Episode 6: Made With Light

The final episode of “Made With” looks at the removal of any material at all: the use of silence in art. How does one talk about silence? How do we see and hear it? This episode approaches silence in an infertile, uncentered, uneven, dissociate, and unreasonable manner. It focuses on the work of Giorgio de Chirico, Doris Salcedo, and Cao Fei, and features an interview with a RISD student currently studying Film, Animation, and Video department. This episode is presented by Amber Liu.

The pixel is ubiquitous but, arguably, immaterial. Or is it? This episode looks at digital art and asks the question of how it might be considered a medium in its own right in the age of AI and ChatGPT. It features an interview with Griffin Smith, a RISD critic affiliated with the Computation, Technology, and Culture concentration, as well as an extended look at the work of Nam June Paik. This episode is presented by Evan Li.

Can you smell a work of art? This episode looks at the long and complex history of scent and smell in art. We consider the use of air and olfactory materials in Marcel Duchamp’s work, as well as a range of contemporary practices. The episode concludes with an interview with Victor Rivera-Díaz, a graduate of RISD’s Nature–Culture–Sustainability Studies program and current Research Assistant at Anicka Yi Studio, New York City. This episode is presented by Yuting Wang.

Teeth can be signals of wealth, receptors of pain, or a medium for bodily adornment, and this episode foregrounds the intersection between class, race, and nationality when it comes to our mouths. It features an interview Regina Gutierrez, a Sculpture student at RISD, as well as a consideration of the work of RISD alum Janine Antoni, who treats the mouth as a sculpting tool in ways that complicate the expectations of gender-based labor. This episode is presented by Katherine Fu.

With vinyl, and artwork becomes something you don’t just see, but one that you can hear as well. In this episode, we take a look at the history of vinyl record production and its incorporation into avant-garde art, particularly in the sound-based work of artist and musician Christian Marclay, who pushes vinyl to its limits. This episode is presented by Jesse Calderon.

Can an everyday object become a work of art? This episode looks at the alchemy of the “found object,” from Marcel Duchamp’s iconoclastic use of the readymade to Amalia Pica’s contemporary use of found materials to critique and question Argentine politics. It features an interview with RISD student and fashion designer Izaak Hernandez, who studies Textiles and advocates for the communicative powers of garbage. This episode is presented by Leslie Gonzalez.

The intersection of metal and printmaking forms the basis for this episode, which focuses on the technique of electroforming. In an extended conversation with RISD Printmaking MFA student Isabelle Ghanayem, the ecological and ethical dimensions of electroforming take center stage, from its potential toxicity to its geopolitical implications. This episode is presented by Beth Nguyen.

Copper wire yarns, a specialized form of yarn used to develop charged textiles, are very common in clothing, furniture, wound dressings, and more, and this episode examines the interconnected histories of copper mining and textile design. We look at the work of Peruvian artist Ximena Garrido-Lecca, whose work foregrounds the tension between tradition and industry, and speak with RISD Dean of Fine Arts and textile designer Brooks Hagan. This episode is presented by Yukti Agarwal.

Light: we cannot see anything without it, but when does light become a threat to art? This episode considers the complicated history of light in art, from prehistoric cave paintings to the modern abstract canvas of Mark Rothko, with a particular focus on conservation and restoration. It features an interview with Ingrid Neuman, Senior Conservator at Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design. This episode is presented by Fiona Dolan.

Glass has been used and produced by humans for over six thousand years. This episode examines glass both as natural and manufactured material, from ancient beads to medieval stained glass to the contemporary work of Philadelphia-based glass artist Judith Schaechter. A conversation with contemporary glass artist Koda Tousignant, who is pursuing a double major in Glass and Printmaking at RISD, rounds out this deep dive into the world of glass. This episode is presented by Hili Slav.