Inspired by the CMA's current exhibition Keith Haring: Radiant Vision, the Binder crew goes outside to touch some grass in an episode dedicated to art in public spaces. First, producer Drew puts Ray to the test with a quiz on the artworks on Boyd Plaza. Then One Columbia’s Pamela Zeljak joins the conversation to talk about how public art both reflects and shapes a city’s identity, its ever-changing nature, and One Columbia’s digital directory of local works.

Host Ray McManus is back to discuss simplicity, access to art, and working quickly on an episode dedicated to the CMA's latest exhibition Keith Haring: Radiant Vision. He kicks things off with Chadric Devin, the museum’s Director of Learning and Engagement, to talk about Haring’s bold approach to art and the parallels Devin sees in his own trajectory through the arts. After the break, Richland Library’s Ashley Warthen drops in to talk about upcoming author talks, the library’s exhibition Art of Being: Visible, and her love for Haring’s iconic style.

Host Ray McManus experiences the museum through the eyes of its youngest visitors, uncovering the lasting impact of arts education. Producer Drew steps in to chat with museum docent Patsy Storla and 5th grader Amadeo Topakas about their shared experience with Sam Gilliam: Printmaker. Later, Curator of Education Glenna Barlow returns to reflect on the power of curiosity in young audiences and thetransformative potential of the "magic question." After the break, writer Zakiya Mickle joins the show to talk about her new book, Cotton Candy Skies, and what it was like having Ray as a teacher.

On today’s episode, producer Drew explores the fascinating intersection of science, psychology, and the way we experience art. Inspired by the museum's current lighting renovation, Drew sits down with Jackson Councilman, a recent college graduate with a concentration in neuroscience and former intern for the CMA's communications department, to unpack how light waves interact with the human eye, colorblindness, and how the work of Claude Monet may have been influenced by ultraviolet light. 
After the break, USC psychology professor Dr. Melanie Palomares joins the conversation to discuss how the brain processes visual information, the connections between Gestalt theory and the work of artist Bridget Riley, and why attention plays such a critical role in how we see.

In today's episode, the Binder podcast crew dives into the world of abstract art. Ray and producer Drew kick things off with a conversation about why abstraction can be challenging for some viewers, then play a game designed to explore emotional connections to art. Later, Sadé Ayorinde, curator of Sam Gilliam: Printmaker and Let’s Have a Talk,joins the show to discuss the CMA’s latest exhibitions celebrating the contributions of Black artists to abstract art. Finally, Katie Chandler, CMA visitor experience manager, stops by to share her love for abstraction both as an artist and an enthusiastic viewer.

Producer Drew chats with CMA Executive Director Della Watkins for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s lighting renovation project and its 75th anniversary. Discover the details of hard hat tours, navigating unexpected challenges, and the surprising number of paint layers on the special exhibition gallery walls in this engaging one-on-one interview.

In this final episode of the (Un)Settled Podcast, host Drew Baron visits the exhibition's final stop at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut. There, he joins Krieble Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture, Erin Monroe, to reflect on the impact and outcomes of this distinctive collaborative survey of American art. Later, Baron visits contemporary landscape artists Tom McGrath at his studio in Brooklyn, New York to discuss his painting Untitled (Yellow Grid), the relevance of landscape painting in contemporary American art, and the lasting impact of the highway system on the American psyche.

(Un)Settled: The Landcape in American Art is on view at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art from June 12 to September 14, 2025: https://www.thewadsworth.org/explore/...

The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. Part of a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.

To celebrate the museum's 75th anniversary, host Ray McManus takes a deep dive into its history and future. First, producer Drew joins Ray for a game of "Double Date" to spotlight key acquisitions throughout the museum's history. Next, collections specialist Noelle Nelson shares insights into the museum's journey from its early days at the Thomas Taylor House to the present. Finally, deputy director Joelle Ryan Cook drops by to share exciting plans for the museum’s future, looking ahead to its 75th year and beyond.

Host Ray McManus and Producer Drew take a nostalgic journey through the past five years of CMA programming, revisiting standout moments. From the Mona Lisa to video games inspired by M.C. Escher, this lively clip show highlights a diverse range of fascinating topics.

