Art Documentaries: Top 22
Listen to their friends filter through the specifics after watching them create, duplicate, or lose their art. The following list isn’t meant to be a comprehensive introduction to the category, but it does offer a good selection of art documentaries that will take you out of your living room to the beauty of the Mediterranean coast, the enthusiasm of a contemporary art auction, the otherworldly euphoria of a Sun Ra concert, or even Munch’s squalid childhood in Norway.
Tag along, as you travel to a different space while reading through my pick of the top 22 Art Documentaries that will inspire…
If you like any other Art Documentaries featured here or would like to share your own recommendations with me, please comment below!
My Pick of Top 22 Art Documentaries You Ought to Watch!
‘Ways of Seeing’ (1972)
‘Ways of Seeing’ (1972), by John Berger and Mike Dibb, is one of the most influential TV arts series ever produced. Commissioned by London Weekend Television in 1970, it was broadcast in 1972. Its purpose was to clarify how we look at paintings and what they mean to us. The original series consisted of four episodes: “Style,” “The Model,” “Props and Pleasure,” and “Morality.” Later on, two more were added: “Seeing” and “Metaphor.”
This is one of the most-watched Art Documentaries that you shouldn’t miss out on.
‘The Price of Everything’ (2018)
Equal parts documentary and detective story, ‘The Price of Everything’ (2018), directed by Nathaniel Kahn and produced by Jennifer Blei Stockman, offers an in-depth exploration of the art world through which it is possible to examine the shifting relationships between art, money, and fame.
This movie looks like a “joking” one for most viewers but it is probably you will find there’s a time when this style fits your thoughts.
This is one of those unique Art Documentaries to watch.
‘The Last Angel of History’ (1997)
The ‘Last Angel of History’ (1997), by Isaac Julien and Steve McQueen, is a powerful reflection on the life and work of American writer and philosopher Samuel R. Delany. It also serves as an introspective exploration into the presence of homosexuality within the black culture in Britain.
Reaching critical mass with its wide social appeal, this film artfully links Delany’s childhood days in Harlem to his later adult life as a writer. The use of music throughout signifies how each step along the way was carefully chosen for its potential to form who he became, his artistic preoccupations being deeply embedded within a historical context. You will find so many works out there so why not take time to watch this one?
‘Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise’ (1980)
As director of the Arkestra, Sun Ra (1914-1993) was a bandleader who had an enviable free rein to pursue musical experimentation. ‘Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise’ (1980), produced by Tony Palmer, captures the energy of the man and his musicians in full flight.
This is another chance for people to see what Sun Ra can do when performing with other artists or during his time alone playing at art galleries.
This is one of those Art Documentaries to add to your watch list.
‘Painters Painting’ (1973)
Have you ever wondered what artists are thinking about when they are creating their art? Would you like to know how an artist creates his work of art?
‘Painters Painting’ (1973) by Lothar Wolleh takes you behind the scenes to see how painters create, experiment, and explore their creative potential. This is a chance for viewers to look at the people who paint them with an understanding that goes beyond just being “lots of great paintings”.
This is one of the few Art Documentaries that will fill your mind with many many things so why not consider watching it today?
‘Alice Neel’ (2007)
Alice Neel (1900-1984) was a female painter who didn’t conform to the norms of society and painted people as they were in front of her camera.
‘Alice Neel’ (2007), directed by Christina Clausen, offers insight into an artist whose intentions are not clear at first glance. It features commentary from friends and colleagues offering their views on the work that she created over several decades. ‘Ways of Seeing’ is a 1972 BBC television series that presents concepts about art history using paintings as examples. The radio program consists of four episodes:, “Style,” “The Model,” “Props and Pleasure,” and “Morality.” It is hosted by art critic, writer, and professor John Berger.
‘Ways of Seeing’ explores the representation of women in Western visual culture throughout history. The first episode discusses how men actively “look at women” as social objects rather than seeing them for who they are as humans. It isn’t easy to say that this documentary will definitely change your views on life but it is always good to try something new.
What do you usually think about when you see a painting? Do you ever wonder where those paintings come from?
This movie has only one objective – helping people find out what makes paintings necessary for us today because if we can know more about them then maybe our lives can be better or even easier.
