Connected Canvas Podcast

In this episode, Aaron and Anna unpack the personalized concept of "luxury." How do you define it and is it always relative? Is it a thing or a feeling? Can it ever be divorced from social class? Is a handmade item more luxurious than a mass-produced "luxury" brand piece? What's luxury's relationship with taste? Why You Should Listen: You need some talking points for justifying your personal indulgences. Plus, just listening to people talk about luxury feels luxurious. We promise.  What You'll Hear:  01:59 - Aaron and Anna discuss the audience feedback they’ve received and better define the Connected Canvas Podcast.04:31 - Aaron introduces the episode topic: Modern Luxury: Comfort or Class?05:44 - Is luxury a state of mind? Can it be quantified?08:23 - Is a designer bag more luxurious than a handmade Etsy bag?10:59 - How has luxury shifted back to local? Is this driven by an emphasis on quality over rarity?13:33 - Aaron is the self-proclaimed master of excess.14:29 - &ldqu

We are obsessed with bodies (particularly famous female ones). In this episode, Aaron and Anna consider the various ways we manipulate our bodies, making them into art objects. The pair also discusses how we use our bodies to communicate and titillate -- they are tools, and occasionally weapons.  Why You Should Listen: You have a body. But do you know how to use it? What You'll Hear: 00:10 – Introduction to your hosts, Aaron Cohen and Anna Akbari00:53 – Introduction to Art of the Body01:21 – What is the difference between male and female bodies? (Besides the obvious.) Do we obsess over one body more than the other? How do we transform the perception of our bodies?04:26 – Is it the Year of the Butt? Anna compares the sought-after-yet-different bodies of Kate Moss, Christina Hendricks and Beyonce. Are our bodies part of the trend cycle?07:58 – Instagram, Tumblr and other social media widely distribute the body as art object; we

We're in constant communication -- but are we actually talking to each other? Aaron and Anna discuss whether anyone's having actual conversations anymore (or if it's all just asynchronous exchanges) and why so many people fear talking on the phone. They highlight their favorite on-going conversations and individuals with the gift of gab.  Why you should listen: You're talking. Is anyone listening? What You'll Hear:  00:15 – Introduction to your hosts, Aaron Cohen and Anna Akbari00:44 – Introduction to the Art of Conversation01:57 – How do we experience conversation in a world with so much connected chatter through social media, email and text?02:55 – Aaron hates when his phone rings. Why don’t people want to talk on the phone anymore?06:09 – What gives us a sense of urgency in the modern age? Discussion of tools like Snapchat, Instagram, What’s App, Kick, Twitter and text message.08:05 –

Aaron and Anna psychoanalyze Anna's recent digital communication conundrum, which spirals into a larger discussion of how we connect and communication in a technological age. Why are we so afraid of phone calls? What does it mean to be "present" now? Do we need to disconnect to find connection? Why You Should Listen: Digital communication isn't as easy as an old school phone call. Everyone needs a little guidance. What You'll Hear: 00:11 - Introduction to your hosts @AaronCohen & @annaakbari00:44 - Anna's awkward "phantom texting" situation invites a discussion on social etiquette for digital communication 04:22 - Aaron and Anna discuss the National Day of Unplugging and Anna's ability to disconnect daily 06:26 - Aaron recalls teaching the History of Internet Media and allowing students to use the Internet in class07:10 - If disconnecting electronically allows a physical connection, what does this mean for rising generations who are connected from the moment they re

Aaron and Anna decipher the culture of bad taste. Does bad taste come from a lack of sophistication? Does anyone admit to having bad taste? Would the world be bland without "bad taste," like the Madonna Inn or cheesy Christmas lights?   Why You Should Listen: You have superior taste (or do you?). This is your guide to knowing for sure. What You'll Hear:  00:12 - Introduction to your hosts, Aaron Cohen & Anna Akbari 00:35 - Introduction to the topic: Culture of Bad Taste 01:24 - Do you have good taste?03:29 - Has Instagram and other social devices made it easier to share creative urges? Are these urges always in good taste? 03:52 - Pierre Bourdieu argues that good taste is about social class05:08 - Anna argues that Pinterest is full of virtual boards that mark your taste05:19 - Aaron and Anna define bad taste06:33 - How does taste evolve? Aaron and Anna discuss their own style evolutions10:41 - How do we link taste to a conn

