Art Movies

Like most artists, I love movies about art and artists. Granted, movies made for entertainment are just that and have little practical use but they're still fun. Some of them are biographical, some are intended as exposes, and some are unabashedly hagiographic. Regardless, seeing the experience of making art or being an artist celebrated onscreen is irresistible.

Herewith are a few of my own favorite art movies, in no particular order. I suspect you can rent or stream these from many sources. They cover nearly sixty years of movie watching, and there are many others.

Camille Claudel, "Bust of Rodin," 1888

Camille Claudel introduces a great and troubled French sculptor to those who had not heard of her. The movie (1988) stars Isabelle Adjani in the title role and Gerard Depardieux as her master and lover, Auguste Rodin. The action begins in the 1880s when Ms. Claudel (1864-1843) first met Rodin, tracing their path from master and student to lovers and explores how his betrayal (at least in part) led to her decline into mental illness. The sad but beautiful tale engages us from the beginning and Ms. Adjani is brilliant as the sculptor.

Frida Kahlo, "Self Portrait," 1926

Another enjoyable biopic about a female artist is Frida from 2002, about the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954). Ms. Kahlo, like Camille Claudel, had a tragic life. Ms. Kahlo was severely injured in a traffic accident when she was 18, which resulted in lifelong pain and disability. She had also suffered poliomyelitis with its attendant withering of one leg (she wore a built up shoe). Her injury kept her bedfast for months so her father gave her some oil paints to pass the time. Recovered, she approached the most famous Mexican artist of the time, Diego Rivera, to ask advice. He reviewed her works and was impressed with her naive and untutored style, encouraging her to continue. With his encouragement, she began painting in earnest, though she remained unknown for years. The movie explores her painting career and her relationship with Mr. Rivera, whom she married in 1929. Salma Hayek stars in the title role, and was also the movie's producer.

Vincent van Gogh, "Self Portrait," 1889

Vincent van Gogh has been the subject of a slew of movies, including Lust for Life, the great 1956 movie starring Kirk Douglas, and Vincent and Theo, directed by Robert Altman and starring Tim Roth. For me, though, the most artistic and memorable biopic about Vincent is Loving Vincent, released in 2017. The great fun of Loving Vincent is that it is an animated film, and entirely hand-painted in oils. The movie's main action actually takes place the year after Vincent's death, propelled by a letter from Vincent to Theo, his final one, that must be delivered from Arles to Auvers. The movie is beautifully realized and treat for the eyes and mind.

Banksy (attrib), "Seasons Greetings," 2018

Exit Through the Gift Shop is a wonderfully cynical (and truthful) look at street art and the graffiti artists who make it. Directed by Banksy, the most famous of them all, the documentary shows us many of the practitioners of street art but focuses on Thierry Guetta, a French immigrant fascinated by the whole street art scene who wanted to meet Banksy. In the topsy-turvy action, Banksy takes over. Like many street artists, much of Banksy's output appears without anyone seeing the painting in progress.

There are any number of movies that deserve mention so perhaps I'll add another post one of these days.