We recently connected with Grace Anna Brahimy and have shared our conversation below.

Grace Anna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My podcast, ArtMuse, is an extremely meaningful project to me. ArtMuse shares the the life-stories of the women pictured in famous works of art. Though we all know their faces, few of us know that many of these women were real women, with their own incredible life stories to share. I began the project in 2023 when I learned about a woman named Fillide Melandroni, who had modeled for several of Caravaggio’s paintings. Though I wrote my master’s thesis on Caravaggio, I had never before come across Fillide’s name, and had not considered that she was not only a real person, but lived a fascinating life. I then began to think of other famous paintings and researched who the model was. I found time and time again that these women not only had incredible life stories, but that their names and legacies have been wrongfully overlooked in our appreciation of these works.

ArtMuse aims to reshape the ways in which we interpret well-known works of art by paying dues to the women whose images have been immortalized but whose names and stories have been wrongfully written out of history. While these women’s faces are familiar to viewers around the world, their identities have been largely forgotten. In each episode, I focus our attention on the female muse, sharing their lives and important legacy. My goal is to shift our notion of the muse from a passive participant to the driving force of inspiration behind these works of art. And to pose the question; <i>Is the muse in actuality just as, if not more, important than the artist themselves?</i>

Grace Anna, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an art historian and eternal learner with an insatiable curiosity currently living and working in Brooklyn, New York. I received my BA from Sarah Lawrence College and my MA from NYU Gallatin, where I took courses at the renowned Institute of Fine Arts. My area of expertise is Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.

I worked in galleries early in my career, as well as assisted artists, but I came to find the career choices for those interested in art history limited. I started ArtMuse, not only as a learning platform, but also as a way to engage with art history outside of traditional means. Professional opportunities in the art history realm can feel limiting, both due to the rigidity of academia and the scarcity of quality jobs available. Part of this podcast’s mission is to transform the pathways that art historians and enthusiasts can take, so that more of us can contribute to the art historical dialogue.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of my work and of being a creative in general is the ability to constantly discover new things about well-studied works of art. I had many professors tell me that everything that has to be said about certain art-works has already been said, but I find that to be such a limited view! There are always new ways to see and appreciate even the most famous works of art. And everyone has their own unique perspective. Works of art are not static things; they are living and breathing and ever-changing. I love being open to new discoveries and ideas and encouraging others to explore works on their own.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I have found that non-creatives struggle with understanding how I could devote so much time and energy into something that isn’t instantly commodifiable. I would get a lot of questions like “how will you make money from this?” or unsolicited advice about how to monetize the project. I have found that success is really when you follow your heart. The business side of things works itself out, but its most important to enjoy and believe in the work you’re doing. It’s okay to do something because it lights your passion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artmusepodcast.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artmusepodcast/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/ArtMuse-Podcast/100086263572787/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@artmuse3717
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/artmuse/id1666669080 (Apple Podcasts)
  https://open.spotify.com/show/1Czv1RuVGJQBimVCyCO19a (Spotify)