‘Forgetting Elena’ (2004)
Remember the days when you were at school and how important it was for you to get good grades? Do you remember how much time it took for your parents to make sure that you studied enough before you could go out with friends? Well, these are all things that can be seen in ‘Forgetting Elena’ (2004).
This heartwarming documentary follows the lives of six students who attend an evening art class offered by the School of Social Research in New York. It is narrated by novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, whose brother taught the classes. Every scene guides us closer to understanding each student more than ever before.
Do you think that art is just some paintings hanging on the wall and nothing else?
Well, this movie will definitely show you something new. It is a real pleasure to watch it and we are sure that you’ll love it but don’t take our word for it – give it a chance.
‘New York: A Work in Progress’ (1986)
Do you know what today’s most famous paintings look like? Most people would say some abstract art because it is the only style they have ever seen in modern paintings but if you think that way then ‘New York: A Work in Progress’ (1986) will definitely change your mind about modern art. It does not strictly follow a certain art period or style so it can be viewed as a collection of short films dedicated to New York City with each film being filmed at a different time of day. This documentary presents artists working in their studios, teaching students, visiting other artist’s studios or museums, or having a retrospective exhibition devoted to them.
This documentary looks at how New York City has been depicted through art created by its citizens over five centuries. ‘New York: A Work in Progress’ (1986), directed by Brian McKenna, shows the tensions between artist and machine as well as city dwellers’ relationships with one another. This independent production explores street art from subway graffiti to large scale murals painted on the sides of buildings. It is a documentary that looks at how New York City has been depicted through art created by its citizens over five centuries. The film features works from public installations, subway graffiti and large scale murals painted on the sides of buildings.
‘The Mystery of Picasso’ (1956)
In 1956, when this movie was made, Pablo Picasso was already a world-famous artist with an impressive collection of works so it’s no wonder that many people wanted to see him creating his art straight from his brain, just like he always did. ‘The Mystery of Picasso’ (1956), directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, is a documentary in which we get a chance to watch one of the greatest artists ever in action while he creates some new paintings right before our very eyes. The film follows Pablo Picasso throughout 1955 as he visits couples getting married at Vallauris City Hall, paints in his studio, and travels to Barcelona where he meets Julio Gonzalez, the sculptor of ‘El Pueblo’, Spain’s monument to those who died during the Spanish Civil War. Many people are fascinated by modern art because they have no idea how it is really created so if you are among them then this particular movie will definitely show you what modern art is all about.
Pablo Picasso was filmed at his studio in Vallauris, France, creating nine paintings and thirty drawings that included self-portraits as well as portraits of friends and family members. This film follows Pablo Picasso throughout 1955 as he visits couples getting married at Vallauris City Hall, paints in his studio, and travels to Barcelona where he meets Julio Gonzalez, the sculptor of El Pueblo – Spain’s monument to those who died during the Spanish Civil War.
‘Outside Again’ (2017)
‘Outside Again’ (2017) reflects on the influence that ‘Ways of Seeing’ has had since it was first broadcast in 1972. It also examines how, through Berger’s writing and campaigning, art can be used as a means to question the world around us.
The film offers an examination of how art can be used as a tool for social change by provoking further discussion about how we relate to ourselves, each other, and our environment. It also reflects on the influence that ‘Ways of Seeing’ has had since it was first broadcast in 1972.
‘National Gallery’ (2014)
Can you imagine a world without art? If so, ‘National Gallery’ (2014), directed by Frederick Wiseman, will make such an imaginary world look like such a great place to live in. At first, it looks like this documentary is about some pictures hanging on the walls of a building but it’s much more than that because it also follows people walking around this building and getting amazed by what they see. Some of them can’t believe that they’re seeing real paintings created by real artists and you could think that these people are stuck up but if you watch this movie then you’ll soon find out that they’re not stuck up at all – they’re just very smart and knowledgable because as we all know paintings from the past are a time capsule of sorts. Watch this movie and see for yourself.
‘National Gallery’ (2014), directed by Frederick Wiseman, is a documentary about people who love art so much that they even know how to spell the names of the artists whose works they appreciate so much. This film captures their reactions to some paintings hanging on the walls of London’s National Gallery as well as interactions between gallery staff and visitors. Through close-ups and long shots, we see picturesque details such as shadows cast by viewers standing in front of artworks and museum workers cleaning paintings with cotton swabs moistened with distilled water.
