Mexican-born filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro makes horror-fantasy films, but they've brought him praise way beyond the world of genre fandom and a bunch of Oscar nominations. Rico spoke to him at the Los Angeles County Museum Of Art where there's now an exhibit of his own personal items, which includes everything from life-sized statues of Frankenstein's monster, to taxidermy, to movie collectibles.
Each week on Chattering Class, we're schooled by an expert in some party-worthy topic. Today's subject: David Hockney -- one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. And our teacher is Randall Wright. He has directed a new eponymous documentary about the artist. In it, he explores the life of the man behind those iconic paintings of swimming pools and the good life of Los Angeles. The film is made up of interviews with Hockney himself, images from his career, and footage from Hockney's never-before-seen home movies.
World-renowned artist Dan Colen's work is a part of the Whitney museum's permanent collection, among others. The artist discusses a triptych of paintings he contributed to a show at the Marfa Myths festival which were inspired by a scene from the 1940 Disney musical "Fantasia."
Sadie Stein, contributing editor at the Paris Review, talks to us about the growing trend of museums catering to the selfie-taking crowd. Try not to inadvertently recreate the pose in Edvard Munch's "The Scream."
Chris Burden -- one of America's most important and respected conceptual artists -- died on May 10 at the age of 69. Here is an extended cut of Rico's 2011 interview with Burden, centered on the artist's slot-car extravaganza "Metropolis II."
At least the part about him shooting himself. Maybe. The Paris Review's Sadie Stein explains.
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel might be Michelangelo's most iconic masterpiece, but when he was first offered the commission, he absolutely did not want the job. Learn all about it, and a fortifying drink to serve with it.
Barbara Kruger is one of the most influential contemporary artists of the last forty years, and her bold, text-laden work is among the world's most recognizable. She tells Rico about her own influences, and cops to preferring laughs to smiles.
We are all ears (sorry) for a story about an artist/scientist who has re-grown Vincent Van Gogh's famously severed ear.
Hugh Bonneville -- "Monuments" Man and "Downton Abbey" patriarch -- tells a far-out joke about finding space.