
Binder Podcast
By Columbia Museum of Art
Production and editing by Drew Baron

Binder PodcastSep 19, 2023

Helping Hands
Cheers to volunteers! In today's Binder podcast, Ray takes some time to honor those who donate theirs in an episode dedicated to volunteerism. Deputy Director Joelle Ryan-Cook drops in to tell her CMA origin story and reflect on her time as a member of the museum's Docent Corps before docent and music instructor Emily Creedle stops by to chat about gallery tours, relating music to art, and what it's like to share art with others. After the break, Jennifer Bartell Boykin joins Ray to share her poem "Leaves Like Prayer" and talk about what it's like to be Columbia's new poet laureate and how giving back runs in her family.

Digging Deeper with Steve Baker
Director of Art and Learning Jackie Adams is joined by Resurgence and Renaissance curator Brittany Taylor Driggers to talk with archeologist Steve Baker about his experiences working to create the 1973 Catawba pottery exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art and what has changed in the 50 years since.
This episode of Binder podcast is funded in part by SC Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This episode is also funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tugging On Threads
Tina Williams Brewer weaves ideas related to African diasporic history, spirituality, migration, and shared heritage into vibrant, hand-stitched quilts. Today's episode explores her exhibition Tina Williams Brewer: Stories of Grace. Ray sits down with exhibition curator Michael Neumeister to talk about creating this exhibition and what makes Brewer's work stand out among quilters today. Later, producer Drew chats with the artist to learn about why gathering community lore is so important to her process.

Ye Iswąˀ
Tαnakɛ! Producer Drew goes back on the road to visit the Native American Studies Center in Lancaster, SC. Joined by NASC director Stephen Criswell, assistant curator Sharon Simmers-Norton, artist and designer Alex Osborne, and storyteller and language historian Beckee Garris, Drew learns more about the art, history, and culture of the Catawba in honor of the exhibition Resurgence and Renaissance: Art of the Catawba Nation Since 1973.
This episode of Binder podcast is funded in part by SC Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This episode is also funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commissionwhich receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This episode features excerpts of a performance by the Catawba Men's Drum Group recorded on October 2022, courtesy of the Native American Studies Center.
Binder podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. You can learn more about CMA exhibitions, programs, membership, and more at www.columbiamuseum.org

More Than Rhythm: Dom Flemons
"The American Songster" Dom Flemons joins series host Dr. Birgitta Johnson for the season finale of More Than Rhythm. The two talk about sourcing music from archives, the lasting influence of folk and roots music, and the importance of storytelling. Featuring excerpts from Flemons' live performance at the Columbia Museum of Art in June 2023.

Off Script
The new episode of Binder is going off script. Host Ray McManus and producer Drew have a casual conversation in the recording studio about fitting in at an art museum, living in the South, and free admission. Later in the episode, hear a reading of McManus' poem "Empty Church" inspired by CMA Collection piece Grey Conception #2 by Jerry Okimoto.

Do Our Own Work, In Our Own Way
The South's got something to say in the latest Binder Podcast. Producer Drew joins Ray to introduce the exhibition Our Own Work, Our Own Way: Ascendant Women Artists in the Johnson Collection before taking a road trip up to Spartanburg, SC, to chat one-on-one with The Johnson Collection's chief operating officer, Sarah Tignor, about the collection, the South, and women in the arts. After the break, USC professor Julia Liz Elliott returns to the podcast to talk about her formative experiences with Southern women writers and what that label means today.

String Theory
CMA Deputy Director Joelle Ryan-Cook drops in to host a special edition of Binder Podcast all about chamber music. First, she chats with CMA Chamber Music on Main Artistic Director Andrew Armstrong about the concert series, how Chopin helped heal his heartbreak, and having a sense of humor. After the break, Armstrong returns with Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes to talk about practice, passion, and how to tell a joke.

More Than Rhythm: Mahoganëë
South Carolina Lowcountry soul musician Mahoganëë joins Dr. Birgitta Johnson to talk about her unique style of “Funky Organik Soul,” and her latest album Textures of a Southern Soul (a Gullah Geechee Soul) Vol. 1. Featuring excerpts of a performance by The Mahoganëë Xperience.

