Stories of Art, a weekly podcast co-hosted by art historian Dr James Fox and art critic Alastair Sooke, has reached number 1 in Apple’s Arts podcast charts and is regularly in the top 5.
The show, launched in February, brings together James and Alastair for the first time as co-hosts, following their years as rivals on the BBC.
Episodes and mini-series have explored a wide range of subjects, including Michelangelo, Frida Kahlo, David Hockney, the Bust of Nefertiti, Francis Bacon, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Artemisia Gentileschi, Alberto Giacometti, Hans Holbein the Younger, and Edvard Munch’s The Scream.
Full video episodes are available on YouTube and Apple, allowing listeners to see the artworks and locations discussed during each conversation.
James said: “Alastair and I spent years needling each other on opposite sides of the same arguments on the BBC, so making a podcast together felt like an obvious next step, finally we get to agree with each other (most of the time).
“What’s been wonderful is seeing how hungry people are for these stories told properly, with all the drama and detail intact.”
Alastair added: “James and I have spent our careers trying to get people as excited about art history as we are, and podcasting has turned out to be the perfect way to do it.
“There’s no need to rush past the good bits, which often happens with TV – we can spend an hour on a single painting if the story deserves it, and it’s been brilliant to see how many people want exactly that.”
Since its launch, Stories of Art has released 22 episodes and is available on all major podcast platforms.
