Kunst Please

Now a symbol of peace and resistance, Maria Prymachenko was one of Ukraine's greatest artists. Self-taught, she became a legendary example of the Naive art movement. But in looking at her work, with the context of the time period in mind, could we say that is was just folksy and whimsical, or did it contain some brilliantly camouflaged criticisms of Stalin's genocidal operations... Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

After being locked down for a year recovering from a lung infection, the artist Rebecca Horn emerged from her cocoon to embark on a 40-plus multi-disciplinary art career that explored the feelings of isolation and the limitations of the human form. Highly relatable stuff for 2022. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

A modernist through and through, Alexander Liberman was not only one of the greatest art directors in history –legendary for his decades-long reign as Editorial Director at Condé Nast– he was also a celebrated artist in his own right. In contrast to the bold, fabulous fashion of his Vogue shoots and editorials, his art was highly minimal –  everything about him was devastatingly chic. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

After having his painting of a woman eating oysters alone barred from an exhibition in Antwerp, the artist James Ensor banded together with his friends to form a new group of artists known as Les XX. They would spend a decade exhibiting together alongside other luminaries of the time including great artists, musicians and literary folk. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

The Cabaret Voltaire was arguably the epicentre of modern art’s big bang. A brief but bright party that developed the playful, anarchic and wholly inspirational movement known as Dada. How does one achieve eternal bliss? By saying Dada. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

After her time at the legendary Black Mountain College, Ruth Asawa went on to create incredible sculptures — way ahead of their time. Inspired by Mexican basket weavers and empowered after a unique and experimental art school experience, she battled against racism and subjugation to create art with impact, eventually cementing her legacy by spearheading more community based education opportunities. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

Candid and controversial and yet with filled with delicate sensitivity, Egon Schiele's artworks and in particular his nudes are brutally honest reflections of our fragile forms. He was problematic, accused of being pornographic but undeniably important as an artist who captured the human form in a truthful and creative way. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

Despite being part of the hip to be avant-garde New York School, Fairfield Porter went against the conventional cool of the period and painted decidedly realistic paintings of the beautiful everyday. Revolutionary pieces of total normality. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

It’s an interesting time to look at Giorgio de Chirico and the influence of Nietzsche on his work. The streets outside are looking mighty familiar to De Chirico's paintings – desolate, full of foreboding, and with a sense of warped reality. We know them well, but now they’re empty or populated by hidden, masked versions of ourselves. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane. Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/

The “Socialist Realism” art movement was created in the early days of the Soviet Union to encourage/order Russian artists to create propaganda that inspired people to be better citizens. It resulted in a wealth of saccharine and kitsch art that failed to portray the realities of Russian life. However, Aleksandr Deineka and Alexander Rodchenko found a way around the guidelines and managed to create some incredible pieces. Kunst Please is a micro-dose of modern art history. An exploration into the more unexpected side of modern and contemporary art, featuring stories of the famous and the infamous, the weird and the wonderful, the unheard, the cult, the criminally overlooked and the criminally insane.  Created and produced by Jonathan Heath. Follow the gallery space on Instagram @kunstplease Check out show-notes and assorted ephemera at kunstpleasepod.medium.com/