Featured Programs:

Interior Lives Lecture with Curator Michael Neumeister: https://youtu.be/_123uORVr_A?si=fL4Ri3W_I1Ft3dpE

Catawba Law and Indigenous Sovereignty: https://youtu.be/JDF_zzwyNYM?si=pcnQQ0vmyVY90Lby

"A World Seeing More Than Human Culture" with Rina Banerjee: https://youtu.be/w89nPIrIoiY?si=IznzCQwTjUExjfei

Donatello, Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Raphael: The Italian Renaissance in America: https://youtu.be/_0ErgsUHnDw?si=lTZCpScPkB96dcXd

The Secret Lives of Great Artists with Alyssa Velazquez: https://youtu.be/dxyrDG1-960?si=kUd-vF38yRz5dT9a

Escher and the Virtual Realm: https://youtu.be/ZxLL_1aZRbI?si=Ce6Vmfcs3lN4IRkc

(Un)Settled: Opening Performance: https://youtu.be/BF5prkLD-mg?si=SkZJ1MOQ8o-H_cyv

To kick off the new year, Ray and producer Drew discuss their predictions for what will shape the arts in 2025 through a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, nostalgia, environmental issues, and, naturally, the CMA.

In today’s episode, Stan Hackney, the curator of art and audience engagement at the Mobile Museum of Art, returns to discuss Un(Settled) and the inclusion of Alex Harris’s photograph Longleaf Pines, Knoll Park, Fairhope. Later, documentary photographer Alex Harris joins series host Drew Baron to explore the art of documentary photography and his work in Mobile, featured in the book Why We Are Here: Mobile and the Spirit of a Southern City, co-written with renowned naturalist E.O. Wilson. (Un)Settled: The Landcape in American Art is now on view at the Mobile Museum of Art:

https://www.mobilemuseumofart.com/exhibitions/unsettled/ The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. Part of a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.

Inspired by the CMA's latest exhibition, French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850 – 1950, host Ray McManus delves into the theme of rebellion across art movements, music, writing, and more. Curator Michael Neumeister drops by to discuss the exhibition and the way artists of this period defied academic norms and critical expectations, forging a new visual language. Next, writer Julia Liz Elliott returns to the podcast to talk about her love of surrealism, avant-garde rock music of the 1980s, her journey breaking into the literary world from the fringes, and her forthcoming anthology, Hellions.

In today's episode, the Montgomery Museum of Art's head of learning and programs Emily Stuart Thomas returns to discuss viewer reactions to After The Rain (Methane) on the view in (Un)Settled. Then, the artist of the painting Jacqueline Bishop joins series host Drew Baron to discuss her work, global travel for field research, the ecological impacts of humans on the environment, and why birds are the messengers for the world. The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. Part of a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.

In the season finale of More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series, host Dr. Birgitta Johnson sits down with Cam Wescott and Noah Jones of Charleston-based funk and soul outfit The Psycodelics to discuss the lasting legacy of funk, embracing falsetto singing, and the band's upcoming debut studio album. Featuring clips from their musical performance recorded live at the Columbia Museum of Art in September 2024. 

Producer Drew drops in to host an episode spotlighting CMA community programming. First, Engagement Manager Dana Witkoski returns to share details about upcoming events on Boyd Plaza and the benefits of refreshing your routine. Then, Silent Book Club host Jemia Williams stops by to talk about how the book club found its home at the museum and shares her favorite reading recommendations. After the break, Curiosity Coffee Bar's Greg Slattery chats about coffee, his love of the Columbia community, and his collaboration with the museum on the Morning Blend daytime concert series. And enjoy an intro from George Bailey, president of the Boyd Foundation, who has been dedicated to making Boyd Plaza a Main Street District highlight since its complete renovation in 2019.

The programs featured in this episode are supported by a grant from the Knight Foundation Fund at Central Carolina Community Foundation.