The Outside Looking In
Ray sits down with founder of the nonprofit organization Bullets and Bandaids Robert LeHup to talk about veteran affairs, healing emotional scars, and how art can build a bridge between the military and civilian world through dialogue. After the break Robert is joined by Afghan interpreter Zia Ghafoori, poet Ed Madden, and artist Dre Lopez to discuss the Bullets and Bandaids project and the weight and responsibility of interpreting the stories of veterans.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art.
Resources:
National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder website: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
Disaster Distress Hotline: Call or Text 1 (800) 985-5990
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1 (800) 273-8255 or Chat Online

Looking Forward Together
Binder is back! On today's episode, producer Drew chats with CMA commissioner and docent Nancy Tolson about why she loves Black art, and Forward Together collector Patrick Diamond stops by to talk about the "magic carpet ride" of collecting it. Later, enjoy an excerpt from a conversation with art historian Dr. Frank Martin and acclaimed South Carolina artist Dr. Leo Twiggs.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art.

More Than Rhythm: Nicole Neely
Violinist-arranger-composer-conductor and Columbia native Nicole Neely joins series host Dr. Birgitta Johnson to talk classical music, the Black church, and arranging for artists such as Lauren Hill and Beyoncé. Featuring excerpts of a performance by Neely's string quartet, The Black Exchange.

If It Ain't Baroque, Don't Fix It
This new Binder Podcast has the Kress to impress. Ray gets a crash course in Renaissance and Baroque art with the University of South Carolina's Anna Swartwood House. After the break, poet Libby Bernadine stops by to talk spirituality, art, and her new book House In Need Of Mooring.
Read Anna's Article here: https://theconversation.com/the-long-history-of-how-jesus-came-to-resemble-a-white-european-142130
Binder podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art

Columbia Design League
In this special presentation of Binder podcast, producer Drew and Columbia Design League liaison Jackie Palmieri celebrate the CDL's 25th anniversary. Then Jackie joins current CDL board president Anna Sveinbjornsdottir for a preview of what's next for the design league. After the break, CDL founders Tom Savory and Adrienne Montare stop by to discuss the group's history and some of their favorite memories.
Learn more about the Columbia Design League: https://www.columbiamuseum.org/belong/affinity-groups/columbia-design-league
Binder podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art

Scary Stories To Tell in the Art
Face your fears with an all-new episode of Binder podcast, just in time for Halloween! Producer Drew drops in to help Ray overcome his phobia of snakes with a new game. After the break, Jamieson Ridenhour and Hayley Heninger of the narrative horror podcast Palimpsest stop by to talk about their show and embracing the things that haunt us.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. Get more information about exhibitions and programs at www.columbiamuseum.org

More Than Rhythm: Adia Victoria
Dr. Birgitta Johnson sits down with South Carolina native and globally recognized blues musician Adia Victoria to talk about the blues' past and present, representation within the art form and Adia's latest album A Southern Gothic. Featuring excerpts of an intimate performance by Adia Victoria and her creative partner Mason Hickman recorded at the Columbia Museum of Art in August of 2022.

Archiving Abeles
Producer Drew embarks on a journey to learn more about Shades of Life artist Sigmund Abeles with the help of John Quirk and Graham Duncan of the South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art
Browse the library's digital collections at: https://digital.library.sc.edu/

Vanesha Perrin
Producer Drew sits down with Vanesha Perrin, new board president of the Friends of African American Art and Culture, to learn more about her personal art experiences, Delores Logan, and the acquisition of Monotype IV by Oliver Lee Jackson.
Binder podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. www.columbiamuseum.org

Totally Lit Anniversary Special
And just like that, Binder podcast turned one! On today's episode, Producer Drew brings Ray a few surprises to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the podcast before CMA Chief Preparator and Exhibition Designer Mike Dwyer stops in to illuminate Ray on the world of art preservation. Later, the museum's newest curator, Michael Neumeister, sheds some light on his first art installation at the CMA, Modern Rhythms.

