Beth Bacon visits Richard Serra's 'Joe' and talks with Sarah Lees about her experience while walking around this large steel sculpture. In this episode of 'Why They Put That in a Museum,' Beth and Sarah wrestle with the opposing thoughts and feelings that arise when encountering this enormous steel sculpture located at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri. Beth provides an on-site description of the piece, made from a huge coil of weathering steel. The piece invites visitors to walk inside and really experience what it feels like in a space created by an artist. Sarah and Beth ponder the contrasts that arise from taking in this piece: it is minimal yet powerful, solid yet undulating, imposing yet open, made of rough, industrial metal yet its curves are elegantly smooth. They talk about how the context of a museum setting matters for a piece like this. In comparison, another one of Serra’s sculptures that was placed in a public space was so ill-thought-of that it was forced to be removed. So whether or not something is in a museum, it seems, can be a factor in whether a piece is admired.

00:00 Welcome to 'Why They Put That in a Museum'

02:05 Live from the Pulitzer Arts Foundation

03:16 Exploring Richard Serra's 'Joe'

06:06 The Experience of Walking Through 'Joe'

08:25 The Art and Power of Richard Serra

13:57 The Story Behind 'Joe' and Other Works

22:06 Public Reaction to Serra's Art

25:36 Final Thoughts and Reflections

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© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.