist, collector and curator Patrick Pound Patrick’s exhibition ‘The Museum of Falling’ was shown at City Gallery in the Melbourne T…
- Melbourne Art Print Fair - Kirsty Grant and Trent Walter
In this episode, we spoke to Kirsty Grant and Trent Walter all about the founding and future of the new Melbourne Art Print Fair. Running from the 7th to the 9th of February, @melbartprintfair Edition.1 was chock-full of amazing prin…
- Image Economies - Melanie Oliver from MUMA
This episode we are joined by Melanie Oliver (Senior Curator) to discuss the current exhibition at MUMA - Image Economies 📽️ 🤳🏼 Image Economies traces how artists have used digital technologies over recent history, from exploring reprod…
- BLINDSIDE 20 Years Special - B-Side Radio
Join local arts and culture radio Art Smitten of SYN Media for an exclusive deep-dive into Blindside's history! Blindside is a long-standing artist-run initiative in the heart of our city, and we're keen to celebrate their 20th anniversary…
- The Waiting Room - Camilla Hannan
Joining us in the studio for this episode of Art Smitten was Camilla Hannan, co-creator ‘The Waiting Room’ that premiered at The Capitol Theatre on November 9th, 2024. Along with Martine Corompt, these two artists united for a…
- National Communication Museum - Emily Siddons
For our last interview of the 2024 season, we were joined by the new National Communication Museum (NCM). We spoke with Dr Emily Siddons, Co-CEO and Artistic Director of NCM, who told us all about their exciting new program and exhibitions…
- Trocadero Projects - Rochelle Morris
In this episode we were fortunate to be joined by artist Rochelle Morris to talk about their exhibition at Trocadero Projects! ‘Turning Soil’ is an exploration of the potential of ecological art at a painterly scale. The use of…
- Trocadero Projects - Emma Salmon, Hari Sinh and Sirui Yang
Art Smitten airs on SYN Radio 90.7 FM SYN Media acknowledges and pays respect to the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands the SYN office and studios stand. SYN…
- Bus Projects - Sophia Cai
This week, we were lucky to chat with Sophia Cai, Director of Bus Projects! Bus Projects is a long-term ARI based in our city, and has recently been showing some amazing artists – including some that we interviewed previously this ye…
- Betweenia Project 夾洲計劃 - Kaiqi Li
This week we spoke in-depth with Kaiqi from Betweenia Project 夾洲計劃 ! Kai joined us for the end of our live show at Melbourne Art Book Fair earlier in the year, and we’re very interested to hear what Betweenia has been up to since the…
- SIGNAL Arts - Zeth and Matisse
Jen and Lucy had a great chat with lead artists and co-facilitators Zeth Cameron and Matisse Laida all about the programs run at SIGNAL. Tucked away beside the Birrarung river that flows near Flinders Street Station, a centuries old Train…
- Skye Malu Baker - Artist Interview
Joining Jen and Audrey in this episode of Art Smitten is artist Skye Malu Baker to discuss their current show at TCB in Brunswick. ‘A R TH ~ air and light, dust and earth’ draws from half-remembered internet posts and out of da…
- Phoebe Thompson - Artist Interview
For this episode of Art Smitten, our guest host Teagan Ramsay interviews artist and creative producer Phoebe Thompson. Phoebe discusses their practice and process in relation to their most recent exhibition, touching on collecting debris,…
- Bridget Gurrie - Artist Interview
**Content Warning: This episodes contains discussion of sexual assault and mental illness. If you ever need help, you are not alone. You can speak to someone at Lifeline (13 11 14) or at 1800RESPECT.** In this episode, Lucy and Jennifer sp…
- SCRAP MAG - Lia Mills, Ingrid Hollis and Ella Rawson
In this episode, Lucy and Jennifer will be chatting to the people behind SCRAP MAG - the unofficial zine of VCA. We will be discussing how SCRAP MAG came to be, the importance of student-led publishing, and the work that is to be done. Exc…
- Unassigned Gallery - Nour and Phoebe
In this episode of Art Smitten, Audrey is joined by Nour and Phoebe from Unassigned Gallery in Brunswick discussing the origins of the gallery, the ethos of their programming and upcoming exhibitions including 'Exhibition for ants 2.0' Art…
- HAIR - Cristea and Jesse
I really enjoyed chatting with the people behind HAIR, a new artist-run initiative on Elizabeth Street! We talked all about the space, their plans for the gallery and the kind of events and exhibitions they are hosting. Check them out on I…
- Chris Orr - Artist Interview
I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Chris Orr recently, a local established artist. Chris has worked and studied in graphic design, and uses these principles in his work. Chris creates digital manipulations that focus on objects a…