Tucker Viemeister is the President of Viemeister Industries, which explores creative solutions without boarders in traditional and new media. He is most famous for OXO Good Grips kitchen tools designed with Smart Design, the company he helped found in 1979. He has build design groups opening frogdesign’s New York office, establishing Razorfish’s physical design capability group, Springtime-USA, then as Lab Chief at Rockwell Group and Director, Special Projects with Ralph Appelbaum Associates. He has created fun and profitable things, places and experiences for Apple, Coca-Cola, Cuisinart, Viking, J&J, Timex, Levi’s, Phat Farm, Joe Boxer, Nestlé, Unilever, Motorola, Toshiba, Sharp, Seibu, Toyota, Nike, Knoll, Steelcase, Kate Spade, JetBlue, Cosmopolitan Casino, Yotel, Venice Biennale, and the NYC Board of Education. He is now working on products to make aging more enjoyable and is teaching at Parsons. Mentioned In This Episode: OXO Good Grips kitchenware S

Alexandra Henry is a photographer based in New York City. Her body of work explores architecture, graffiti, and unembellished details of densely populated areas. This fascination with vast urban environments and the universal reality of contemporary city life stands in stark contrast to her rural upbringing in New Mexico. She has been twice-recognized as a CurateNYC Emerging Artist and her photographs have been internationally exhibited and published in various magazines and online. She is currently focused on a documentary film project called Street Heroines that follows female street artists creating pieces in North & South America. I recently had the chance to speak with her about this project, as well as her development as a photographer documenting female graffiti artists in various cities around the world. Mentioned In This Episode: Chinatown Graffiti (first photo) Street Heroines, video project on female graffiti artists  Mads Nissen's World Press Photo of the Year 2014 Winner&

In this episode, Aaron and Anna discuss the rise of the creative entrepreneur as a result of a social media-driven, technologically connected culture. Do we live in the society of the spectacle, where we want to be constantly entertained? And how does this affect originality and artistic vision?  Aaron shares his surprise at the "emerging profession" of a Meme Consultant, and Anna recounts her own experience of realizing she needed a prominent social media presence to earn merit as a writer. Finally, Anna breaks Connected Canvas Podcast Rule #17 when she mentions Grumpy Cat and Jean Baudrillard in the same episode. But of course, you can't talk about memes on the internet and not talk about cats.  Why You Should Listen: Buzzfeed says you should. What You'll Hear:  00:20 - Introduction to hosts, Aaron Cohen & Anna Akbari, and the business of creativity01:57 - Aaron & Anna define creative entrepreneurship. Was it developed as a necessity for artists

In our third episode, Soundwall CEO Aaron Cohen and I discuss the way we talk about art and the larger connection between words and images. Inspired by my blog post on "what we talk about when we talk about art," which looks at the conversation and words surrounding art, we pose several questions: Do we seek out the words to describe artwork, or do we want the art to stand alone? How do the words artists use to describe their work transform how it's received? And what happens when the artist isn't around to explain? How do words connect with images in everyday life?  We deconstruct the J. Peterman catalog (which has no pictures of the clothes) to discover whether attaching words to images elevates the work to a higher level of understanding -- and increased desirability. We also delve into the classic BBC series and book by John Berger, Ways of Seeing, which is obsessed with the intersection of image and sound.  Why You Should Listen: You've been to a g

Aaron and Anna discuss what sound looks like and dives into high and low culture, from Jimmy Fallon to Nigel Stanford's project "Cymatics," in relation to the ways artists are visualizing sound. Is there an interconnectivity with sound and the visual? Are the sounds we connect with images hyper-personal, or is there a universality? What do you see when you listen to music? Featured in this episode is Jack Mason, Digital Strategist & Designer for IBM Global Business Services. He's also the creator of the Nanocosmos -- a musical art project that blends the smallest scale of matter with the larger scale of the cosmos and astronomy. He graduated from Brown University with a  degree in semiotics, and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.  Why You Should Listen:  Because your relationship with sounds and images is complex. Let's make sense of it.   What You Will Hear:  00:21 - The hosts introduce themselves and discuss the great

In our inaugural episode, Soundwall CEO Aaron Cohen and I look back at 2014 as the "Year of the Selfie" and observe the psyche of the selfie-taker. How do selfies fit into the larger landscape of Internet-driven culture? Are we all just begging for attention? Do selfies indicate confidence or insecurity?  Featured on this episode are Sarah Phillips and Tom Eswein, two members of what The New York Times has dubbed the First Family of Instagram. Sarah (@food) and Tom (@realestate) discuss how Instagram and their combined 1.5 million followers have shaped the way they interact with the world.  Why You Should Listen: Because you either take selfies (publicly or secretly) or are confronted with them every day on social media. Time for some analysis... What You Will Hear:  00:14 - Introduction to Hosts, Aaron Cohen & Anna Akbari 00:38 - What is the Connected Canvas Podcast? 02:40 - “Look at Me” asks... Are we screaming for attentio