20 January 2006
Friday 20 January 2006 21:30-22:15 (Radio 3)
Matthew Sweet talks to the artists Gilbert and George about their latest exhibition 'Sonofagod' and to Ron Powers about his new biography of Mark Twain.
Programme Details
On Night Waves this evening, Matthew Sweet talks to Gilbert and George about their latest exhibition 'Sonofagod' which features pictures mixing religious and folkloric symbols. Gilbert and George's work is often seen as being part of a British tradition which goes back to Samuel Palmer and Blake but how much do they owe to another British tradition, that of music hall Variety?
The novelist Edward St Aubyn's style, in writing savage comedies about the impossibility of breaking with the past, has been compared with that of Evelyn Waugh. He talks to Matthew about his latest novel Mother's Milk, a sequel to Some Hope, a trilogy of novels about the poisonous Melrose family.
Also in the programme, Robert Sandall is in the studio to talk about the release of remastered CDs from the band Talking Heads.
And Ron Powers discusses his new biography of Mark Twain, the American author of Tom Sawyer who began his career as a newspaperman in Nevada before becoming famous around the world as a humorist, travel writer and novelist.
Additional Information:
Sonofagod: was Jesus a heterosexual? is at the White Cube Gallery in North London until February 25.
Mother's Milk by Edward St Aubyn is published by Picador.
Talking Heads:77, Remain in Light, Fear of Music and More Songs about Building and Food are issued on the Sire Warner Brothers Label.
A Life: Mark Twain by Ron Powers is published by Scribner.
