The Urbanaut Podcast

• Ep. #71: The Poetics of Place and the Power of Stillness—Kate Schneider’s Visual Journey

  🎙️ Welcome to Ep. #71 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this compelling episode, we welcome Canadian photographer and educator Kate Schneider, whose emotionally resonant work explores the deep ties between land, memory, and identity. From the protest camps of the American Midwest to intimate still lifes of ancient rocks, Kate’s evolving visual language challenges traditional documentary practice and embraces poetic, sensory experience.About Our Guest: Kate SchneiderKate Schneider is an artist of settler ancestry living in Tkaronto (Toronto), deeply rooted in the ecology and history of the Great Lakes region. With a background in both photojournalism and fine art, her practice traverses multiple disciplines, from long-form documentary to deeply personal and experimental photographic works. Kate's recent series—How to Understand a Rock, We, the Heartland, and Landscapes of Resistance—meditate on protest, place, and the unspoken emotional geographies that shape our relationships with the non-human world. Her work has been widely exhibited across North America and published internationally. She also teaches photography at OCAD University in Toronto.Tune in to this episode to:Discover how neurodivergence shaped Kate’s entry into photography and her pursuit of mindfulness through image-making.Explore the intersection of activism and artistic ethics through her documentation of the Keystone XL pipeline and Standing Rock protests.Learn how a transition from traditional documentary led Kate to create more introspective, poetic works involving geology, animacy, and memory.Understand her personal connection to land, and why questions of “home” and “belonging” are central to her creative inquiry.EPISODE LINKS:Kate’s Website: www.kateschneider.netKate’s Instagram: @kateschneiderOUTLINE:0:00 – Coming Up…2:18 – Welcome and Personal Roots6:48 – Photography as Neurodivergent Expression12:45 – Education and Early Influences18:33 – Art vs. Journalism Identity Struggles26:49 – Land, Identity, and Emotional Geography34:18 – Conceptual Foundations and Motivations43:10 – Pipeline Resistance: We, the Heartland49:49 – Protest Camps and Landscapes of Resistance57:00 – Existential Crisis and Activist Ethics1:09:27 – Visualizing Home and Temporary Structures1:18:45 – Post-2017 Artistic Recalibration1:23:04 – Geology, Objects, and Intimacy1:32:20 – Photography as Visual Poetics1:38:18 – Artistic Legacy and Personal Growth2:02:18 – Closing Reflections and Looking AheadSOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcast#KateSchneider #TheUrbanautPodcast #Photography #EnvironmentalArt #Geopoetics #ActivismThroughArt #NeurodivergentCreativity #ContemporaryPhotography #ArtandEcology #VisualPoetics #urbanautica #stevebisson #PatrickLeeHubbard

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• Ep. #70: Defamiliarizing Iran - Rethinking Urban Landscapes with Alireza Malekian

  🎙️ Welcome to Ep. #70 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this compelling episode, we journey into the richly layered world of Iranian artist-photographer Alireza Malekian. From early experiments in visual communication to his long-term project Defamiliarizing Iran, Alireza invites us to question what a photograph can be—and how it shapes, and is shaped by, the landscapes and cultures it captures.About Our Guest: Alireza MalekianBorn in Mashhad, Iran, and based in Tehran, Alireza Malekian is a visual artist, researcher, and writer whose work interrogates the intersection of urban environment, cultural identity, and photographic language. A graduate in Illustration with deep roots in graphic design and poetry, Alireza has become known for his conceptual approach to photography—merging experimental technique with documentary intention. His work explores the psychological and political layers of place, often transforming everyday cityscapes into complex visual inquiries. Through projects like Defamiliarizing Iranand Phantom Tehran, he challenges both Western perceptions and internal cultural clichés.Tune in to this episode to:- Explore how personal history, displacement, and memory influence visual storytelling.- Learn about Defamiliarizing Iran, a powerful long-term series that blends manipulation, ambiguity, and visual sequencing.- Discover how photography can become a tool for both civic engagement and existential reflection.- Understand Alireza’s deep commitment to honesty, representation, and the evolving role of the artist.EPISODE LINKS:Alireza’s Website: www.alirezamalekian.com | Instagram: @alireza.malekianCHAPTERS0:00 – Coming Up...2:15 – Welcome & Recording from Iran3:08 – Alireza’s Background and Artistic Roots5:33 – Graphic Design, Poetry, and Early Experiments7:04 – Why Photography Became His Medium10:10 – Photography as a Way to Explore Urban Life12:25 – Learning Through Books, Not Institutions16:06 – Childhood, Memory, and Attraction to Landscapes18:33 – Developing a Personal Voice and Artistic Questioning22:22 – Challenging Stereotypes and Defamiliarizing Iran25:55 – Artistic Influences: Persian Miniatures to Kiarostami30:23 – Creating Early Series and Methodical Approaches38:00 – Photography as a Tool for Belonging40:41 – The Philosophy and Process Behind Defamiliarizing Iran52:12 – On Visual Ethics and Representing Truthfully1:06:42 – Grief and Transformation in Bleed, Despair, Solas1:16:27 – Long-term Narratives in As I Walked Within1:24:45 – New Work: Phantom Tehran and Cultural Complexity1:44:49 – Becoming Participant vs. Observer1:53:24 – Advice on Artistic Growth and Taking CriticismDon’t forget to:- Subscribe for more deep dives into the world of photography and visual culture.- Like this episode to support our mission of thoughtful art dialogue.- Share with anyone passionate about photography, culture, or documentary work.SOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcast#AlirezaMalekian #TheUrbanautPodcast #Photography #IranianArt #VisualCulture #DefamiliarizingIran #UrbanPhotography #ExpandedPhotography #ArtTheory #urbanautica #PatrickLeeHubbard #SteveBisson

