S4 Ep4: Artists Betye Saar, Alison Saar and Maddy Leeser on creativity, mysticism and motherhood
Our LA series, supported by Audio-Technica, returns this week with a Last Bohemians first: in a very special episode, we speak to three generations of an American artistic dynasty up in the leafy hills of Laurel Canyon: the incredible Betye Saar, her daughter Alison Saar and and granddaughter Maddy Leeser.
Betye Saar, 96 (she was 95 at the time of making this podcast), is a revered assemblage, collage and installation artist, known for her use of found objects, and was part of both the Black Arts and feminist art movements in 1960s and 70s California. Her best known works include 1969’s Black Girl's Window, which incorporates elements of mysticism and brings to mind the current #BlackGirlMagic movement, and 1972’s The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, a piece of art that confronted racist and cultural stereotypes. The latter was so revolutionary, said the Guardian, “that the activist and scholar Angela Davis credited it with launching the Black women’s movement.”
Betye is currently experiencing something of a renaissance, underlined by recent, pre-pandemic solo shows at MOMA in New York and its LA equivalent, LACMA. She still makes art every day. But, as Harper’s Bazaar recently said, her proudest legacy is her family.
We sit around the table and share tea and biscuits not only with Betye but with Alison Saar, 66, one of her three daughters, who started out by working with her father, Richard Saar, in his ceramics studio. A breathtaking sculptor whose work spans four decades, Alison’s pieces often take the form of female figures. They explore different takes on African-African experiences, and the idea of history repeating, often made in response to events and themes like Hurricane Katrina and the AIDS crisis, the menopause and mythology. And we are also joined by Alison’s daughter Maddy Inez Leeser, 28, who makes stunning ceramics inspired by the natural world.
The phrase “generational magic” really jumps out during this conversation, as the three women discuss motherhood and creativity, making art out of the everyday, being a mixed race family and the importance of exploring their African-American heritage, and the life and career advice that has been passed down from generation to generation.
It was such a privilege to join them one afternoon at Alison’s house in LA. We hope you enjoy hearing their gorgeous slice of life among the birdsong and car beeps.
CREDITS
Presenter/Exec-Producer: Kate Hutchinson
Producers: Sue Merlino and Holly Fisher
Additional production: Will Horrocks
Theme music: Pete Cunningham, Ned Pegler and Caradog Jones
With thanks to: The Saar family, Emma Haru, Lisa Jann, Kimberly David, Lauren Graber and Julie at Roberts Projects LA, and Bobby Lee and Ali at Warm Music for generously donating us the track Walking With Trees.
ABOUT AUDIO-TECHNICA
In 1962, with a vision of producing high-quality audio for everyone, Audio-Technica’s founder Hideo Matsushita created the first truly affordable phono cartridge, the AT-1 in Shinjuku, Japan. Since then, Audio-Technica has grown into a world-renowned company devoted to Audio Excellence at every level, expanding the product range to include headphones, microphones and turntables. Audio-Technica’s commitment to the user experience and their devotion to high quality design, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution has placed them at the forefront of the industry for the last 60 years.
ABOUT THE LAST BOHEMIANS
Journalist and broadcaster Kate Hutchinson launched The Last Bohemians in 2019, pairing the audio with stunning portraits by photographer Laura Kelly. It stole hearts with 86-year-old Molly Parkin’s stories of self-pleasuring, LSD countess Amanda Feilding’s trepanning tales and Pamela Des Barres’ reflections on supergroupiedom. It won silver for Best New Podcast at the 2020 British Podcast Awards and was a finalist at the 2021 Audio Production Awards.
