Show notes
EPISODE #1118 MASTERS OF MACABRE COLLECTING
In this episode, Richard steps into the eerie world of The Witch’s Door, the latest book by Ryan and Regina Cohn. Known for their love of the macabre, Ryan and Regina take listeners on a journey through their lives as collectors of strange and mysterious artifacts. From an early fascination with anatomy and “exploded skulls” to encounters with objects like a ritualistic kapala skull, their passion for unusual relics only grew. The story begins with the haunting “Witch’s Door,” discovered in the chaotic apartment of their late friend, former NYPD sergeant and secretive collector, Nick Parmesan. Unraveling Nick’s disordered trove, Ryan and Regina delve into the ethics, artistry, and allure of collecting oddities that straddle the line between life and death. Join us as we explore the strange, beautiful, and haunting world behind The Witch’s Door.
GUESTS: Ryan Matthew Cohn is an artist, curator, art collector, and the Oddities Flea Market cofounder. His artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts and Design, Armour-Stiner Octagon, House, Copro Gallery, Last Rites Gallery, Morbid Anatomy Museum, Roq La Rue Gallery, and more. His curatorial work has appeared in Playboy, Revolver, and The New York Times, as well as in films such as Wonderstruck and The Greatest Showman. Between 2010 and 2014, Ryan was featured as one of the stars on the Discovery Channel show Oddities, and he currently appears on the web series Antiques and Their Afterlives on Atlas Obscura.
Regina Marie Rossi is the co-founder and producer of the Oddities Flea Market, a traveling high-end art market, which expanded from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Manhattan, and beyond under her leadership. In 2016, she collaborated with her husband, Ryan, to curate Brooklyn’s House of Wax, a bar, museum, and event space like no other. With a background in high-end fashion, Regina brings glamour and elegance to her exhibits and events.
Ryan and Regina live in Connecticut with their cat, three dogs, and a growing collection of rare art, oddities, and other ephemera. The Witch’s Door is their first book.
WEBSITE:
https://theodditiesfleamarket.com
BOOK:
THE WITCH’S DOOR: Oddities & Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme
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