Jackie Palmieri
Producer Drew interviews CMA's education and engagement coordinator, Jackie Palmieri.
Binder Podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art

More Than Rhythm: Benny Starr
Birgitta returns with consciousness-raising Lowcountry musician Benny Starr to dive into the influences and upbringing that inspire his unique brand of hip hop. Featuring excerpts of a recent performance by Starr and his band the Four20s live in concert at the Columbia Museum of Art. This episode contains some adult language.
More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series is presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation. This program has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. This program is supported by Richland County Government.

John Lane
An extended interview with writer and naturalist John Lane.
Binder podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art.

Communing with Nature
Binder is en plein air this month as Ray catches up with Jackie Adams about the CMA's latest exhibitions and their relationship with the natural world, and artist Amanda McCavour stops by to talk about her latest series of installation work, Bright Little Day Stars. After the break, Ray chats with writer and naturalist John Lane about rivers, roadkill, and the real outdoors.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. Produced and edited by Drew Baron.

More Than Rhythm Live with Mimi Jones and Dr. Colleen Clark
Enjoy this bonus conversation with host and ethnomusicologist Dr. Birgitta Johnson, guest musician Mimi Jones, and assistant professor of jazz at UofSC Dr. Colleen Clark. Recorded live during last April's More Than Rhythm concert.
More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series is presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation. This program has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. This program is supported by Richland County Government.

More Than Rhythm: Mimi Jones
Birgitta is back, and this time she is joined by jazz musician, educator, and filmmaker Mimi Jones. They explore the history, present, and future of jazz music set to the soundtrack of Mimi Jones' Black Madonna Project live in concert.
More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series is presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation. This program has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. This program is supported by Richland County Government.
The Binder Podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. Edited and recorded by Drew Baron.

Introducing Binder Podcast
Art for your ears. Hosted by CMA writer-in-residence Ray McManus and produced by the Columbia Museum of art, Binder brings you audio storytelling with writers, artists, scholars, curators, and more.

In Touch with Rodin
Host Ray McManus returns to get a feel for the current exhibition, Rodin: Contemplation in Dreams, with CMA's Curator of Education Glenna Barlow before hitting the galleries to check out the new museum touch tours. After the break Ray is joined by poet Ann Chadwell-Humphries to talk about her process, inspiration, and senses as she navigates the world as a person with a visual disability.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. Produced and edited by Drew Baron.

More Than Rhythm: Dr. Tony McNeill
In this special presentation of Binder podcast, More Than Rhythm host and ethnomusicologist Dr. Birgitta Johnson interviews Dr. Tony McNeill, leader of the Heritage Celebration Chorale, an aggregation of choral music educators, enthusiasts, and vocal artists from the Carolinas and Georgia. They discuss the history of the Black sacred music tradition and its role in American music culture today.
More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series is presented by the Baker & Baker Foundation with programmatic support provided by the Friends of African American Art & Culture. This program has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.
Music in order of appearance:
"Ezekiel Saw De Wheel" - Fisk University Singers
"The New York Glide" - Ethel Waters with Albury's Blue and Jazz Seven
Performed by the Heritage Celebration Chorale:
"Lift Every Voice and Sing" - James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson
"Nia" (Purpose) from The Nguzo Saba Suite, Op. 14, No. 5 - Glenn Edward Burleigh
"The Beatitudes" - Arr. Gale Jones Murphy
"Our God Who Art in Heaven" - Tune: NETTLETON, Text: Tony McNeil
"I Done Done What You Told Me to Do" - Arr. Uzee Brown
"We Shall Overcome" - Arr. Uzee Brown
"Amazing Grace" - Tune: NEW BRITAIN, Arr. Evelyn Simpson Curenton

An Affinity for Acquisitions
Host Ray McManus seeks out answers on how art makes it into the collection with help from CMA affinity groups and the museum's executive director, Della Watkins. Featuring interviews with Chase Heatherly of the Contemporaries, Adrienne Montare of the Columbia Design League, and Therese Griffin of the Friends of African American Art and Culture.

Identify Yourself
Host Ray McManus and producer Drew chat about being the new guy and the CMA’s upcoming exhibition Anila Quayyum Agha: Let A Million Flowers Bloom, before being joined by the artist herself to talk about identity, religion, gender politics, and her massive, illuminated sculptures. In the second half, Ray catches up with his good friend, poet, and Director of Women's and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Ed Madden.

