#135 - Pierre d’Alancaisez - ’I Helped Build The Cult Of Contemporary Art And Then I Walked Away’

Pierre d’Alancaisez is a writer, curator, and researcher working with the multiple politics of the arts. He is the resident art critic for the English magazine The Critic, and his writing has appeared in outlets such as ArtReview, The Spectator, and Compact. 

*NOTE: If you downloaded this before 11th July, there are sync issues on the audio, therefore please re-download for a better listening experience*.

In 2024, he co-founded Verdurin, a space for experimentation in aesthetics, learning, and the difficult conversations which drive today’s culture.

Pierre previously directed waterside contemporary, a gallery that tested social and political questions in the art market. He curated exhibitions with artists who included Turner Prize nominee Oreet Ashery and has commissioned works with artists such as Mirza and Butler which traveled to Artes Mundi and Sydney Biennale.

Having trained in the sciences before coming to artistic practice, Pierre also worked on cultural exchange and engagement strategies in higher education and the charity sector and has held senior positions in publishing and financial services.

Pierre writes for The Critic and runs Verdurin, a London-based salon, publisher, and events series.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

Find Pierre D'Alancaisez:

• Personal website: https://petitpoi.net/
• Verdurin website: https://verdur.in/
• Substack: https://verdurin.substack.com/profile/notes
• X: https://x.com/verdur_in
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@verdurin

Related episodes:
— #127 Jonathan Rose — What The British Working Class Lost And Who Is Responsible: https://youtu.be/OKHcEo2QrJg?si=DY2XKBvRopuluvM-
— #106 Carl Trueman— The West Killed God. Then It Killed Man. Now Something Darker Is Coming: https://youtu.be/zwhbWVc1PgU?si=xGJ4g5784J9qGcZd
— #130 Iain McGilchrist— There Is A Great Deal Of Ruin In The Western World And This Is Why: https://youtu.be/yrlmkVl86-0?si=k6egq2NGvyo1mnxU

Thinking Class is a long-form interview podcast on the cultural, historical, and moral forces shaping England, Britain, and the wider Western world. Hosted by John Gillam.

▶ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkingClass
✍️ Substack: https://thinkingclass.substack.com
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/37vvzrlxpo8eORDoTDRtbH
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/thinking-class/id1717021615
🐦 X: https://x.com/thinkingclasses

New episodes every Thursday at 3pm.