Between Two Curators

It’s that time again to reflect on the past season’s worth of fabulous and inspiring guests. From wellbeing to community to making sh*t happen, we offer some reflections and favourite moments of inspiration drawn from the many. Support the Show.

Yoga teacher and community builder Jordan Ashley tells us how to travel with a social conscience, live with compassion and kindness, and be of service beyond the pretzel poses. Jordan is founder of Souljourn Yoga Foundation, a charity that runs events and retreats in support of empowering and educating women. @souljournyoga / souljournyoga.com @jforjordanashley / jforjordanashley.com Support the Show.

Dominic tells us about connecting emotions and memories to food, the importance of shopping and eating locally, and how he reinvented the humble scotch egg. Dominic Hamdy is an entrepreneur and restauranteur, and co-founder of London eateries Scotchtails, Lundenwic, and Cripsin. @crispin_e1 crispinlondon.com Support the Show.

Zia Zareem-Slade unpacks the gamut of retail experiences at Fortnum & Mason, from iconic biscuit tins to memorable window displays. As Customer Experience Director of one of Britain's biggest brands, Zia tells us about digital innovation, artistic collaborations, and next-level desserts: champagne popsicles. fortnumandmason.com / @fortnums Fortnum’s Hungry Minds Podcast Support the Show.

Francesca Anfossi tells us how clay brings people of all ages and skills together, its virtues as a natural substance, and her not-so-secret dream of becoming a chicken lady. Francesca is a ceramicist, facilitator and co-founder of the community hub Rochester Square located in Camden, London. rochestersquare.co.uk @rochestersquareofficial @fraanfossi Support the Show.

Caryn Coleman makes the case for supporting independent cinema especially during the pandemic, gives visibility to female directors and filmmakers, and tells us why horror films are making a comeback. Caryn is a New York based film programmer, founder of The Future of Film is Female, and Director of Programming/Special Projects at Nitehawk Cinema. @caryncoleman @thefutureoffilmisfemale / futureoffilmisfemale.com @nitehawkcinema / nitehawkcinema.com Support the Show.

Broadcaster, writer, and social and political commentator Nels Abbey talks to us about creative approaches to addressing racism. He tells us about the importance of following inspirational urges, co-founding a black writers’ guild, and why he quit banking to write a satirical book about surviving and thriving in a white man’s world. T: @nelsabbey / I: @nelsabbey Think Like a White Man theblackwritersguild.com Support the Show.

Wellness workplace guru Christina Disler takes us through the importance of infusing the workday with self-care, integrating mindfulness into the work day, and why free green juice is great but isn’t the leadership answer your staff were looking for. Christina Disler is Founder and CEO of Werk Lab, Editor-in-Chief of The Werk, and a leadership consultant and coach. christinadisler.com / @cdisler thewerk.co / @the.werk werklab.com / @werklab Support the Show.

Serial ethical entrepreneur Jessica Kruger tells about the time when opening a vegan restaurant was a novel concept, how big brands are becoming more sustainable, and the latest innovations in materials made from tasty fruit and veg. Jessica Kruger is founder of LUXTRA, a luxury fashion brand specialising in vegan and sustainable bags and accessories. @luxtralondon luxtralondon.com Support the Show.

Nico Muhly muses on the rituals of choral and minimalist music, writing for opera vs film, and why it’s a very “Beethoven” time in our lives right now. Nico Muhly is an New-York based composer and collaborator who has written more than 100 works for international concert venues, as well as the opera Marnie (2017), and scored film soundtracks including The Reader (2008) and Gift of Fire (forthcoming). www.nicomuhly.com / @nicomuhly itunes / spotify Support the Show.

We kick off Season Two with Es Devlin, who let us into her world of mind-blowing visual concepts for events, performances, exhibitions, and concerts. She tells us about her approach to choreographing space, the porosity between digital and physical, and how she built the world’s most literate poetry AI. Es Devlin is a world-renowned designer whose track record of spectacular projects includes the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony. Es Devlin's Website / @esdevlin BBC Culture in Quarantine Masterclass UK Pavilion, Expo 2021-2, Dubai UAE Superblue Support the Show.