Isaac Udogwu
Digital artist and martial artist Isaac Udogwu joins Producer Drew for an extended interview. They talk about his roots in Nigeria and South Carolina, digital art, NFTs, spirituality, and so much more. 22 South Carolinians is on view through May 22, 2022.
The Binder podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art

Home State
The CMA's latest exhibition, 22 South Carolinians, is now on view. Director of Art and Learning Jackie Adams drops by to tell Ray all about it before she's joined by artist J. Renee. In the second half, Ray chats with artist, chef, poet, and SC Arts Commission Artist Development Director Ce Scott Fitts about her work and the state of art in South Carolina.
The Binder Podcast is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. Produced and Edited by Drew Baron. Hosted by Ray McManus.

Strangest Things
Ray dives into some oddities of the CMA Collection with help from museum staff. The strangeness continues when author and UofSC professor Julia Liz Elliott drops in to share her thoughts on why weird is wonderful.
Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art.

American Story
Binder is back, and this time we are talking all things 30 Americans. In the first half, CMA Director of Art and Learning Jackie Adams interviews Jannie Harriot of the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission about her life, career, and impressions of the CMA's latest exhibition. Next, Ray chats with his "cousin," Alabama's Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones, on her appointment as poet laureate and her latest book, Reparations Now!, available through Hub City Press. 30 Americans is on view through January 17, 2022, at the Columbia Museum of Art.
You can learn more about museum exhibitions and programs at www.columbiamuseum.org.

Empathy and Allies
In the season one finale of Binder podcast, host Ray McManus chats with freelance photojournalist Thomas Hammond about empathy, working on assignments overseas, and Columbia's "riot day." Later, poet Sunshine Dempsey sheds some light on the role of allies in the national climate and premieres her new poem, "Memory History Dysphagia." Hindsight 2020 is on view at the Columbia Museum of Art through November 21, 2021.
You can learn more about museum exhibitions and programs at: www.columbiamuseum.org

Working for History
In today's episode, host Ray McManus is joined by photojournalist Sean Rayford to chat about his occupation and the repercussions of that work for the historical record. Later the shop talk continues when poet and organizer Al Black stops by to premiere his new poem, "How Black Lives Pose Matters." They talk verbs, nouns, and what ekphrasis really means. Hindsight 2020 is on view at the Columbia Museum of Art through November 21, 2021.
You can learn more about museum exhibitions and programs at: www.columbiamuseum.org

Universal Language
In today's episode, Ray sits down with community organizer and photographer Héctor Vaca Cruz to talk about police aggression, the immigrant story, and essential workers. After the break, poet power couple Loli Molina Muñoz and Jesus Redondo Menendez stop by to premiere two poems, "ALMA" and "Witness" ("Testigo"), and chat with Ray about responding to Cruz's work and the challenges and opportunities of writing poems in English versus Spanish. Hindsight 2020 is on view at the Columbia Museum of Art through November 21, 2021.

Teachable Moments
Today’s episode photographer and musician Catherine Hunsinger chats with Ray about the big impact of small moments during the protests of 2020. Later, poet Michele Reese premieres her new poem “On the Complexity of Symbols” and talks about taking time to process trauma and the role education can play in helping with that. Hindsight 2020 is on view at the Columbia Museum of Art through November 21, 2021.

The Dam Broke
On today's episode we sharpen our focus onto the work of photojournalist Crush Rush. Host Ray McManus talks with Crush about video games, danger, and of course, 2020. On the second half of the show Poet Len Lawson premieres the new work "Hypotenuse" inspired by Crush's photography. Binder is a production of the Columbia Museum of Art. Recorded and edited by Drew Baron.

Grandad's Boat
In this pilot episode of the Columbia Museum of Art's brand new podcast Binder, host and CMA writer-in-residence Ray McManus speaks with deputy director Joelle Ryan-Cook, curator Catherine Walworth, and curator of art and learning Jackie Adams about an art museum's role in the modern day and current CMA exhibitions The Ironic Curtain and Hindsight 2020.