How can contemporary artists reshape our experience of museums, archives, and the stories they hold? 

In this episode, artist John Wind joins me for a roundtable conversation with curator Bill Adair and artists Teresa Jaynes and Gabriel Martinez. Together, we explore how artists are stepping beyond conventional boundaries to reinterpret historic collections and make archives more accessible, inclusive, and emotionally resonant. 

From reimagining the role of the viewer to challenging the conventionality of the institution, our guests discuss the power—and responsibility—of contemporary art to invite new voices, new interpretations, and new connections. 

Set against the backdrop of DEAR JOHN at the Rosenbach, this episode asks: What does it mean to activate a collection? And how can artists help us see the past—and ourselves—more clearly? 

Teresa Jaynes discusses her work and what inspires her. Learn more about the woman named "Meaty" here:Méaty (also Miati) Fleuron (née Rauscher) was the stage name of a late 19th- and early 20th-century French actress and music hall performer. Like many other celebrities, including her sister Lise (1874-1960), she was depicted in collectible photographs and photo postcards. The Rosenbach collection includes other such photos of subjects, including the dancer Rosario Guerrero and the singer Maud Laverne.