Monocle on Culture
Robert Bound and guests explore what’s new in art, film, books, and media. Expect lively discussions, in-depth interviews, and expert insights.
Latest Episodes
Pearl Lam
We meet Pearl Lam, one of the world’s leading experts on Asian art. Over the past two decades, her eponymous galleries in Hong Kong and Shanghai have become top destinations for collectors drawn in by her exquisite taste, international outlook and commitment to rewriting narratives about Eastern art. Lam joins Robert…
Art and democracy: Agnieszka Holland and Nadya Tolokonnikova
We meet two figures in the cultural world known both for their creative practice, as well as their brave attitude towards speaking truth to power. Robert Bound speaks to Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland about her new film ‘Green Border’ and Alexei Korolyov meets Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova to discuss her…
‘Bye Bye Tiberias’, artist Zanele Muholi’s new exhibition and a novel by Gabriel García Márquez’s grandson
We hear from Lina Soualem about her new film, ‘Bye Bye Tiberias’, which documents the life of her mother, the actress Hiam Abbass, and four generations of Palestinian women. Plus: we head to Zanele Muholi’s new show at Tate Modern and find out about the darkly funny debut novel by…
Richard Linklater
Richard Linklater is known for both small-budget, big hitting films like ‘Dazed and Confused’ and box-office hits such as ‘School of Rock’. His latest film, ‘Hit Man’, is a comedic thriller starring Glen Powell as the mild-mannered Gary Johnson. He is a college professor who leads an extraordinary double life…
The inescapable influence of Franz Kafka
On the centenary of his death, we reflect on the legacy of Czech writer Franz Kafka. Alongside writer and literary critic Chris Power, we celebrate Kafka by way of his unexpurgated diaries which have recently been translated into English for the first time. Then screenwriter and short-story author Charlie Kaufman…
Venice Biennale 2024, part 2
We bring you the second part of our coverage from this year’s Venice Biennale. We hear from the artist representing Great Britain, whose work reconsiders the act of listening, find out about the works of the Greenlandic photographer in the Denmark Pavilion and explore Turkey’s politically engaged presentation. Plus: we…
Art legends Gilbert & George, Tunis’ new cultural scene and singer-songwriter Richard Thompson
We hear from contemporary art legends Gilbert and George, at their new exhibition in East London. Then we head to Tunis to take the temperature of the art scene and meet gallerist Selma Feriani. Plus: Richard Thompson drops into Midori House to play a song from his new album.
Fraud and fortune in today’s art market
We meet Orlando Whitfield, once the best friend of Inigo Philbrick, to hear about the story of how Philbrick, a young contemporary art dealer, was convicted of wire fraud. Whitfield’s new book, ‘All That Glitters’, details the pair’s friendship, Philbrick’s downfall and Whitfield’s experience of the world of fine art.…
‘The Fall Guy’ and a celebration of stunt performers
We discuss David Leitch’s new film, ‘The Fall Guy’, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. We explore how the film celebrates the art of stunt performance, meet a stuntman to find out more about the job and ask how stunts affect the legalities of film production.
Venice Biennale 2024
We bring you our dispatch from the 60th edition of the world’s most prestigious art event, which takes the temperature of contemporary art right now. In the first of two programmes, we meet the artists behind the Ethiopian, South Korean and Romanian pavilions.