Sue Roe on Montparnasse: The Emergence of Surrealism in Paris, from Duchamp to Dali (8/21/19)

08/21/19 • 57 min

Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI Radio in New York

The artists and writers that invented Dadaism and later surrealism in the early 20th century had a simple goal. They wanted to produce art that extended beyond the limits of realism, juxtaposing elements of the real world in new and shocking ways and shining a light, so to speak, on the workings of the unconscious. In her new book “Montparnasse: The Emergence of Surrealism in Paris, from Duchamp to Dali” biographer and art historian Sue Roe looks at the Parisian neighborhood of Montparnasse where many of the artists behind these critical movements in art history lived. Join us for a discussion of Dada and surrealism and where it came from with Sue Roe in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

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Ryan Swanson on Theodore Roosevelt and his role in shaping America's love of athletics (8/20/19)

Plagued by such ailments as rippling asthma and grossly myopic eyesight as a child, Theodore Roosevelt was told to give up exercise completely by a doctor while he was attending Harvard. If he didn't, the doctor swore he would die of a heart attack. Still, Roosevelt pressed on. His body was his weakness, the one hill he could never fully conquer. But, oh, how he tried! Roosevelt developed a lifelong obsession with athletics that he carried with him into the highest office in the nation. As President of the United States, he boxed, practiced Ju-Jitsu, played tennis, conducted harrowing “point-to-point” walks, and invited athletes to the White House constantly. With Roosevelt in office, baseball’s first ever World Series took place, interscholastic sports began, and schools began to place a legitimate emphasis on physical education. Additionally, the NCAA formed and the United States hosted the Olympic Games for the first time. Join us for a discussion about TR’s role in fostering America’s love affair with athletics and his role in the birth of professional sports with Ryan Swanson, author of The Strenuous Life: Theodore Roosevelt and the Making of the American Athlete, in this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI.

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Josh Wesson on the economics of wine (8/22/19)

Have you ever wondered what goes into pricing a bottle of wine? Is an $100 bottle of pinot noir really five times better than a $20 bottle? In this installment of Leonard Lopate at Large on WBAI, wine expert Josh Wesson explains what makes some bottles so much more expensive than others.