Series two featured folk legend Judy Collins; British fashion icon Zandra Rhodes, dealing with the aftermath of losing her lover while celebrating 50 years in fashion; anarcho-punk innovator and illustrator Gee Vaucher; and the controversial witch at the heart of the 1970s occult boom, Maxine Sanders. In 2021, The Last Bohemians launched a lockdown special with performance artist Marina Abramović; it returned in 2022 with the UK’s greatest living painter, Maggi Hambling, as well as Bowie’s former best friend Dana Gillespie and theatre actor Cleo Sylvestre.
thelastbohemians.co.uk
patreon.com/thelastbohemians
instagram.com/thelastbohemianspod
twitter.com/thelastbohospod
Betye Saar, 96 (she was 95 at the time of making this podcast), is a revered assemblage, collage and installation artist, known for her use of found objects, and was part of both the Black Arts and feminist art movements in 1960s and 70s California. Her best known works include 1969’s Black Girl's Window, which incorporates elements of mysticism and brings to mind the current #BlackGirlMagic movement, and 1972’s The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, a piece of art that confronted racist and cultural stereotypes. The latter was so revolutionary, said the Guardian, “that the activist and scholar Angela Davis credited it with launching the Black women’s movement.”
Betye is currently experiencing something of a renaissance, underlined by recent, pre-pandemic solo shows at MOMA in New York and its LA equivalent, LACMA. She still makes art every day. But, as Harper’s Bazaar recently said, her proudest legacy is her family.
We sit around the table and share tea and biscuits not only with Betye but with Alison Saar, 66, one of her three daughters, who started out by working with her father, Richard Saar, in his ceramics studio. A breathtaking sculptor whose work spans four decades, Alison’s pieces often take the form of female figures. They explore different takes on African-African experiences, and the idea of history repeating, often made in response to events and themes like Hurricane Katrina and the AIDS crisis, the menopause and mythology. And we are also joined by Alison’s daughter Maddy Inez Leeser, 28, who makes stunning ceramics inspired by the natural world.
The phrase “generational magic” really jumps out during this conversation, as the three women discuss motherhood and creativity, making art out of the everyday, being a mixed race family and the importance of exploring their African-American heritage, and the life and career advice that has been passed down from generation to generation.
It was such a privilege to join them one afternoon at Alison’s house in LA. We hope you enjoy hearing their gorgeous slice of life among the birdsong and car beeps.
CREDITS
Presenter/Exec-Producer: Kate Hutchinson
Producers: Sue Merlino and Holly Fisher
Additional production: Will Horrocks
Theme music: Pete Cunningham, Ned Pegler and Caradog Jones
With thanks to: The Saar family, Emma Haru, Lisa Jann, Kimberly David, Lauren Graber and Julie at Roberts Projects LA, and Bobby Lee and Ali at Warm Music for generously donating us the track Walking With Trees.
ABOUT AUDIO-TECHNICA
In 1962, with a vision of producing high-quality audio for everyone, Audio-Technica’s founder Hideo Matsushita created the first truly affordable phono cartridge, the AT-1 in Shinjuku, Japan. Since then, Audio-Technica has grown into a world-renowned company devoted to Audio Excellence at every level, expanding the product range to include headphones, microphones and turntables. Audio-Technica’s commitment to the user experience and their devotion to high quality design, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution has placed them at the forefront of the industry for the last 60 years.
ABOUT THE LAST BOHEMIANS
Journalist and broadcaster Kate Hutchinson launched The Last Bohemians in 2019, pairing the audio with stunning portraits by photographer Laura Kelly. It stole hearts with 86-year-old Molly Parkin’s stories of self-pleasuring, LSD countess Amanda Feilding’s trepanning tales and Pamela Des Barres’ reflections on supergroupiedom. It won silver for Best New Podcast at the 2020 British Podcast Awards and was a finalist at the 2021 Audio Production Awards.
Series two featured folk legend Judy Collins; British fashion icon Zandra Rhodes, dealing with the aftermath of losing her lover while celebrating 50 years in fashion; anarcho-punk innovator and illustrator Gee Vaucher; and the controversial witch at the heart of the 1970s occult boom, Maxine Sanders. In 2021, The Last Bohemians launched a lockdown special with performance artist Marina Abramović; it returned in 2022 with the UK’s greatest living painter, Maggi Hambling, as well as Bowie’s former best friend Dana Gillespie and theatre actor Cleo Sylvestre.
thelastbohemians.co.uk
patreon.com/thelastbohemians
instagram.com/thelastbohemianspod
twitter.com/thelastbohospod
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Heart UK