Bow Down is a podcast about significant women artists from the past, hosted by Jennifer Higgie, editor at large at Frieze.
Women have been expressing themselves since the beginning of time. Yet, ask around and you’ll find that most people struggle to name even one non-male artist from before the 20th century. For each 20-minute episode, Jennifer invites an artist, writer, historian or curator to nominate an artist to whom we should all … well, bow down.
Subscribe to learn more about these radical women, all of whom made – and continue to make – the world a more interesting place.
19 Available Episodes (19 Total)Average duration: 00:18:20
Oct 26, 2020
Lianne La Havas on Frida Kahlo
00:13:19
For this special episode of Bow Down, Jennifer Higgie talks to the brilliant singer and songwriter Lianne La Havas about the influence of art – and in particular, Frida Kahlo – on her life and work.
Sep 24, 2020
Dame Magdalene Odundo on Ladi Kwali
00:18:39
The renowned ceramic artist Dame Magdalene Odundo discusses the life and work of the influential Nigerian potter Ladi Kwali, who taught Odundo in the early 1970s and who face adorns the Nigerian 20 Naira bill.
Sep 17, 2020
Sally Smart on Bessie Davidson
00:19:35
The artist Sally Smart discusses the life and work of the Australian post-Impressionist artist Bessie Davidson – Smart’s great, great aunt – who migrated to Paris from Adelaide in the early 20th-century.
Sep 10, 2020
Duro Olowu on Emma Amos
00:21:18
The fashion designer and curator Duro Olowu discusses the life and work of the American artist and activist Emma Amos, who was the only woman to join the radical African American art collective, Spiral, which was co-founded by Romare Bearden in 1963.
Sep 03, 2020
Alison Goldfrapp on Leonora Carrington
00:19:01
The musician and artist Alison Goldfrapp discusses the life and work of the trailblazing British / Mexican surrealist painter and author, Leonora Carrington, who was born in 1917 in the UK and emigrated to Mexico in the 1940s.
Aug 27, 2020
Amalia Pica on Lola Mora
00:20:28
The artist Amalia Pica discusses the life and work of the 19th-century Argentinean neo-classicist sculptor and inventor, Lola Mora, who trained in Rome and created one of the best-known fountains in Buenos Aires.
Aug 20, 2020
Sonia Boyce on Adrian Piper
00:21:16
The artist and activist Sonia Boyce, who is representing Britain at the 2022 Venice Biennale, discusses issues of race, power and humour in the work of the Berlin-based, radical philosopher and artist Adrian Piper.
Aug 12, 2020
Mark Cousins on Kira Muratova
00:20:43
Mark Cousins, the writer and director of the new 14-hour documentary Women Make Film discusses the prolific and underrated Russian/Ukrainian filmmaker Kira Muratova, whose wildly imaginative work was censored by the Soviets.
Aug 06, 2020
Bow Down: Series Two Trailer
00:01:58
Bow Down – the podcast about significant female artists who deserve our attention – returns for series 2. Presented by Jennifer Higgie, guests include the artists Sonia Boyce, Amalia Pica and Sally Smart; the filmmaker Mark Cousins; the musician Alison Goldfrapp; potter Magdalene Odundo; curator and fashion designer Duro Olowu and the legendary feminist art-historian Griselda Pollock.
Aug 06, 2020
Griselda Pollock on Vera Frenkel
00:20:28
Griselda Pollock, winner of the 2020 Holberg Prize for her ‘profound influence on art history’, discusses the life and work of the Toronto-based artist Vera Frenkel, who for six decades has been a pioneer of new technologies.
Dec 23, 2019
Zoe Whitley on Kathleen Collins
00:20:09
The Hayward Gallery curator, and co-curator of the blockbuster touring exhibition ‘Soul of a Nation’ discusses the life and work of Kathleen Collins, the first African-American woman to write and direct a feature film.
Dec 16, 2019
Liliane Lijn on Stella Snead
00:21:50
The London-based artist discusses the life and times of her friend, the late (and overlooked) British surrealist painter, photographer and collage artist, Stella Snead, who lived between New Mexico and India.
Dec 09, 2019
Shahidha Bari on Mary Moser and Angelica Kauffman
00:20:00
The cultural historian, radio presenter and author of Dressed: The Secret Life of Clothes discusses the life and times of the two women founders of London’s Royal Academy, the trail-blazing 18th-century artists Angelica Kauffman and Mary Moser.
Dec 02, 2019
Natalia Sidlina on Natalia Goncharova
00:23:12
The Tate Curator of International Art discusses the life and times of the modernist pioneer Natalia Goncharova, who changed the landscape of avant-garde art in early 20th-century Russia.
Nov 25, 2019
Juliet Jacques on Claude Cahun
00:21:37
The critic and author of the acclaimed memoir Trans discusses the life and work of the radical mid-20th-century surrealist photographer and resistance worker Claude Cahun.
Nov 18, 2019
Laura Mulvey on Chantal Akerman
00:21:18
The renowned film theorist Laura Mulvey – who coined the term 'the male gaze' – discusses the life and work of the influential avant-garde Belgian filmmaker, Chantal Akerman, who died in 2015.
Nov 11, 2019
Olivia Laing on Agnes Martin
00:22:09
The best-selling novelist and winner of the 2019 James Tait Black Memorial Prize discusses the life and work of the 20th-century American artist Agnes Martin, whose minimalist paintings were inspired by Zen Buddhism.
Oct 22, 2019
Helen Cammock on Artemisia Gentileschi
00:20:20
The 2019 Turner Prize-shortlisted artist Helen Cammock reflects on her fascination with the inspiring 17th-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi, who overcame tragic circumstances to become one of the most famous artists of her day.
Oct 21, 2019
Bow Down: The Trailer
00:01:02
Oct 26 | 00:13:19
Lianne La Havas on Frida Kahlo
Sep 24 | 00:18:39
Dame Magdalene Odundo on Ladi Kwali
Sep 17 | 00:19:35
Sally Smart on Bessie Davidson
Sep 10 | 00:21:18
Duro Olowu on Emma Amos
Sep 03 | 00:19:01
Alison Goldfrapp on Leonora Carrington
Aug 27 | 00:20:28
Amalia Pica on Lola Mora
Aug 20 | 00:21:16
Sonia Boyce on Adrian Piper
Aug 12 | 00:20:43
Mark Cousins on Kira Muratova
Aug 06 | 00:01:58
Bow Down: Series Two Trailer
Aug 06 | 00:20:28
Griselda Pollock on Vera Frenkel
Dec 23 | 00:20:09
Zoe Whitley on Kathleen Collins
Dec 16 | 00:21:50
Liliane Lijn on Stella Snead
Dec 09 | 00:20:00
Shahidha Bari on Mary Moser and Angelica Kauffman
Dec 02 | 00:23:12
Natalia Sidlina on Natalia Goncharova
Nov 25 | 00:21:37
Juliet Jacques on Claude Cahun
Nov 18 | 00:21:18
Laura Mulvey on Chantal Akerman
Nov 11 | 00:22:09
Olivia Laing on Agnes Martin
Oct 22 | 00:20:20
Helen Cammock on Artemisia Gentileschi
Oct 21 | 00:01:02
Bow Down: The Trailer
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