art21 (2001)
Contemporary artists describe their work and discuss why and how they do it. The programs are grouped according to themes of place, spirituality, identity and consumption. A PBS series, educational resource, archive, and history of contemporary art, Art21: Art in the Twenty-First Century premiered in 2001 and is now broadcast in over 50 countries worldwide. Premiering a new season every two years, Art21 is the only series on United States television to focus exclusively on contemporary visual art and artists.
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Episode 1 - Compassion
Release Date: 2009-10-07The Season 5 premiere highlights artists who seek to reconcile past with present, expose injustice and celebrate tolerance in their works, including South African native William Kentridge, who creates poetic allegories on stage and film. Also: visual artist Carrie Mae Weems, who reflected on how the 1960s influenced the 2008 presidential election in a photo-video series, and Doris Salcedo of Colombia, who honors her country's marginalized peoples through sculptures and installations.
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Episode 2 - Fantasy
Release Date: 2009-10-14Artists who mine the world of fantasy are featured, including Jeff Koons, who explores notions of taste and pleasure; abstract artist Mary Heilmann; German-born landscape photographer Florian Maier-Aichen, who spices photographs with computer-enhanced imagery; and Chinese artist Cao Fei, who explores perception.
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Episode 3 - Transformation
Release Date: 2009-10-21Artists who observe and satirize society are featured, including Yinka Shonibare, who's shown creating a piece about the 2008 economic meltdown; Cindy Sherman, who creates photographic series and films in which she portrays various characters; and Paul McCarthy, who pokes fun at cultural icons ranging from Disney characters to Queen Elizabeth II.
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Episode 4 - Systems
Release Date: 2009-10-28Artists who tackle projects that are complex and/or vast in scope are featured, including Ethiopian-American painter Julie Mehretu, who's shown creating a large work about the history of market-based capitalism; John Baldessari, who mixes photomontage, painting and language in his pieces; Korean-born Kimsooja, whose art combines techniques of video, performance and installation; and Allan McCollum, who creates large quantities of almost identical objects.