Object

The histories and meanings behind the art, images, and cultural objects we encounter every day. Hosted by Ferren Gipson, Object explores visual and material culture, offering a fresh lens on how the things around us shape the way we see and experience the world. This podcast explores topics through thematic seasons.

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Last refreshed: April 9th, 2026 at 7:14 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Imagined Futures: Cyberpunk

From the rain-soaked streets of Blade Runner to the gravity-defying digital world of Tron, and more. Discover how cyberpunk's gritty visual world was shaped by 1980s politics, detective noir, anime, ziggurat architecture, and the extraordinary imagination of artist Syd Mead. Featuring Graham Murphy, Anna McFarlane, and Elon Solo. The Imagined Futures miniseries is produced in partnership with The Public Domain Review. https://publicdomainreview.org/ RELATED LINKS: Object Substack: https://object...

Apr 06, 2026•24 min•Season 2Ep. 4

Imagined Futures: Afrofuturism

From the juke joint scenes in the Oscar-winning film Sinners to Parliament-Funkadelic album covers and beyond, explore how Afrofuturism's visual history can be traced through comics, music, data visualisation, and contemporary art. Featuring Ytasha Womack and Reynaldo Anderson. RELATED LINKS: Object: https://objectstories.co/ Before Yesterday We Could Fly at the Met: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/afrofuturist-period-room W.E.B. Du Bois's hand-drawn infographics: https://publicdomainrevie...

Mar 23, 2026•18 min•Season 2Ep. 3

Imagined Dinosaur Pasts (Bonus)

Explore an early version of a Jurassic park with the quirky dinosaur sculptures at Crystal Palace Park. In this bonus episode, we take a detour from our Imagined Futures miniseries to think about how scientists and artists imaged the very distant, pre-historic past. Featuring Nancy Rose Marshall. RELATED LINKS: Object: https://objectstories.co/ Crystal Palace Dinosaurs: https://cpdinosaurs.org/ EPISODE CREDITS: Host, research & production: Ferren Gipson Music: Tom Lloyd Object cover art: Ann...

Mar 16, 2026•9 min

Imagined Futures: The Space Age

How have artists and designers visualised the future of space travel? How did a race to the moon influence design? From pulp magazine covers to furniture design to the NASA art programme, this episode explores how science fiction illustration and geopolitical concerns shaped the way the public thought about space travel and transformed mid-century visual culture. Featuring Amber Butchart, Nina Steinmüller, and Lois Rosson. This episode is presented in partnership with The Public Domain Review, a...

Mar 07, 2026•21 min•Season 2Ep. 2

Imagined Futures: Early Sci-Fi and Electric Visions

From fantastical telectroscope video calls to electric flying machines, explore how the Victorians imagined the future through images and early sci-fi literature. We discuss the genre of scientific romance, Jules Verne's influence on real space exploration, and surprisingly early concerns about climate change. Plus, we look at whimsical French postcards that envisioned everyday life in the year 2000. Featuring Iwan Rhys Morus and Nancy Rose Marshall. This episode is presented in partnership with...

Feb 23, 2026•29 min•Season 2Ep. 1

Imagined Futures: Trailer

How have we imagined the future? Series 2 explores visions of tomorrow—from Victorian Scientific Romance to Space Age design, Afrofuturism, and cyberpunk. Episodes drop every other week starting February 23, 2026. The Imagined Futures series is brought to you in partnership with The Public Domain Review—discover images and ideas from forgotten pasts at publicdomainreview.org . Learn more at objectstories.co This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...

Feb 06, 2026•2 min•Season 2Ep. 1

The X-mas Files: Dear Santa Letters

This episode explores letters to Santa Claus. Historian and folklorist Ceri Houlbrook traces the origins of these letters back to the 19th century, showing how they offer tiny time capsules into children’s lives, from their changing toy preferences to the ways they expressed good behaviour. Houlbrook shares examples of letters discovered tucked into chimney breasts, revealing the playful, sweet, and sometimes mischievous ways kids communicated with Father Christmas. Writer Alex Palmer dives into...

Dec 15, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3

The X-mas Files: A Short History of the Christmas Tree

This episode explores the history of the Christmas tree, from medieval mystery plays and evergreen symbolism to Victorian interiors, mass-produced baubles and glittering modern displays. Along the way, we look at how the tradition travelled across Europe, entered British domestic life, and eventually became a global seasonal icon. Ferren is joined by three experts whose research illuminates how the Christmas tree evolved across centuries: historian Gerry Bowler , who explains how early winter gr...

Dec 08, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 2

The X-mas Files: The Image of Santa

In this episode, Ferren Gipson explores the evolving image of Santa Claus and how artists, advertisers, and cultural storytellers shaped the figure we recognise today. Ferren is joined by two leading experts: historian Gerry Bowler , whose work traces the surprising global history of Christmas traditions, and historian and author Judith Flanders , who brings insight into the this magical figure's origins. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get a...

Dec 01, 2025•16 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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