This short film series offers a witty inside track on the world of art. Celebrity art fans introduce the big ideas that have shaped art history, with topics ranging from the history of the nude and the nature of the art market, to surrealism and Pop art
Unlock Art: What's so Funny?
Tamsin Greig finds the funny side of art
Actress Tamsin Greig, of Channel 4’s Black Books and Green Wing fame, gets to grips with humour in art. From conceptual artist Duchamp to Dutch performance artist Bas Jan Ader, we discuss the central role that humour has played in art over the last 100 years.
Unlock Art: Exploring the Surreal
The Doctor travels through time to bring us the story of Surrealism
Need some help getting to grips with Surrealism? The Doctor will see you now.
Peter Capaldi, a former art student, and the latest actor to play Doctor Who, settles down on Freud’s couch to deliver his wry take on the Surrealist movement.
Unlock Art: Great Double Acts
Rock band The Kills jump on a tandem to explore the art of collaboration
Rock duo Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart, know a thing or two about creative partnership. Challenging the popular myth that art is made by solitary, angst-ridden individuals, they celebrate some of the art world’s most interesting collaborators, such as Marina Abramović and Ulay, Gilbert & George and Jake and Dinos Chapman.
Unlock Art: A Brief History of Art Undressed
Television presenter and writer Dawn O'Porter takes us on a whistle-stop tour of nudity in art, from its origins 25,000 years ago to the present day
With an unflinching gaze, O’Porter tackles the ever-changing rules of acceptability for representing and beholding flesh in art.
Unlock Art: Where are the women?
Girls actress Jemima Kirke addresses the topic of women in art (or the lack them)
Jemima Kirke, the British-born American artist and actress looks at the changing role of female artists in a male-dominated art world over the centuries – and how some of them eventually took on the establishment in the 1970s.
Want to know more about Feminist art? Read our glossary term for an introduction to the term.
Unlock Art: Alan Cumming on Pop Art
Actor Alan Cumming presents a quick fire guide to Pop Art
From the streets of Manhattan Alan Cumming whips through the history of Pop Art in America and Britain, from Andy Warhol’s soup cans to Peter Blake’s blue jeans.
Unlock Art: Sally Phillips on Shopping for Art
From Tutankhamun to the ancient Greeks, the church to the Medicis, there's a long history of shopping for art. Comedian Sally Phillips explains the bulk-buys and the beheadings -- then explores the international art fair circuit to find out what's worth its weight in gold ... and why Tate bought the rights to form an orderly queue at any time
Unlock Art: Frank Skinner on performance art
Comedian Frank Skinner gets to grips with performance art
Comedian and art enthusiast Frank Skinner explores performance art and its origins; from dada and surrealism through to Yoko Ono and Joseph Beuys.
Unlock Art is a collaboration between Tate and Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts.
Unlock Art supported by Le Méridien