Linger a little longer with an episode dedicated to appreciating art at a leisurely pace. Ray and producer Drew chat about the benefits of taking your time to enjoy art and then play a game before welcoming Curator of Education Glenna Barlow back to the show to talk about how she incorporates visual thinking strategies into gallery tours and how to get the most out of a "slow-looking" experience. After the break, poet Evelyn Berry joins Ray to discuss how ekphrastic poetry helps her slow down and connect with art and how the CMA Collection helped inspire poems in her latest book, Grief Slut.

In today's episode, the Columbia Museum of Art's Curator of Education Glenna Barlow talks about the inclusion of 3 pieces of Catawba pottery in (Un)Settled is creating new context for some beloved museum acquisitions. Then Catawba potter Bill Harris shares memories of his grandmother, Georgia Harris, whose work Bowl with Effigy Heads is featured in the exhibition.

Bill Harris is a potter and teacher residing in South Carolina. Harris served as the elected chief of the Catawba Nation from 2011 to 2023. In 2016 Harris was honored as a recipient of the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage award. He continues to work in the tradition of Catawba pottery taught to him by his grandmother and shares this knowledge by "teaching Georgia" to his students.

Clips of a 1980 interview with historian Thomas J. Blumer and potter Georgia Harris are provided courtesy of the University of South Carolina Lancaster's Native American Studies Center.

The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. Part of a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.

Learn more about the Native American Studies Center: https://nativeamericanstudies.org/

Learn more about the Catawba Cultural Center:

https://catawbaculture.org/

A transcript of today's episode is available here: https://bit.ly/3yipDXf

Host Ray McManus returns to explore the exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. First, producer Drew drops by to chat about the exhibition. Then poet and creative social worker Marlanda Dekine sits down to talk about what inspires her work, listening to the land, and her performance project for the (Un)Settled opening celebration.

Watch Marlanda's peformance for the opening of the (Un)Settled exhibition: https://youtu.be/BF5prkLD-mg?si=xiuMjCgh0O1GerYh

In today's episode, the Wadsworth's Krieble Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture Erin Monroe returns to talk about material culture in the exhibition and why the inclusion of Dan Friday's glass piece, Aunt Fran's Basket, was so special. Then Friday joins host Drew Baron for an interview discussing his work, heritage, and the world of glass art.

Friday has worked with some of the biggest names in the medium — Paul Marioni, Preston Singletary, and since 2000, he has worked at Dale Chihuly’s renowned studio, The Boathouse. He's taught at the University of Washington, Pilchuck Glass School, and the Haystack Craft Center in Maine. Friday was also featured as a contestant on season three of Blown Away, Netflix's hit glass art competition show. His work fuses glass with inspiration from his Coast Salish cultural heritage, utilizing forms such as bears, salmon, totems, and baskets.

The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art. Part of a series of American art exhibitions created through a multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.

You can find a full transcript of today's episode here: https://www.columbiamuseum.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/UnSettled%20Ep%202%20Transcript.pdf

The (Un)Settled Podcast is a multipart special presentation of the Binder Podcast dedicated to the traveling exhibition (Un)Settled: The Landscape in American Art.

From natural wonders to the open road, the landscape has long been a muse in American art. (Un)Settled questions the shaping of national identity through objects from the colonial era to present. The variety of media and makers helps to redefine whose view is considered and expands on landscape’s relevance and resonance in art. 
In today's episode, host Drew Baron interviews the collaborators of the American South Consortium to learn more about how this partnership started before taking a deep dive into the themes of and inspiration for this exhibition. Featuring interviews with Erin Monroe, Laura Leonard, Glenna Barlow, Michael Neumeister, Margaret Lynn Ausfeld, Emily Stuart Thomas, John Carfagno, and Stan Hackney. 
This is one in a series of American art exhibitions created by the American South Consortium. Led by the Wadsworth Atheneum, the consortium brings together institutions from three distinct geographic regions including the Columbia Museum of Art (Columbia, SC), the Mobile Museum of Art (Mobile, AL), and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts (Montgomery, AL).
This multi-year, multi-institutional exhibition partnership was formed by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art as part of the Art Bridges Cohort Program.