ON THE COUCH

John Chamberlain Estate

ON THE COUCH invites you into the inspiring worlds of today’s cultural leaders. Join host Alexandra Fairweather as she sits down with guests on one of artist John Chamberlain’s iconic foam couches to discuss the big ideas and unseen details that shape creative life. For decades, Chamberlain carved his sculptural foam couches for friends and art world luminaries like Donald Judd and Andy Warhol, creating gathering spots, conversation pieces, and symbols of connection within a vibrant creative community. Today, that legacy lives on through ON THE COUCH as visionaries sit down for intimate conversations that will make you rethink how culture is created, consumed, and reinvented.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen in PodNod RSS feed Show website

7 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes7

Newest first

Fernando Mastrangelo - “Let Me Make A Statement”
Artist and designer Fernando Mastrangelo has built one of the most original studio practices by transforming everyday and natural materials like sand, salt, silica, and crushed glass into collectible works held in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. In this episode, he joins host Alexandra Fairweather on an original Chamberlain couch to discuss the origins of great art and design. From Drift, Fernando’s first collectible series inspired by the glaciers and landscapes of Patagonia, to the new landscape work he’s showing at Cristina Grajales this Fall, his work takes a clear stance on our relationship with the natural world and the environmental issues shaping it. Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrafairweather/ Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/iamfm/?hl=en Listen to Fernando’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-discord/id1817191053 Stay up-to-date with the John Chamberlain Estate: Follow: https://www.instagram.com/johnchamberlainestate/ To learn more about the estate’s work and mission, visit: https://www.john-chamberlain.com/ Media inquiries: chamberlain@dadagoldberg.com Tune in to episodes of ON THE COUCH via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, YouTube, or wherever you prefer to stream. --------------- Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:12 Childhood an as immigrant 03:26 Deciding to become an artist 04:20 Falling in love with sculpture 07:27 Grad school at VCU and harsh critiques 10:59 Rebelling in year two of grad school 11:59 Moving to NYC and working with Matthew Barney 16:40 Learning from Matthew Barney's philosophy 20:00 Making the "Felix" cocaine sculpture 23:05 Going broke and paying it forward 32:31 Shifting into design 52:39 Closing thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tuesday · 56 min
David Salle - “Attention is a Fleeting Resource”
David Salle is one of the leading postmodern painters of the last forty-five years, whose layered, colliding images will make you question everything you thought you knew about how images hold meaning. What most people don't expect: David has spent the last several years training artificial intelligence on his own body of work, then using what it generates as the raw material for new paintings — not to automate art, but to find a new language for it that you've never seen before. The results break every rule of anatomy, continuity, and logic, and they are unlike anything else being made right now. Seated on one of John Chamberlain's iconic foam couches, he and host Alexandra Fairweather talk about what it means to spend a lifetime in conversation with art history – including your own. Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrafairweather/ Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/david_salle/?hl=en Stay up-to-date with the John Chamberlain Estate: Follow: https://www.instagram.com/johnchamberlainestate/ To learn more about the estate’s work and mission, visit: https://www.john-chamberlain.com/ Media inquiries: chamberlain@dadagoldberg.com --------------- Timestamps: 00:27 Introductions 02:15 David’s upbringing and early career 07:42 Being pigeonholed as an artist 10:27 Using AI in art 18:08 How David trained AI to think like him 23:13 What it means to understand art 27:33 David’s greatest virtue and vice 28:04 Life lessons 28:37 How accidents make art 30:23 Advice for young artists 32:17 Lightning round begins Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 14 · 34 min
Sasha Bikoff - “If You Can’t Find It, Create It”
