Ten Must-See Art Documentaries

What sets documentaries apart from dramas and biopics? Stripped of actors and artifice, documentaries are free to focus on what really matters: the art and the artist. These ten documentaries work overtime to capture the nature of the artists the follow, whether in personal life or in the process of the art they create.

1. The Mystery of Picasso (1956) Renowned French filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot follows his dear friend – Pablo Picasso – through the creation of twenty pieces, in a film that is a work of art within itself.

2. Roy Lichtenstein (1991) This documentary is filmed in interview form, giving viewers open insight into the process and life work of Roy Lichtenstein, straight from the artist himself.

3. Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1995) Winner of the 1995 Academy Award for Best Documentary, this austere film focuses on the projects and processes of Maya Lin, the sculptor best known for the Vietnam War Memorial.

4. I.M. Pei - First Person Singular/The Museum on the Mountain (1997) In renting this DVD you’ll get two documentaries for the price of one, both exploring the world of avant-garde architect and artist I. M. Pei.

5. How to Draw a Bunny (2002) Friends and contemporaries shed light on the reclusive life of Ray Johnson, underground pop artist and founding father of mail art.

6. Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film (2006) In a sea of Andy Warhol documentaries, this Emmy-winning PBS film rises above the fray with special attention to details and rare glimpses into the artist’s early career.

7. Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (2007) A portrait of Annie Leibovitz, both her life and her life’s work, as her photography career arches through the decades.

8. The Cats of Mirikitani (2007) After discovering 80 year old artist Jimmy Mirikitani painting his joyful cats on the streets of NYC, filmmaker Laura Hattendorf invites him into her home to help unravel his traumatic past and build a better life in the present.

9. Chuck Close (2007) Marion Cajori talks to friends, family, and the artist himself to explore the world of contemporary artist Chuck Close, and the process behind the larger-than-life likenesses that earned him the title “the reinventor of portraiture.”

10. Helvetica (2007) David Carson takes an in-depth, well-researched, smartly executed look into the history and usage of one of graphic design’s most beloved fonts.

Tags: art documentaries, art inspiration, art movies, artist biographies, artists