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• Ep. #69: Gesche Würfel Explores Reunification and Memory in Post-Wall Berlin

  🎙️ Welcome to Ep. #69 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this compelling episode, we sit down with German-American artist Gesche Würfel, whose interdisciplinary work spans photography, urban planning, and visual sociology. Her projects explore the architecture of memory, historical trauma, and environmental change through experimental, research-based image-making.About Our Guest: Gesche WürfelGesche Würfel is a New York-based visual artist known for her analog and concept-driven photography that investigates the socio-political dimensions of space—whether in forests affected by climate change, architecture tied to slavery and Nazism, or the lingering divisions of post-Wall Berlin.Her work has been exhibited at Tate Modern, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, David Zwirner, International Center of Photography, and many others. She's a recipient of grants from DAAD, the Puffin Foundation, and the North Carolina Arts Council, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, and WIRED.In this episode, we discuss her major projects:- Discover how Gesche Würfel retraced the full length of the Berlin Wall to explore the invisible psychological borders that still divide Germany.- Learn how she uses fire, salt, and solarization to transform photographs into visceral reflections of climate change.- Uncover the stories hidden in America’s neglected slave dwellings and what their preservation—or erasure—says about historical memory.- Explore how architecture becomes a tool of oppression, remembrance, and resistance in Gesche’s research-driven visual practice.Tune in to this episode to:- Explore how photography can serve as visual historiography and socio-political critique- Learn how analog image-making and material experimentation can reflect environmental collapse- Hear how oral histories, archives, and landscapes intersect in the retelling of German and American histories- Gain insight into the emotional and ethical layers of documenting sites of trauma and transformationEPISODE LINKSGesche’s Website: https://geschewuerfel.com | Instagram: @gewuerfelSupport the Book on Kickstarter: The Absence and Presence of the Berlin WallOUTLINE:0:00 - Coming Up…0:44 – Welcome & Introductions1:30 – Gesche’s Journey: From Urban Planning to Visual Art5:38 – Photography, Place, and the Traces of Human Presence11:25 – Global Sameness and the Architecture of Identity15:53 – Influences, Intuition, and Experimental Process24:32 – Forests in the Anthropocene: Climate, Material, and Metaphor37:23 – Architecture of Oppression: From Nazi Camps to Slave Dwellings51:45 – Berlin Wall Project: Absence, Memory, and Reunification1:18:50 – Portraits and Oral Histories: Telling a Fuller Story1:25:10 – The Book: Vision, Kickstarter, and Teamwork1:36:11 – Advice for Artists: Trusting Intuition and Long-Term Thinking1:39:11 – Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Gesche’s WorkSOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcast#GescheWürfel #TheUrbanautPodcast #BerlinWall #ClimateChangeArt #ExperimentalPhotography #SociopoliticalArt #SlaveDwellings #HolocaustMemory #PostWallGermany #Urbanautica #PhotographyPodcast #ContemporaryPhotography #ArtAndActivism #VisualSociology #PatrickLeeHubbard #SteveBisson

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• Ep. #68: How to Photograph an Island - Two Artists, One Vision with Camilla and Gabriele

