Give me a break

Give me a break
Podcast Description
Getting work in the art industry can be a rough ride, filled with mystery, elitism and BS. 'Give me a break' hears from those who've made it work their way, often against the odds. Hosted by Harriet Lloyd-Smith, Plaster's managing editor, the podcast is not a career how-to guide; it's a series of honest stories about different paths to success (however that's defined). Spoiler alert: nothing was easy.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes of resilience and creativity within the art industry, addressing topics such as navigating elitism, professional rejection, and the evolving landscape of art journalism. Episodes cover personal anecdotes from figures like Naomi Rea unpacking the complexities of art journalism, Bengi Ünsal sharing her trajectory from music programming to directorship at the ICA, and Harland Miller discussing his experiences as an artist in a competitive field.

Getting work in the art industry can be a rough ride, filled with mystery, elitism and BS. ‘Give me a break’ hears from those who’ve made it work their way, often against the odds. Hosted by Harriet Lloyd-Smith, Plaster’s managing editor, the podcast is not a career how-to guide; it’s a series of honest stories about different paths to success (however that’s defined). Spoiler alert: nothing was easy.

When it comes to the spirit of Give me a break, no one channels it quite like The White Pube. Comprising of Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad, the critical duo has been giving us a break from the elitism, nepotism, and dryness of the art world since 2015. Then, while still at university, they launched their collaborative platform, publishing plucky criticism and essays that cemented their reputation as the go-to antidote to stiff-lipped art world BS. They have since organised grants for working-class creatives, published a manifesto for a new art world, which took a hard stand against racism and nepotism and financial inequality for all (not just artists), and last year, launched the acclaimed book, Poor Artists, an experimental autofiction which explores how capitalism has turned art into commodities and creative expression into a gladiator ring.
In this episode of GMAB, Harriet is joined by one half of the duo: Gabrielle. The pair sink their teeth into the messy business of knocking the art world off its high horse – talking salary transparency, defying art school snobs, lazy reviewing, and why it’s totally okay to have nothing to say, because sometimes words just aren't enough. “I never want to write stuff that people don't know what we’re on about. I want us to all be at the table, and we all know what we're all talking about, and it's comfortable”. Strap in, this one's a rodeo.
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