Sasha Bikoff’s rooms don't just look extraordinary — they make you feel as if you've stepped out into a dream. What most people don't know about Sasha is that before she ever touched a floor plan, she was working the desk at Gagosian Gallery — one of the most competitive rooms in the art world. That training in how serious collectors see art and experience space is felt throughout all of the interiors she creates. She studied fine art and art history in Washington and Paris, and her projects now span Milan, Marrakech, Palm Beach, and her beloved New York. In this episode, she joins host Alexndra Fairweather on one of John Chamberlain's couches for a conversation that feels exactly like one of her rooms: one you won't want to leave. Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrafairweather/ Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/sashabikoff/ Sasha’s book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/784194/high-vibe-design-by-sasha-bikoff/ Stay up-to-date with the John Chamberlain Estate: Follow: https://www.instagram.com/johnchamberlainestate/ To learn more about the estate’s work and mission, visit: https://www.john-chamberlain.com/ Media inquiries: chamberlain@dadagoldberg.com --------------- Timestamps: 00:26 Introductions 01:24 How Sasha got into interior design 03:41 Sasha’s first client: her mom 06:45 Discovering a client’s tastes 08:05 Decorating within a budget 10:23 How to make color work for you 12:38 Gardening and nature as inspiration 13:55 The role of an interior designer in a project 14:51 Sasha’s favorite designers in history 18:11 How to find furniture that feels like an art piece 21:22 Sasha’s experience in product design 23:37 How formal education influences art 26:19 Sasha teases her upcoming book 27:07 Lightning round begins 29:32 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 30 · 29 min
Misha Kahn - “Curious Person at the Party Energy”
Artist and designer Misha Kahn’s furniture and lighting feel less like objects you own and more like creatures you coexist with — and once you've seen them, you'll never look at a chair the same way again. What most people don't know about Misha: he was given a sewing machine at age five, and started making clothes. That instinct to fabricate something from nothing, using whatever material is at hand — foam, fiberglass, glass, metalwork, cement, textiles — has driven him from that childhood bedroom all the way to the Whitney, the Walker Art Center, and the Dallas Museum of Art. In this episode, Misha joins host Alexandra Fairweather on one of John Chamberlain's foam couches — and if you've ever wondered whether the things around you could hold more beauty and more meaning, this conversation is for you. Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrafairweather/ Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/mishakahn/ Stay up-to-date with the John Chamberlain Estate: Follow the John Chamberlain Estate: https://www.instagram.com/johnchamberlainestate/ To learn more about the work and mission of the John Chamberlain Estate, visit: https://www.john-chamberlain.com/ Media inquiries: chamberlain@dadagoldberg.com --------------- Timestamps: 00:27 Introductions 02:37 Growing up in Minnesota 05:13 Creating playgrounds 7:07 The “parallel wonderland” of Misha’s work 9:49 Misha’s greatest virtue and vice 10:34 Avoiding labels and boxes in your art 14:19 The personality of Misha’s work 15:33 Lessons learned from collaboration 17:35 Upcoming projects 20:06 Using robots in the studio 24:37 Post-apocalyptic art 28:37 The chaos inside Misha’s studio 29:57 Legacy and posthumous impact 33:54 What’s too much for Misha? 36:25 Lightning round begins 38:15 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 16 · 38 min
Daniel Arsham - “An Invitation to Rethink Your Position in Time”
Daniel Arsham is one of the most commercially and conceptually ambitious artists alive, whose work asks a question that will stop you in your tracks: how will today be viewed a thousand years in the future? His work, often exploring decay and fictional archaeology, utilizes materials like crystal and volcanic ash to make modern objects appear ancient. His new book, Future Relic, is unlike anything you'll read this year: part memoir, part business manual for artists, built from decades of moving between gallery walls and global brand collaborations to personal projects, like his new cafe in Dubai. In this episode, he and host Alexandra Fairweather sit down on one of John Chamberlain's couches for a conversation that invites you to rethink your position in time. Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrafairweather/ Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/danielarsham/?hl=en Stay up-to-date with the John Chamberlain Estate: Follow the John Chamberlain Estate: https://www.instagram.com/johnchamberlainestate/ To learn more about the work and mission of the John Chamberlain Estate, visit: https://www.john-chamberlain.com/ Media inquiries: chamberlain@dadagoldberg.com --------------- Timestamps: 00:27 Introductions 01:33 How Daniel got into art 02:20 Chamberlain’s photography 03:47 Growing up in Miami 04:54 Moving to NYC and attending art school 05:35 Navigating your art career post-grad 06:15 Daniel’s first international gallery show 08:10 Working in stage design 12:43 Mentorship and writing a book 13:32 Navigating the business side of art 17:06 Daniel’s recent projects and travels 18:37 How Daniel got into motorsports 19:07 Letting the art speak for itself + leaving a legacy 21:11 Collaborating with athletes 22:40 Daniel’s Saturday morning ritual 24:32 Origin story of Daniel’s Bonsai speaker 25:20 Using AI in the artistic process 26:16 Daniel’s cafe in Dubai 28:20 Chamberlain’s stolen artwork 28:50 Daniel’s new obsession with golf 30:47 Lightning-round begins 31:17 Outro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 2 · 31 min
Jon Gray - “The Plate is a Passport”
ON THE COUCH's first-ever guest is Jon Gray — co-founder of Ghetto Gastro, the Bronx-born collective that uses food to spark conversations about culture, race, power, and belonging. Jon calls himself “the dishwasher,” but his work has moved from the block to the museum to the boardroom, merging food, art, fashion, design, and music into a cultural movement. What many people don’t realize is that Jon doesn’t think of food as his product — he sees it as his medium, using it to tell stories that will make you rethink every meal you've ever eaten. In this episode, he’s seated on a foam couch by John Chamberlain — the perfect setting for a conversation about making art from everyday materials. Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrafairweather/ Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/ghettogray/ Stay up-to-date with the John Chamberlain Estate: Follow the John Chamberlain Estate: https://www.instagram.com/johnchamberlainestate/ To learn more about the work and mission of the John Chamberlain Estate, visit: https://www.john-chamberlain.com/ Media inquiries: chamberlain@dadagoldberg.com --------------- Timestamps: 00:20 Introductions 1:51 Origin story of Chamberlain’s Shelter Island studio 2:51 Jon’s early discovery of art 4:32 Jon’s dream place to live 7:20 G SPOT, Jon’s new gallery project 9:29 How to make museums more accessible 11:17 Jon reflects on his residency at The Met 13:38 How Ghetto Gastro came to be 17:54 What’s next for Ghetto Gastro? 18:21 The Bronx in three words 19:26 Jon’s riskiest early-career moves 22:23 How the matriarchs of his family influence Jon’s work 24:57 Chamberlain's work as a hairdresser in the Motown era 26:48 Jon on being honored by the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit 28:00 Little-known stories from Chamberlain’s early life 29:07 The best meal of Jon’s life 32:53 The unique history of gumbo 35:03 The legacy Jon wants to leave 39:51 Chamberlain’s restaurant on Shelter Island 40:47 Jon teases his new concept on sushi 41:32 The best piece of advice Jon received in his youth 42:08 Making art that’s hard to define 45:52 Bringing back play 47:00 Lightning round questions 48:35 Outro & Credits Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 19 · 48 min
Coming Soon - ON THE COUCH
ON THE COUCH invites you into the inspiring worlds of today’s cultural leaders. Join host Alexandra Fairweather as she sits down with guests on one of artist John Chamberlain’s iconic foam couches to discuss all aspects of creative life. In the debut season, you’ll hear from bold thinkers and creative polymaths like artists Daniel Arsham and David Salle; designers Misha Kahn, Sasha Bikoff, and Fernando Mastrangelo; fashion designer Alexander Wang; architect Annabelle Selldorf; and Jon Gray, Co-Founder of Ghetto Gastro. Each conversation sheds different light on how bold, original, and even seemingly impossible ideas come to life – and If you’ve ever wondered how legacy is truly built, this series is for you. Tune in to episodes of ON THE COUCH via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, YouTube, or wherever you prefer to stream. New episodes drop every other Tuesday starting May 19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 11 · 38 sec

ON THE COUCH

Fernando Mastrangelo - “Let Me Make A Statement”

David Salle - “Attention is a Fleeting Resource”

Sasha Bikoff - “If You Can’t Find It, Create It”

Misha Kahn - “Curious Person at the Party Energy”

Daniel Arsham - “An Invitation to Rethink Your Position in Time”

Jon Gray - “The Plate is a Passport”

Coming Soon - ON THE COUCH