Of the Earth 本土 is a new podcast created by Cortney Chaffin and Ellen Larson, two art historians who have dedicated themselves to the study of over 5,000 years of material culture from China. The program’s title comes from the Chinese word 本土 (bentu), meaning “native soil.” In each episode, Of the Earth digs into a wide range of issues and ideas, introducing listeners to the many connections, complexities, and contradictions of Chinese art and culture, across time and space. The pair have published three episodes to date, discussing topics ranging from the temporalities of contemporary artist Cao Fei, to everyone's favorite 2,000-year-old Chinese mummy who dreamed of immortality, and of course, prophetic tortoises. Listeners can access Of the Earth 本土 wherever they get their podcasts!