In this episode, we are without guest! We take a moment to look back and reflect on some of the highlights and shared themes that have emerged from our first ten episodes. From care for others to authentic selves, from tasting culinary delights to fathoming the scale of the universe, we pick our favourite moments of creative ingenuity. @betweentwocurators @clifflauson / clifflauson.com @jenncellis / jennellis.com Podcast Artwork: Ambar-Maya Johnsson Podcast Music: Pedro Velasco Feedback and suggestions: betweentwocurators@gmail.com Support the Show.

Julian Foddy takes us behind the scenes of major film and TV productions to explain how their visual effects are made. He tells us about “fixing it in post-”, the latest virtual set technology, and how he once got stressed about the size of Spiderman’s shoulder pads. Julian is a VFX Supervisor at Industrial Light and Magic, who has worked on films from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises as well as Ready Player One (2018), Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), and Fast and Furious 6 (2013). Julian’s ILM Profile / Julian’s IMDB Credits @ilmvfx Stagecraft and Virtual Production of The Mandalorian Support the Show.

We have an open and frank conversation with Maxsta about the pressures of the music industry, moving beyond “macho rap vibes”, and how to cold-call your idols. Maxsta is a British musician, grime MC, and producer whose unique sound has earned him millions of plays and recent support from the PRS Foundation Momentum Music Fund. Spotify / Apple Music @kingmaxsta @nohatsnohoods Records + Merch MaxstaTV on YouTube (coming soon) Support the Show.

We have a fascinating conversation with Ben Allanach about his quest to find new particles and forces (Z-Primes anyone?) by smashing together other particles, how science is both beautiful and creative, and how he became involved with an intergalactic travel agency. Ben is Professor of Theoretical Physics in the Theoretical High Energy Particle Physics Group at the University of Cambridge, a Visiting Scientist at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, and also a Quantum Selves artist. Ben’s Profile Page at U of Cambridge Support the Show.

Keshia Hannam is an inspired raconteur - whether it’s speaking at the United Nations, advocating for equality and sustainability, or explaining how to ditch the insurance business and pursue a career you actually love! Keshia leads workshops around the world, facilitating storytelling and vulnerable leadership and the importance of every person's voice. www.keshiahannam.com / @keshiahannam Support the Show.

We chat to Will Wheeler about founding Level Six Studios in Peckham, London, and making yoga accessible to everyone. We also delve into what yoga means off the mat, spirituality in modern practice, plus a little advice on how to find new students in the supermarket. www.willwheeleryoga.com / @heywillwheeler www.levelsixstudios.co.uk / @levelsixpeckham Support the Show.

We take a deep-dive into food with Imogen Kwok: its ability to bring us together, its potential as an artistic medium, and why chefs are obsessed with tweezers. A classically-trained chef with a degree in art history, Imogen successfully combines the two as a food designer, creating event experiences that surprise and delight the senses. @imogenkwok imogenkwok.com Support the Show.

Creative Chief Officer, Jason Basmajian shares his thoughts on artistic cross-pollination, finding ways of keeping it fresh, and how to be generous when surrounded by fashionistas. Jason has led the creative direction of major fashion brands such as Cerutti, Gieves and Hawkes, and Brioni. Now a freelance consultant, he works across interior design, fashion, visual and performing arts to stylise luxury brands and experiences. Jason also shares mouth-watering recipes and beautifully presented dishes on his YouTube channel Kentish Town Kitchen. @jasonbasmajian Support the Show.

Educator, producer, and facilitator Samantha Holdsworth tells us about the downright inspiring creative work she does with young people, how art can be used for social change, and why clowns are not -- repeat, not -- scary. Co-founded with Greg Klerkx in 2006, Nimble Fish creates theatrical productions and public programmes designed to make meaningful impacts in communities across the country. Clowns without Borders UK is a part of an international support network that brings joy, laughter, and emotional relief to children in areas of humanitarian crisis. www.nimble-fish.co.uk www.clownswithoutborders.org.uk @samantha_holdsworth @clownswithoutbordersuk Support the Show.