  Welcome to Ep. #68 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with the creative duo Camilla Marrese and Gabriele Chiapparini—two artists whose collaborative work challenges conventions in photography, publishing, and storytelling. Known for their poetic book "Thinking Like an Island", the pair explore how photography can be both an act of discovery and a deeply personal narrative. About Our Guests: Camilla Marrese & Gabriele Chiapparini Camilla is a photographer, graphic designer, and visual editor at PHMuseum, known for her meticulous approach to photo book design and her narrative sensibility. Gabriele began his artistic path through music before turning to photography, bringing with him a deep sensitivity to sequencing and atmosphere. Together, they’ve formed a creative practice that blurs authorship and embraces intuition, experimentation, and deep research.Their acclaimed project "Thinking Like an Island"—shot on the remote Sicilian island of Alicudi—is a lyrical meditation on isolation, perception, and the desire to escape. The book, structured as four interlocking volumes, reflects both the physical disorientation of island life and the conceptual fragmentation of modern existence.Tune in to this episode to:- Hear the story of how Camilla and Gabriele met, merged practices, and developed their first collaborative projects.- Explore how photography and music intersect through rhythm, tone, and emotional pacing.- Discover the conceptual and logistical challenges behind their book "Thinking Like an Island".- Learn how photobooks become tactile, multi-sensory works of art.- Get an exclusive preview of their upcoming projects on climate science and militarized aesthetics. Don’t forget to: - Subscribe to our channel for deep dives into photography and visual storytelling. - Like and share this episode to support independent photographic voices. - Follow us for behind-the-scenes updates, interviews, and upcoming features.EPISODE LINKS:Camilla’s Instagram: @camillamarrese Gabriele’s Instagram: @gabrielechiappariniPHMuseum: phmuseum.comOUTLINE:0:00 - Coming Up...2:36 - Intro 4:14 - Artistic Roots and Emotional Entry Points 8:09 - First Projects and Formative Experiments 9:44 - Becoming a Duo: Morocco and Merging Visions 12:34 - Melancholy and Mutual Fascination 15:18 - Sequencing Photos Like Music 20:21 - Albums vs. Singles: Why Photobooks Matter 22:46 - Inspirations from Literature and Photography 28:51 - What Makes a Great Photobook? 35:34 - Thinking Like an Island: Utopia, Escape, and Modern Myth 41:25 - Discovering Alicudi and Island as Concept 47:21 - Designing a Disorienting Book Structure 54:13 - Shooting in All Directions: Techniques and Tools 1:01:17 - Themes of Hiding, Camouflage, and Elusive Truths1:03:09 - Layering Voices: Diaries and Islander Quotes 1:07:37 - Living on the Island: Terrain, Limitations, Time 1:14:01 - What the Island Taught Us About Reality 1:16:57 - Ethics of Representation and Local Reception 1:19:49 - Imagining an Exhibition of “The Island” 1:21:18 - Sneak Peek: Climate and Military-Inspired Projects 1:27:23 - Science as Ritual and Intimate Uncertainty 1:29:51 - Collaborating as a Duo: Contrast and TrustSOCIAL: Twitter: /UrbanautPodcast Facebook: /TheUrbanautPodcast Instagram: /TheUrbanautPodcast Support on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcastTAGS: #TheUrbanautPodcast #CamillaMarrese #GabrieleChiapparini #TheIsland #PhotobookDesign #PhotographyPodcast #ContemporaryPhotography #Alicudi #VisualNarrative #ClimateArt #CollaborativeArt #PhotobookLove #Urbanautica #SteveBisson #PatrickLeeHubbard

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• Ep.#67: Layers of Life - Defining Art and Identity with Roxana Savin

  🎙️ Welcome to Ep. #67 of The Urbanaut Podcast, presented in collaboration with Urbanautica.com. In this compelling episode, we sit down with the insightful Swiss-based visual artist Roxana Savin, originally from Romania. Roxana's diverse body of work explores deep themes of identity, belonging, gender roles, and the status of women in contemporary society, influenced by her personal experiences and rich cultural heritage.About Our Guest: Roxana Savin Roxana Savin navigates complex narratives through her photography, transitioning from a legal career in Romania to a profound engagement with visual art. Her projects, such as 'On Heaven's Doorsill' and 'I’ll Be Late Tonight', offer a thoughtful exploration of societal roles and personal identity, reflecting her experiences both in Eastern Europe and as an expatriate in Western societies. Her work has been internationally acclaimed, earning her numerous awards and exhibitions across Europe.Tune in to this episode to:Explore Roxana's transformative journey from a law professional to a celebrated visual artist.Delve into her poignant projects that discuss gender roles, migration, and cultural identity.Discover how her Romanian heritage and personal narratives influence her artistic expression.Don't forget to:Subscribe to our channel for more episodes that delve into the world of art and visual culture.Like and share this episode to support discussions on gender roles and personal transformation in art.Follow us on social media for updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.EPISODE LINKS: RRoxana's Webiste: www.roxanasavin.com  | Roxana’s Instagram: @roxanasavinOUTLINE:0:00 - Coming Up...2:51 - Introduction3:42 - Roxana’s Early Life and Career Shift9:19 - Migration and the Impact of Moving Abroad11:51 - Finding Art and Embracing Change17:54 - Gender Equality and Advocacy25:18 - 'On Heaven's Doorsill' Project35:04 - 'I’ll Be Late Tonight' Project40:34 - 'God Created Woman' Project48:01 - Artistic Processes and Creative Insights56:33 - Reflections on Cultural Identity and Artistic Expression1:05:04 - Balancing Motherhood and Artistic Career1:13:26 - Societal Impact and Future Directions1:21:50 - Concluding Thoughts1:29:38 - Exploring the Concept of Home and Belonging1:37:13 - Artistic Reflections and Philosophical Insights1:45:46 - Impact of Art on Personal and Social Change1:53:24 - Closing Remarks and Advice for Emerging Artists2:01:39 - Future Projects and FarewellSOCIAL:Twitter: /UrbanautPodcastFacebook: /TheUrbanautPodcastInstagram: /TheUrbanautPodcastSupport on Patreon: /TheUrbanautPodcast#RoxanaSavin #TheUrbanautPodcast #Photography #VisualArt #SwissArt #RomanianArt #CulturalIdentity #GenderRoles #VisualNarrative #ArtisticExploration #urbanautica #stevebisson #PatrickLeeHubbard

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