“PLUCKED FROM OBSCURITY: THE FEATHER ARTIST RUFFLING THE MARKET”
Welcome back to Art World Exposed. Your hosts, Saldo Caluthe and Tomas Sinke, return with another deep-dive into the absurd, the avant-garde, and the potentially profound.
This week, we take flight with Cassian Plum, the enigmatic artist whose intricate, large-scale installations made entirely from feathers have captivated collectors and deeply unsettled the pigeon community. Is his work an ethereal meditation on weightlessness, or just an elaborate excuse to own a very large birdcage?
And in other news: If anyone has seen The Melancholy of Mr. Puddles, please let us know. The painting was stolen from a private collection last week, and despite its bizarre name, it is reportedly worth millions.
TIMESTAMPS & SEGMENTS
00:00 – Intro: Is It Still Art If It Makes You Sneeze?
Saldo and Tomas kick things off by debating whether art should be physically irritating. Have we reached the point where allergic reactions are part of the aesthetic experience?
06:10 – Cassian Plum: The Artist Who Works Exclusively in Feathers
• A look at Plum’s latest installation, The Winged Echo, a 40-foot wall of meticulously arranged feathers sourced from “ethically ambiguous” origins.
• Museums are scrambling to acquire his work, but storage specialists are reportedly “not thrilled” about the long-term preservation of bird-based materials.
13:30 – Interview: Art Critic Fenella de Courcy on Why Feathers Are “The New Canvas”
We sit down with returning guest and “aesthetic theorist” Fenella de Courcy, who explains:
• How Plum’s work “disrupts the conventional weight of meaning”
• The complex political implications of avian-inspired minimalism
• Why collectors are suddenly spending small fortunes on what is, ultimately, just a pile of feathers
22:00 – The Ethics of Feather Art: Where Do They All Come From?
Saldo and Tomas investigate the whispers surrounding Plum’s supply chain. Some sources claim the feathers are “naturally sourced,” while others suggest a rogue taxidermist may be involved. Is this a delicate meditation on flight, or a logistical nightmare for bird conservationists?
30:40 – The Search for The Melancholy of Mr. Puddles
A somber yet perplexing detour: A painting with a rather ridiculous name has been stolen from a private collection, and authorities are baffled.
• The painting’s owner, billionaire hedge fund manager Gregor Blythe, insists it is “priceless” and “not at all amusing.”
• Art thieves remain at large, and so does Mr. Puddles. Call in if you have seen the picture in a rogue museum.
38:15 – Listener Question: “If I Glue a Feather to a Rock, Is It Conceptual or Just Littering?”
Saldo and Tomas debate the thin line between deep artistic statement and accidental environmental hazard.
44:50 – Final Thoughts: The Future of Ephemeral Materials in Art
Saldo predicts that the next logical step is an artist who works exclusively with gusts of wind. Tomas argues that feathers are at least more tangible than some recent conceptual works, including an artist who once exhibited a locked safe with “something profound inside” but refused to open it.
Join us next week for “Painting Without Paint: The Artist Who Only Uses Shadows”, featuring an exclusive interview with a curator who insists it’s “not just someone standing in front of a light.”
If you have any leads on The Melancholy of Mr. Puddles, please contact the show. Also, follow us on Instagram unless you believe social media is a conceptual trap, in which case… respect.