“Unveiling War: IWM Institute’s Podcast Dives into the Intersection of Conflict and Creativity”

Conflict of Interest, the critically acclaimed podcast, returns today for its third season.

Having garnered over 140K downloads thus far and previously highlighted as one of Spotify’s Podcast Picks of the Week, this new season will once again unite IWM curators, experts on conflict, and notable guests, as they embark on a tour through the newly established Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography galleries at IWM London.

Released weekly starting Friday, 3rd January, the podcast will commence the new year by delving into what art, film, and photography can reveal about the essence of conflict and, more broadly, the human experience.

Featured guests include comedians Rachel Parris and Geoff Norcott, actress and writer Susan Wokoma, journalist Helen Lewis, and author and podcaster Carl Miller. Experts will guide discussions focusing on one of six themes: The Home Front, Dreams and Nightmares, Technology and Innovation, War Dead and Wounded, Protest and Propaganda, and Destruction and Reconstruction.

In late 2023, the Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries debuted at IWM London. The newly established permanent galleries showcase global conflict from 1914 to present and are the first in the UK to investigate how artists, photographers, and filmmakers document and narrate the tales of war and conflict. The third season of Conflict of Interest will encourage guests to evaluate the works of artists featured in the galleries, including Anna Airy, Steve McQueen, John Singer Sargent, Paul Nash, Suzanne Plunkett, Edward Burra, and Olive Edis.

Expert voices such as Dr. Beryl Pong, Dr. Diya Gupta, Dr. Mark Sealy, and Professor Ana Carden-Coyne will contribute to the discussions, offering insights into how the artworks address certain questions while stimulating further inquiry.

Eleanor Head, Head of the IWM Institute, stated: “We are thrilled to introduce our new season of ‘Conflict of Interest,’ where prominent guests continue to pose fundamental questions about some of history’s most intricate and significant conflicts while exploring the Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries at IWM London.

Throughout this journey, interactions with objects, artworks, and film snippets from IWM’s collection will highlight the question of how these artists shape, question, and enrich our comprehension of war and conflict through their distinctive artistic perspective.”

This latest season of Conflict of Interest follows the achievements of the initial two seasons, which were launched in May 2021. Previous seasons have included guests such as Carey Mulligan, Russell Tovey, and Eddie Izzard. The premiere season examined contemporary conflicts, while the second concentrated on the Cold War. Conflict of Interest is part of the IWM Institute’s cutting-edge program, which includes virtual and in-person dialogues, an annual lecture, and original research initiatives.