The Object

This electrifying, sold-out live show of The Object podcast was recorded May 21, 2026, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art with host Tim Gihring and very special musical guests from the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers with Philip Brunelle conducting and playing the virginal (we had the same question; you'll have to listen to find out). It's a celebration of the 555th birthday of Albrecht Dürer, with quizzes, storytelling, and curator conversation all about the greatest printmaker of the Renaissance—maybe of all time.

Brunelle became a church organist at age 14, was one of the youngest musicians hired by the Minnesota Orchestra, and has led the VocalEssence choir—one of the country's most decorated—since 1969. Here, he leads a quartet in songs from Dürer's time and place, plays a quiz, and talks about his life in music. Mia Director and President Katie Luber explains why she has long been enamored of Dürer and the Renaissance. And Gihring tells the story of Dürer's remarkable life and art.

A big thank-you to Brunelle, the VocalEssence quartet (Katie Boardman, Cat Terres, Andy McCullough, and David Gindra), and show runner Dexter Carlson, who donned a Tyrolean loden hat and made the magic happen for one of our most engaging shows yet.

Please note: the musical segment was performed as acoustically as possible to maintain the historic nature of the work, so you may have to bump the volume up at that time.

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Simeon Solomon—bold, dashing, and openly gay—is a rising star in the Victorian art world when a scandal in 1873 supposedly forces him into obscurity, a cautionary tale for fans like Oscar Wilde. But the truth is more complicated and only now coming to light, revealing the fate of this forgotten figure as both more tragic and more inspiring.

You can see an “allegorical self-portrait” here, from the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

You can see his haunting masterwork “Love in Autumn” here.

In the 1940s, an heir to the Pillsbury flour fortune acquires an ancient Chinese bronze vessel, thousands of years old, in the form of an extremely charming owl. An instant visitor favorite at the Minneapolis Institute of Art—until, a couple of years ago, it falls from its perch. A story of the things we carry through time, what survives and what does not, and the recent miraculous resurrection of the Pillsbury Owl.

You can see the charismatic owl here, in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and now once again on display in the museum itself.

You can read more about oracle bones, an ancient fortune-telling practice that plays an important role in this story, here.

Leave us a review, in stars or words, wherever you listen—it really does mean a lot. And please subscribe so you never miss an episode!

When World War II begins, Lee Miller is one of the most sought-after women in the world—a celebrated model, an irresistible muse, and an emerging photographer in her own right. So why does she trade the high life for the front line, risking everything to become the only female photojournalist allowed in combat?

You can see photographs of Lee Miller in her modeling days—and photographs taken by Miller—here in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

You can read more about Miller in this recent New York Times profile based on a huge new retrospective of her work at the Tate in London: "The 9 Lives of Lee Miller."

You can explore more art from the World War II era in "Modern Art and Politics in Germany 1910–1945," a special exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, through July 19, 2026. 

Tickets are now *sold out* for the next live taping of The Object podcast on May 21, 2026, at 7 p.m. at our home museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Art. BUT walk-ups are welcome, no cost, for general admission: simply come a little early, grab a seat and enjoy the show. It's “The Object LIVE! Talk Dürer to Me!” with musical guests Philip Brunelle and members of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, curator conversation with Mia Director Katie Luber, quizzes, and of course storytelling. An irreverent romp through the Renaissance, featuring the art and life of the groundbreaking painter and printmaker Albrecht Dürer on his 555th birthday.

In the early 1930s, Max Beckmann is the biggest thing in Germany, the übermensch of art with his larger-than-life paintings and ego to match, peering over a champagne glass at the beautiful free spirits in the cabarets. But when Hitler takes over, Beckmann is in his crosshairs, forced to choose between creative freedom and the country he loves. An epic story of war and resilience, the sweep of history and the struggle to realize our destiny.

You can see some of Beckmann’s biggest, most electrifying work in the special exhibition “Modern Art and Politics in Germany 1910–1945: Masterworks from the Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin,” on view at Mia through July 19. 

Tickets are now *sold out* for the next live taping of The Object podcast on May 21, 2026, at 7 p.m. at our home museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Art. BUT walk-ups are welcome, no cost, for general admission: simply come a little early, grab a seat and enjoy the show. It's “The Object LIVE! Talk Dürer to Me!” with musical guests Philip Brunelle and members of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, curator conversation with Mia Director Katie Luber, quizzes, and of course storytelling. An irreverent romp through the Renaissance, featuring the art and life of the groundbreaking painter and printmaker Albrecht Dürer on his 555th birthday.