‘Mining Modern’ (2015)
When it comes to documentaries about modern art you can always count on the Film Society of Lincoln Center to deliver. ‘Mining Modern’ (2015), directed by Emiko Omori, is one such documentary. This film tells the story of Peggy Guggenheim who opened her art gallery in New York City’s Upper East Side in 1939 and gave many young artists a chance to exhibit their works there even though she knew nothing about modern art. ‘Mining Modern’ takes us through some highlights from Mrs. Guggenheim’s life including her unhappy childhood marked with neglect and abuse, how she became the wife of famous avant-garde sculptor Laurence Vail, how her marriage fell apart after two years because he was seeing another woman, how she decided to come out of this difficult situation financially independent and how she became a modern art collector by starting her own art gallery in New York City.
‘Mining Modern’ (2015), directed by Emiko Omori, is a documentary about an independently wealthy woman who was one of the first patrons of American abstract expressionism during the 1940s and 1950s.
‘Sonia Delaunay: Possibilities’ (2017)
Much like a good novel that follows a protagonist on a journey then ‘Possibilities’ focuses on one particular artist – Sonia Delaunay – as she travels from Russian Empire to France where she becomes part of the Parisian avant-garde movement with Francis Picabia, Marcel Duchamp and Jean Cocteau. Even though this documentary is about a woman whose life had been marked by forward-thinking and courage, there were still things that she would never be ready to do such as wear pants in public because of her strict bourgeois background.
‘Sonia Delaunay: Possibilities’ (2017), directed by Terri Timely, is a documentary about an artist who believed that color could make the world a better place and who was one of the first designers to use abstract shapes in clothing and interior design.
‘Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film’ (2013)
One thing that makes some artists stand out from all those other pretenders is their ability not only to create art but also give life to it so that it can become a performance. Pablo Picasso was one such artist who transformed the way we look at art and this particular documentary puts us right there in his studio as he performs for a young fan, music producer Jay-Z, who’s making an art film with his crew filming everything that is going on in the room. Even though Mr Hova has enough money to buy anything that takes his fancy, including any work of art hanging on the walls of the world’s most prestigious galleries, he doesn’t want to part with any of those paintings because they’re not just beautiful; they also mean something special to him now that he knows their creator personally.
‘Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film’ (2013), directed by Mark Romanek, is a documentary about an artist who had an influence on some of the most successful music artists in the world.
‘Rauschenberg: A Retrospective’ (2013)
Robert Rauschenberg was one of those few artists who managed to get away with being different without being too weird for his time. Even though this American painter, sculptor and graphic designer challenged himself by constantly experimenting with different forms of art, he also knew how to please his audience while still remaining true to his own vision. ‘Rauschenberger’ is not your average documentary about some abstract artist because it highlights moments from the life of Robert Rauschenberg which are important for understanding why he painted what he painted and how influential a role he played in changing the perception of modern art forever.
‘Rauschenberg: A Retrospective’ (2013), directed by Molly Bernstein and Kirk Simon, is a documentary about an artist who was one of the first to break with the Abstract Expressionism movement by incorporating other elements into his paintings such as photography or found objects.
This is one of the few Art Documentaries that will inspire you to start painting.
‘Edvard Munch’ (1974)
In some ways, this documentary about one of the most influential artists of the 20th century is more like a compilation of short films because it highlights not only Munch’s art but also the events that influenced his work and shaped his personality. ‘Edvard Munch’ includes excerpts from ‘The Voice’, a film that had been made by Peter Watkins based on the events that took place during the last four months in the life of Norwegian artist which led to the creation of masterpieces such as ‘The Scream’. Even though ‘Edvard Munch’ won’t tell you much about Munch’s personal life or what he was thinking when he created his paintings, it will give you an insight into what kind of person Edvard really was.
‘Edvard Munch’ (1974), directed by Peter Watkins, is a documentary about an artist whose paintings and prints are still considered to be among the most original ever created.
