Episode 8: Give me a break with Monster Chetwynd
2 min read
This week, we’re on location at Tate Modern to meet the inimitable Monster Chetwynd – artist, performer, and self-proclaimed risk-taker.
Monster Chetwynd at UNIQLO Tate Play Monster Chetwynd © Tate Photography (Lucy Dawkins)
We’re out of the studio this week, and right in the belly of the beast (Tate Modern) for this special episode to track down Monster Chetwynd. Though she was born Alalia Chetwynd in 1973, the Turner Prize-nominated artist is best known by her previous stage names, which have included Spartacus Chetwynd and Marvin Gaye Chetwynd. Monster is celebrated for her wildly imaginative, carnivalesque performances and films, which often feature delightfully chaotic handmade props and puppets that reimagine pieces of cultural history, from the Canterbury Tales to Star Wars. Harriet manages to squeeze some time in with Monster in the midst of installing her Tate Uniqlo Play commission, Thunder, Crackle and Magic, involving creatures, costumes and dragons. They talk art school torture, navigating egos, and living for risk.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify and stay tuned for more exciting guests coming soon.
Monster Chetwynd interviewed by Harriet Lloyd-Smith
Production: Dora DB
Editing and sound: Steven Llewellyn
