Art in Miniature

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Dr Lance Dann, lover of miniature worlds, crouches down on hands and knees to better observe the world of tiny art. Prompted by advances in technology, and the enduring wonder of things created on a really, really tiny scale, Lance Dann follows his own obsession with the miracle of miniature art. Knocking on the tiny doors of creators from street artist Slinkachu, whose mesmerising cityscapes are created, photographed and abandoned in the street, to the collection of antique miniature portraits in Sotheby’s where expert Mark Griffith Jones delicately reveals the hidden treasures that span from over 500 years of art history. The 21st century has experienced a revival of the small in art - Desiree De Leon has attracted hundreds of thousands of followers for her Instagram account of small doodles, whilst the ‘the chewing gum man’ Ben Wilson, has gathered a loyal following for his hidden gems scattered about the London streets. What is the enduring appeal of the miniature in art, and where has this revival come from? To discover where it hides, why it appeals, and how the artists’ work on such delicate objects, Dann plays with scale, sound and voices to bring a closer, more microscopic focus on the art world. Producer: Sara Jane Hall Photo credit: Slinkachu Music sourced by Danny Webb First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2017