Famously undefinable, in many ways art is an ‘I’ll know it when I see it’ kind of thing. It’s a giant sociological concept whose tendrils snake into all our lives. In today’s episode, I speak to Farah Nayeri: journalist and author of Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age, a fascinating overview of some of the most difficult questions currently being asked in the contemporary art world. What should we be doing about culturally valuable works from problematic artists? Are the demographics of the industry (historically a hotbed of old, straight white men) changing fast enough? How can artists tread the line between appreciation and appropriation? In today’s wide-ranging conversation, we cover this and much, much more – along with a snapshot into Farah’s literary tastes and recommendations.

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Books mentioned in the episode:

Farah’s favourite book I had probably never heard of was Venice is a Fish: A Sensual Guide, by Tiziano Scarpa (2008), an intoxicating and lyrical exploration of the parts of the city traditional guidebooks won’t show you.



The best book she has read in the last 12 months was David Smith: The Art and Life of a Transformational Sculptor, by Michael Brenson (2022), a biography of the industry titan who helped spark a love for the plastic arts in the US ‘scene’.



The book she would take to a desert island was À la recherche du temps perdu, by Marcel Proust (1913), whose translated title is In Search of Lost Time, a Bildungsroman following the life of narrator ‘Marcel’, set in high-society France.



The book that changed her mind was Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain, by Sathnam Sanghera (2021), which offers a fresh critique of the history of British colonialism.



Finally, the book that pleasantly surprised her was The Human Stain, by Philip Roth (2000), the story of an ageing classics professor in a small New England town forced to retire amidst allegations of racism.


Find Farah:
Book: https://amzn.eu/d/cdIRzdf
Website: http://www.farahnayeri.com/
Instagram: @nayeri.farah