In this episode, Mackenzie explores art as a necessary form of expression during moments of crisis, division, and uncertainty. We talk about how artists use their work to document lived experience, preserve memory, and speak when language — or institutions — fail. From historical examples to contemporary artists working right now, this episode looks at how art often becomes the first draft of history.
This isn’t about taking sides or decoding art “correctly.” It’s about understanding why art so often emerges in moments of rupture, why discomfort is sometimes the point, and how looking closely can be an active, human response to the world we’re living in.
This is a slower, more reflective episode about art not as decoration or status, but as orientation — a way to make sense of what’s happening around us and feel a little less alone while we do.
Because art doesn’t just reflect the world. It responds to it.
Resources & References
Francisco Goya (c. 1810–1820)
Jacob Lawrence (1940–1941)
Kara Walker (1990s–present)
Dread Scott (1980s–present)
ACT UP (late 1980s–1990s)
Theaster Gates (2000s–present)
Zanele Muholi (2000s–present)
Forensic Architecture (2010–present)
Banksy (1990s–present)
