BY DINO TAKASHI

Russell Tovey isn’t afraid to try new things and shed another layer of his artist's skin. We probably know Russell more as the actor with remarkable TV gigs as the love interest to Jonathan Groff in Looking (2014-2016) on HBO and one of FBI’s secret agents in ABC’s Quantico (2015-2018) with Priyanka Chopra. But beyond the acting chops and his charisma, he is also Russell, “the avid art collector” who gets excited about his love for the visual arts. Like most actors whose resume spans beyond acting, he found it comforting to talk about one of his passions - contemporary art. 

In Fall 2018, Talk Art finally started as a podcast with Robert Diament, an English art dealer that traces back a friendship with Russell for over a decade now. With strong encouragement from both their mums after their joint interview about why they love art so much on the Thought Starters podcast, the unrelenting passion ignited to make art more accessible and more approachable. Contemporary art as they call it “Art of Now” is about storytelling. It is for everyone. It doesn’t need to be frightening or intimidating.  

Having amassed almost three million downloads since their podcast launched, Talk Art has expanded as a physical book. It recently landed on The Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller in the UK. “Talk Art - Everything you wanted to know about contemporary art but were afraid to ask,” aims to bridge that reclusiveness of the art world to everyone without having to know about art history. Art is meant to be enjoyed as a part of our everyday lives without the hard to comprehend art jargons. We interviewed Russell about Talk Art book and contemporary art, NFTs, the art word we should start incorporating in our daily lives and how art can positively influence one’s experience of his immediate surroundings. 

Hi Russell, congratulations on the success of your Talk Art podcast and now this book. When did you realize that you can be a voice to the art world that is a bit reclusive?

Thanks very much! It has been a wild ride and I guess we felt validated on this journey when ‘non-art’ world listeners started saying they were visiting museums and exhibitions for the first time because of listening to Talk Art. That’s all we have ever wanted -to be a conduit to amazing art discoveries.

How did this project with Robert Diament come up?

It’s all thanks to our fabulous mums! Myself and Rob were guests on another podcast talking about our love of art and they said, “you should do this more”. So…we did, and the podcast has now received almost 3 million downloads and our Talk Art book has made The Sunday Times Top 10 Best Seller list here in the UK. It’s crazy! It’s all a celebration of our experiences with art thus far through our friendship and love of culture. We get to meet and befriend artists and visit their studios, we have the privilege of sharing their journey and helping to support their dreams.

In layman’s point of view, art is inaccessible and hard to comprehend, what is your take on this?

This is exactly what Talk Art is all about - to make the art world more accessible and more approachable. All art is just storytelling, which can sometimes take a bit more of an effort to be heard. Think of the movies we watch, the books we read, the songs or poetry we listen to – we understand these - but the visual arts can sometimes take a little longer to comprehend. Once you get something or are moved by something, it can open up a whole new world. You just have to lean into it and find the art you love.

If you were to explain contemporary art to someone who has no idea about what it is all about, how would you briefly explain it?

Again, it’s all about storytelling. Contemporary art is the art of now. It’s about how art interacts with our society and that’s what the podcast and the book do so beautifully, is provide a snapshot of the art world as it is today. There is always a new artist to discover and a new story to be told.

What is your most favorite art world jargon that we should start using in our everyday lives?

“Practice”. We should all refer to our work as our practice, still trying to get it right daily.

What is your least favorite art world jargon and why?

Anything that we are all expected to just know what it means straight away. Whether that be certain terminology, phrases, happenings in history…we cannot be expected to know it all. I am all about asking questions – no question is a silly question.

What is your take on NFTs? Is this a craze or a new frontier in owning and making art?

It’s the future and we are living it right now! All artists adapt, they are the voice of the times and if you really want to keep up with the politics of the world, look to the artists. 

What is your most recent art purchase and how do you know if an art is worth keeping? 

I collect for love and patronage - my collection is a self-portrait and a diary. I recently acquired a beautiful tall ceramic vessel work by Shawanda Corbett and a photograph by Peter Hujar from 1981, the year that I was born and a bronze bird by Evgeny Antufiev.

Who do you think is the most exciting contemporary artist these days?

Misleidys Castillo Pedroso. She is undoubtedly born to create.

Tell us your observations about the contemporary art world/market in New York and London? 

Personally, I feel New York has a stronger support system in place for emerging artists and the emerging art market but London is really starting to change and nurture emerging talent, which is exciting!

If you were a book, what would you be and why?

Talk Art - Everything You Wanted To Know About Contemporary Art But Were Afraid To Ask - If I had discovered this book at 16 years old, it would feel like a little amulet of pure magic. It will inspire the creativity within you and hopefully begin or develop your own relationship with art.

What are you most excited about the art world post-pandemic and life in general?

Artists create imaginative new worlds and the art that has been inspired by the life and times of the last two years, is going to be so exciting to see. I am also so happy that we can have an actual meal at a restaurant again and of course see all my family and friends.  

Talk Art - Everything You Wanted To Know About Contemporary Art But Were Afraid To Ask by Russell Tovey and Robert Diament is available online and in select stores now.