CHART Talks is a podcast featuring conversations with artists, and panel discussions with experts from diverse fields, all recorded live at Charlottenborg in th...
In this episode we feature an artist talk with Trine Søndergaard, a photography-based visual artist, and Saara Hacklin, Chief Curator of Contemporary Art Museum KIASMA in Finland – recorded live during CHART 2024.
The conversation starts with Søndegaard's first experiences with a camera at primary school and goes on to cover her early experiences as an artist working with painting and drawing, and her eventual move to integrate photography into her artistic practice.
The discussion goes on to focus on the artist's experience working with museum collections, the balance between "dead traditions" and "everyday life", and the ways in which cultural artefacts can help us gain new perspectives on contemporary social issues.
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26:54
Teo Ala-Ruona & Storm Møller Madsen
In this episode, we discuss the medium of performance art, focusing on the unique practice of Teo Ala-Ruona, an artist with a deep love for text, or words, and their transformative power. Known for investigating "somatic fiction," Ala-Ruona explores how the human body’s boundaries are perceived and reshaped through technological and psycho-physical extremes. Their work weaves together autobiographical and theoretical texts with scientific research, fiction, and bodily exercises, covering themes of techno-trans-masculinity, sexuality, and eco-normative "naturalness."
Joining Ala-Ruona is Storm Møller Madsen, PhD, from the University of Copenhagen, whose expertise spans performance art, body-based performance, transgender identity, and embodiment. Together, they discuss the intricate layers of Ala-Ruona’s work and how bodywork and words can challenge and expand our understanding of the body in a modern context.
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23:22
Marcus Leslie Singleton & Fatoş Üstek
In this episode, we are delighted to present a conversation between New York-based, self-taught artist Marcus Leslie Singleton, known for his distinctive figurative paintings that blend pointed social commentary with subtle, joyful observations, and Fatoş Üstek, an independent curator and writer based in London, whose recent work includes curating the 2023 Frieze Sculpture exhibition and authoring The Art Institution of Tomorrow. The conversation was recorded live at CHART 2024, where Marcus Leslie Singleton presented a solo exhibition with V1 Gallery.
Together, they explore topics central to Singleton’s process and vision—reflecting on memory, the interpretative nature of images, and his evolving perspective after moving away from the city. Singleton shares his approach to color, jazz, serendipitous “happy accidents,” spirituality, and daily life alongside his cat, Lent, revealing how these elements shape his vibrant, layered compositions.
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26:23
Ambiguous AI: Arvida Byström, Michael Connor, Fatos Üstek
Listen to an insightful conversation about Artificial Intelligence between Arvida Byström, contemporary artist, Michael Connor, Co-Director of Rhizome, and Fatos Üstek, independent curator and writer – recorded live during CHART 2024.
Does AI have the potential to transcend human creativity in the arts? Together the panelists discuss the different ways in which new AI technologies are influencing contemporary art, for artists and audiences alike. Discussing everything from AI assistants, to sex dolls and van Gogh chat bots, the conversation considers the ways in which new technologies are impacting cultural economies, our relationship to the body and gender politics, and how this trend is likely to continue for years to come.
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44:02
Jan Gehl & Tyra Dokkedahl
In this episode of the CHART Talks podcast, we explore the pioneering world of architect Jan Gehl, a visionary in human-centric urban design, inspired by a question once posed to him: Why are architects not interested in people?—igniting his lifelong quest to reshape city planning. Gehl’s philosophy, honed through his groundbreaking book Life Between Buildings, has transformed public spaces in cities worldwide, from New York to Copenhagen. Joining him is Tyra Dokkedahl, director of Seriously Fun and co-initiator of Empathic Environments, whose work at the intersection of art, architecture, and urban culture explores the social and cultural aspects of public spaces.
Together, Gehl and Dokkedahl discuss the evolution of cities, the activism that’s shaped Gehl’s career, and his recent knighthood by the Queen of Denmark. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on public spaces, the impact of people watching, and what makes certain urban areas inviting while others fall short.
CHART Talks is a podcast featuring conversations with artists, and panel discussions with experts from diverse fields, all recorded live at Charlottenborg in the heart of Copenhagen during CHART.
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