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The Installation Art PodcastAuthor: Anastasia Parmson
A new resource for all things installation art is here! Join host Anastasia Parmson an artist herself as she uncovers stories, challenges, and lessons from behind the scenes. The show brings you in-depth conversations with internationally renowned artists and arts professionals who have exhibited installation art on the global stage. In each episode, you will hear about the creative process and the personal journeys of these exceptional artists. We will gain insights into the unique joys and challenges; as well as the logistical and financial aspects of working with installation art. Join us every fortnight as we shine a light on this underserved field, helping artists feel less alone in their studios and providing a platform for community building and knowledge sharing. Subscribe to The Installation Art Podcast on your favourite podcast app and follow us on Instagram @installationartpodcast to stay updated and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Website: https://installationartpodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/installationartsociety/ Language: en Genres: Arts, Business, Careers, Visual Arts Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Art as Playgrounds: Mike Hewson on Infrastructure, Risk & Responsibility
Episode 41
Monday, 20 April, 2026
Listener feedback form: https://forms.gle/T6ywdFawXWKLu1UR6Leave a voice message: https://www.speakpipe.com/installationartpodcastA conversation with New Zealand artist Mike Hewson, recorded inside his monumental installation The Key's Under the Mat at the Art Gallery of New South Wales – a 2,500 square meter underground park complete with working sauna, laundromat, barbecues, DJ booth, recording studio and playground that's broken every visitor record the gallery has ever seen.Mike's practice straddles the complex lines between art, infrastructure and public liability. He designs playgrounds that councils don't know how to regulate, builds permanent public sculptures that must survive Australian weather conditions and human interference and he takes on legal exposure that would terrify most artists, all while fighting the perception that making functional, interactive work is somehow "beneath" serious art.Key insights from this episode:• The Christchurch earthquake moment: barefoot in a broken city, wondering whether he should keep pursuing art• Project backlash: dealing with public anger, going into debt on his first major commission and lessons learned• Strategic pivot: setting a new precedent as an artist-engineer• True scope of the AGNSW project and how he sourced materials for it• Hard truth and advice: burnout is not a sustainable business modelMike Hewson is a New Zealand artist based in Sydney. You can find out more about his work on his website https://mikehewson.co.nz/ and follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikehewson See his work in person:The Key's Under the Mat at AGNSW Tank (open until August 2026) https://mikehewson.co.nz/2025/10/the-keys-under-the-mat Coal Loader Palm Grove is a permanent public installation at Sydney Fish Markets: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2026/1/coal-loader-palm-grove Rocks on Wheels public art playground in Soutbank, Naarm (Melbourne): https://mikehewson.co.nz/2022/11/rocks-on-wheels Pockets Park in Pioneers Memorial Park, Leichhardt NSW: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2022/2/pockets-park St Peters Fences at Simpson Park, St Peters NSW: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2020/9/st-peters-fences Illawarra Placed Landscape at Crown Street Mall, Wollongong NSW: https://mikehewson.co.nz/2017/11/illawarra-placed-landscape 02:55 Work Life Balance Reality05:35 Growing Up in Rural NZ08:02 From Painting to Installations19:40 Building Playgrounds as Art27:37 Precarious Look Safe Design32:32 Sourcing Found Materials40:33 Maintenance and Record Crowds45:41 Afterlife and Financial Reality58:51 Geopets Art Fair Hack01:07:17 Contracts, Insurance and Codes01:20:51 Hard Truths And Advice01:25:51 After The Mammoth ShowAlso mentioned in this episode:Christchurch earthquake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Christchurch_earthquake JR: https://www.jr-art.net/ | https://www.instagram.com/jr/ Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu/ | https://www.instagram.com/columbia/ | @columbiaSarah Sze: https://www.sarahsze.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/sarahszestudio Lloyd’s: https://www.lloyds.com/australia | https://www.instagram.com/lloydsoflondon/ | @LloydsinsuranceInfrastructure NSW: https://www.infrastructure.nsw.gov.au/ | Gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com.au/ | https://www.instagram.com/gumtreeaus | @gumtreeaustraliaLett Thomas Gallery: https://lett-thomas.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/michaellett | https://www.instagram.com/lettthomasgallery Rirkrit Tiravanija: https://www.davidzwirner.com/artists/rirkrit-tiravanija | https://www.instagram.com/rirkrit_team Sydney Fish Market: https://www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au/ Images courtesy of the artist and Art Gallery of NSWThe Installation Art Podcast is a show about people who love and work with the contemporary art medium of installation. The host Anastasia Parmson, an artist herself, interviews internationally renowned artists and arts workers about the intricacies and behind-the-scenes stories of creating and showing work that is site-specific, ephemeral, large scale or immersive.🔔 Hit subscribe or follow wherever you’re listening to never miss a new episode.📢 Follow us on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/installationartpodcast/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@installationartpodcast📚 More information about the show and previous episodes: www.installationartpodcast.comYour host Anastasia Parmson: www.anastasiaparmson.art https://www.instagram.com/anastasiaparmson.art/
