This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.thegallerycompanion.comShortlisted for the Independent Podcast Awards 2023. Subscribe to receive exclusive weekly content at www.thegallerycompanion.comIn this episode I think about the culture of contemplating art, particularly in the hushed environment of art galleries, and how we approach it with a seriousness that often precludes laughter. I wonder whether we are so primed to search for deeper meanings and wholesome lessons from visual art that we police ourselves in our responses. Laughing never seems like the ‘correct’ thing to do. There are plenty of artists who use humour in their work, but laughter is rarely my response. There’s only one artist I can think of who makes me actually chuckle, and that’s Martin Creed. The Gallery Companion is hosted by writer and historian Dr Victoria Powell. It's a thought-provoking dive into the interesting questions and messy stuff about our lives that art explores and represents.To subscribe to the podcast visit www.thegallerycompanion.com.