The Dream — "For Art’s Sake"

Host: Jane Marie
Guest: Alexis Hyde (Art Curator, Art Advisor, Executive Director of Quinn Emanuel Arts Foundation)
Release Date: January 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode marks the return of "The Dream," reimagined as a weekly interview podcast diving into anything Jane Marie and her team find intriguing, while maintaining the show’s core interest: the barriers to the "American Dream." This week, inspired by the loss of public funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the philosophy of "art for art’s sake," Jane Marie invites Alexis Hyde to discuss the enduring value of art, how the art world functions, its scams, and why creation ought to have value beyond profit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value of Art for Art’s Sake (01:19–03:16)

• Jane opens with thoughts from a book on science pursued for curiosity, relating it to publicly funded art and media.
• Mourns the shuttering of CPB, reflecting on America once valuing education and noncommercial content.
• Explores "art for art’s sake" — the idea that art needn’t be political or commercial to hold value, and the creative act is worthwhile in itself.

"Art is valuable in and of itself. It doesn't have to be political. And it's not just for certain audiences. In fact, it can be for no audience at all. Just the act of creating it holds value."
— Jane Marie (02:40)

2. What Does an Art Curator/Advisor Do? (03:16–07:59)

• Alexis explains the role of a curator: choosing, caring for, and exhibiting art, telling stories through art arrangement.
• Contrasts art galleries (art for sale) and museums (collections, not for sale), and discusses how curators balance academic, audience, donor, and artistic needs.
• As an art advisor, Alexis helps clients—from new collectors to big names—find and acquire appropriate works, likening her job to being a Nordstrom sales associate for art.

"I'm the art makeup counter. You come to me and you're like, I need a red lipstick for the space above my couch. And I'm like, great, here's three. Let's try these all on..."
— Alexis Hyde (05:25)

3. Behind the Scenes: Museum of Broken Relationships Stories (08:50–14:55)

• Alexis directed LA’s Museum of Broken Relationships, a "conceptual art piece as a museum," displaying objects left over from personal relationships, complete with their stories.
• Describes curatorial decisions around narrative flow and emotional safety—gradually increasing story intensity and offering safe spaces for vulnerable visitors.
• Shares memorable, emotional, and unusual donations (e.g., pubic hair bag, breast implants, cologne bottles of a deceased spouse).
• Tells about receiving a gun from a failed suicide attempt, emphasizing the responsibility of curating such heavy pieces and the relief it gave the donor.

"I had about a hundred to 130 objects up at any given time. And you would read the story… hopefully if I did my job right… you left feeling very connected through everybody's struggles."
— Alexis Hyde (09:44)

Memorable Moment:

• The paper flower bouquet story—a months-long phone relationship that ended in ultimate catfishing when the recipient vanished after a surprise visit with a bouquet made from poetry (18:11–19:34).

4. Art and Law: Cross-Disciplinary Insights at Quinn Emanuel (24:12–26:55)

• Alexis oversees an artist residency inside the law firm Quinn Emanuel, courtesy of collector John Quinn.
• Discusses parallels between assembling legal cases and curating art—both involve storytelling and creating new narratives from raw materials.
• The residency allows artists and lawyers to learn from each other, countering the tech-driven push for efficiency with respect for creative process.

"The idea of working on a painting for three months is anathema to [tech execs]... There's this loss of understanding of what it takes to make."
— Alexis Hyde (26:35)

5. Societal Shifts: The Decline of Art-for-Art's-Sake Funding (28:12–31:20)

• The shift toward profit at the expense of art’s intrinsic value.
• Examples include John Updike’s publisher-funded writing apartment and the Beatles being able to create thanks to public support ("on the dole").
• Relates COVID-era conversations about artist support to the creation of new residencies, referencing AIDS as a loss for which we’ll never know the full cultural cost.

"We don't even know what we lost to AIDS, and we don't know what we're losing now."
— John Quinn (quoted by Alexis Hyde, 31:21)

6. The Reality of "Making It" as an Artist (32:07–34:39)

• Artists rarely aspire to superwealth; most want to sustain a modest, stable life doing what compels them ("It's a compulsion"), not maximize profit.
• Jane and Alexis discuss how misunderstanding this fuels exploitation or scams.

"Most people just want to have a nice life… and I can't help it. Being an artist, right? You can't. It's a compulsion."
— Alexis Hyde (33:54)

7. Scams and Schemes in the Art World (37:51–44:09)

• Alexis details how lack of transparency in dealer/auction house pricing leads to fake markets and inflated secondary prices.
• Unscrupulous "advisors" can guarantee impossible returns, exploit buyers, and hurt artists by pumping and dumping pieces.
• Cautions: Be wary of anyone guaranteeing monetary returns on art investments.

"That's a scam. If any advisor's like, I can get you 10 times [your money]… That's not how investments work."
— Alexis Hyde (41:51)

• Describes investigating and taking down a "fake" art investment advisor who was flipping high-profile artists' work without real access.
• Explains the practical limits—art isn't quickly liquid, stolen art often loses value, and even high-profile heists typically break down art for resale in parts (e.g., jewels from a crown).

8. How to Engage with Art (44:09–47:47)

• Grassroots engagement: Attend galleries, talks, screenings, workshops—often free or inexpensive.
• Don’t be afraid to dislike (or even hate) art: developing taste requires knowing personal dislikes.

"Hating something is great, because, like, why? ... The worst thing is meh."
— Alexis Hyde (47:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We agreed as a nation that education and entertainment didn't need to be created just to sell oil or insurance." — Jane Marie (02:22)
• "I think about how do you think the things that you like exist? ... You want to have choices as well." — Alexis Hyde (32:07)
• "You can't help it. It's a compulsion... The quilt of the world, of humanity, has all of these parts." — Alexis Hyde (33:56)
• "The profit isn't in the heart of the artist... scammers don't understand why I don't want to be a billionaire." — Jane Marie (34:39)
• "If any advisor's like, I can get you 10 times [your investment]. They can't... That's a scam." — Alexis Hyde (41:51)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Art for Art’s Sake, CPB Commentary: 01:19–03:16
• Art Curatorship & Advising Explained: 03:16–07:59
• Museum of Broken Relationships Stories: 08:50–14:55
• Quinn Emanuel Artist Residency: 24:12–26:55
• Profit vs. Creation & Process: 28:12–31:20
• Artist Life vs. Capitalism: 32:07–34:39
• Art World Scams Unveiled: 37:51–44:09
• How to Engage with Art: 44:09–47:47

Episode Tone and Style

The tone is conversational, empathetic, a little irreverent, and deeply curious—typical of Jane Marie’s style. Alexis Hyde blends humor with insight, making the art world feel both fascinating and accessible, while candidly addressing artists' vulnerabilities and industry pitfalls.

Summary Takeaways

If you’ve never listened before, this episode is a lively, richly detailed exploration of why art matters—beyond profit or hype. It celebrates creation for its own sake, while cautioning listeners about the art world’s predatory elements. Above all, Jane and Alexis encourage everyone: go see art, feel it (even if it’s not for you), and support its makers wherever and however you can.