How Art Changes Us

Guz Raz, Titus Kaphar, Dre Urhahn, eL Seed, Magda Sayeg, and Benjamin Zander

This edition of Ted Radio Hour includes:

  • Titus Kaphar: How Can We Address Centuries of Racism In Art? Western art contains countless paintings and sculptures that reveal a painful history of racism. We can't erase that history, but artist Titus Kaphar has begun the long and hard work of amending it.

  • Dre Urhahn: How Can Public Art Projects Transform Rough Neighborhoods? Artists Dre Urhahn and Jeroen Koolhaas strive to change perceptions of "bad neighborhoods" by arming locals with paintbrushes and a vision: to turn their neighborhoods into open-air art galleries.

  • eL Seed: Can The Beauty Of Arabic Calligraphy Shift Perspectives? Using Arabic calligraphy, eL Seed paints messages of hope on the sides of buildings. He says the beauty of Arabic script — even if you can't read it — can change negative perceptions of Arab culture.

  • Magda Sayeg: What's The Emotional Power Behind "Yarn Bombing"? From door handles to double-decker buses, Magda Sayeg "yarn bombs" inanimate objects by wrapping them in handmade knitting. She wants her bright, fuzzy artwork to make the world a little friendlier.

  • Benjamin Zander: How Does Music Transform Us? Years of conducting a world-famous orchestra have shown Benjamin Zander the power of classical music. He says music speaks to our emotions — and has the ability to reach everybody.