‘Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth’ (2010)
For some artists, creating art is all about leaving behind something that will last for centuries after they’re gone but in the case of Jasper Johns, he couldn’t care less whether his works would survive him or not because this American visual artist preferred to focus on making them instead of thinking about what would happen when he’s dead. ‘Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth’ is not your average documentary about some obscure figure in the modern art scene who was overshadowed by others such as Picasso and Warhol.
‘Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth’ (2010), directed by Johnathan Dorfman, is one of those few Art documentaries that talks about an artist who carved his own niche in the art world by focusing on painting instead of performance or film.
‘Claude Monet: The Seine and the Sea’ (2014)
This short film is part of series called ‘Artists at Work’ created for PBS by filmmaker Mary Kerr; one that focuses on some of the most influential artists in history while highlighting their perspective on creativity and approach to making art. In this particular video shown above, we get a chance to see Claude Monet when he was in his seventies, enjoying the creation process of his paintings, making mistakes without second thoughts and happy to be alive. This documentary directed by Mary Kerr gives us a chance to better understand what made Monet one of the most influential artists in history while also inspiring millions of people around the world who are still discovering his art even today.
‘Claude Monet: The Seine and the Sea’ (2014), directed by Mary Kerr, is a short film about an artist whose paintings are now considered some of the most important works in history – this is one of the many art documentaries to add to your watch list.
‘How to Draw a Bunny’ (2002)
If you’re looking for an inspirational TV series with the main focus on art, ‘Abstract’ is definitely something that can’t be missed. In this particular episode called ‘How to Draw a Bunny’, we get a chance to learn more about inspirations as well as rituals behind the creation of modern abstract paintings that often seem to have deep personal meaning even though those who painted them never intended them to be understood that way.
Created by filmmaker Doug Pray in 2002, the documentary series ‘Abstract’ is a collection of 50 short films about American contemporary artists and their work.
‘Anne Truitt, Working’ (2009)
Anne Truitt is one of the most influential sculptors in modern history whose work is represented in the most important museums around the world. Even though she had her first museum show in 1965, this documentary made for PBS focuses on her process of creating art rather than retrospective about her career which is why it’s considered to be a short film with exclusive footage that was taken during the last years of her life when she was enjoying making art and doing lots of experiments before passing away from cancer at age 74.
‘Anne Truitt, Working’ (2009), directed by Mary Kerr, follows an American sculptor who passed away from cancer while working on new creations.
‘F for Fake’ (1973)
If you’re looking for an example of a modern art documentary film that was made with the main focus on forging and deception, ‘F for Fake’ is definitely something you must check out. This particular documentary about faking and fraud in the modern-day art world is part of the experimental genre with some fictional elements which make it truly unique even though its subject matter seems to be rather serious.
‘F for Fake’ (1973), directed by Orson Welles, is a peculiar filmmaking experiment that includes partly fictional elements such as characters who don’t exist outside the movie but also presents real interviews with people connected to one of the most influential artists in history – Elmyr de Hory who was accused of forging hundreds of paintings and selling them as originals.
‘Marwencol’ (2010)
Another example of one of those few art documentaries that deal with art and self-expression, which follows the story of Mark Hogancamp who spent 9 days in a coma as a result of being attacked by his neighbor’s friends. In order to cope with post-traumatic stress, he started building a 1/6 scale World War II-era town named Marwencol where he placed Barbie doll versions of people from his life including attackers. This particular documentary presents an inspiring story about a man who created a new way to deal with trauma and how, at least for him, this experience brought back happiness into his life after it was taken away from him by those who were supposed to protect him.
All of the films presented in this article deal with one common theme – ART.
As it turns out, there are lots of ways to make a documentary about art and each approach seems equally interesting as the next one. While some movies focus on artists and their work, others take inspiration from psychological aspects of the creation process and how painters and sculptors were able to fight various mental disorders that often prevented them from making art at all.
Finally, we have examples of experimental documentaries which don’t just present viewers with stories about famous names such as Claude Monet or Mark Hogancamp but also include peculiar filmmaking experiments such as ‘F for Fake’ which was made by Orson Welles who was to explore new grounds when it comes to filmmaking and storytelling.
Whatever the approach is, it’s obvious that art documentaries are really worth checking out as they offer something for everyone interested in art.
