Alison McDonald - Chief Creative Officer at Gagosian

Alison McDonald - Chief Creative Officer at Gagosian

The art world can often feel like an elaborate illusion – part hall of mirrors, part private club, where job roles are ambiguous and much happens behind closed doors. ‘What the hell do you actually do?’ is the new podcast from Plaster magazine that aims to cut through the fog. In this episode, hosts Finn Constantine and Milo Astaire sit down sit down with Alison McDonald, the Chief Creative Officer at Gagosian, to find out – yep, you guessed it – what the hell she actually does. Plaster started as a small poster zine to spotlight the artists that Finn and Milo were inspired by. It has, over the past two years, grown into a full-blown publication that’s given access to a world that they never planned to be part of – one they’re now fully immersed in… yet still often feel like outsiders. Alison McDonald has been the mastermind behind Gagosian’s marketing and publications since 2002 – think five hundred (yes, five hundred) books dedicated to the gallery’s artists. Working side by side with Larry Gagosian, she’s helped shape the gallery’s global voice one publication at a time. In 2020, The Observer crowned her one of the Arts Power 50.

Damian Delahunty - art dealer

The art world can often feel like an elaborate illusion – part hall of mirrors, part private club, where job roles are ambiguous and much happens behind closed doors. ‘What the hell do you actually do?’ is the new podcast from Plaster magazine that aims to cut through the fog. In this first episode, hosts Finn Constantine and Milo Astaire sit down sit down with art dealer Damian Delahunty of Delahunty Fine Art to ask the question that, let’s be real, so many have thought but few dare to say out loud: What the hell do you actually do? Plaster started as a small poster zine to spotlight the artists that Finn and Milo were inspired by. It has, over the past two years, grown into a full-blown publication that’s given access to a world that they never planned to be part of – one they’re now fully immersed in… yet still often feel like outsiders. Delahunty lifts the veil on the elusive role of the art dealer – what it really means, who they work with, how deals are made, and why trust is the most valuable currency in the art world. If you’ve ever wondered how people navigate this labyrinthine industry, this episode is a must-listen.