Art documentaries
9d
Kevin Burfield
Hello. I’ve been on a recent search for art documentaries that inspire and motivate me in my own journey as an artist. I’m always looking for new ones to watch. I’m looking for some suggestions on some new content you might enjoy watching or get inspired to create by watching and learning about other artists journeys. Please and thank you!
I went down a rabbit hole of sign painting a couple years ago, and found a documentary about sign painters made in 2013, Sign Painters the Movie. It gives a history of sign painting and interviews a bunch of sign painters old and young. If you google the title it is available to watch online for free.
The are a couple of shorter sign painting documentaries on youtube, unfortunately I don't recall the titles of most.
Writing on the Wall is one I do remember. It covers old signs painted on buildings in Winnipeg, Canada and efforts being made to record and preserve them.
I don't think a lot of people appreciate the artistic skills of sign painters. There is a lot of cross over between sign painters and mural artists.
Hey Kevin. I watch a lot of movies, too, haha. Do you like old movies? If so, I've got a couple that aren't documentaries, but biopics, if that sort of thing interests you. They are quite good, I think, and probably not so well known these days. If you're feeling adventurous. I know I came away from them feeling rather inspired, and if that's the goal, then I'll share anyway. Even if it's not exactly what you're asking about...
The first one is 1965's "The Agony and the Ecstasy," with Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison. My favorite artist's biography. It follows Michelangelo's relationship with Pope Julius II and the creation of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling fresco. It's a little melodramatic, the performances are... okay... and of course it practically ignores the actual history, but it did such a good job of edifying my appreciation of Renaissance art that I'd recommend it to anyone.
Second is 1956's "Lust for Life," starring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. I think it's the best dramatization of the life of Vincent Van Gogh, even better than the 2018 Willem Dafoe "At Eternity's Gate," which I found disjointed and not very well paced. While it's not perfect at all, and spreads itself too thin over the artist's life, Kirk Douglas gives an outstanding performance in the lead role. To me, it really encapsulates the man's frustration and just how isolated he felt, as well as his manic personality. Very much inspired me.