The Center for Art Law is a nonprofit organization that conducts research and offers resources and programming for the advancement of a vibrant arts and law community.;xNLx;;xNLx;;xNLx;
Focusing on three generations of conceptual artists, Conceptual Paradise gives insights into the discourses fundamental to contemporary artistic practices. A particular highlight is the discussion with conceptual dealer and curator Seth Siegelaub, who talks about his seminal "Artists' Agreement" project and how artists he spoke with - including millionaires - are treated by capitalist collectors, and how growing up during the Vietnam War made conceptual artists aware of power structures in society, leading to their questioning of notions of private property, ownership, longevity of art and its permanence.
Teri Horton, a former truck driver, buys a painting at a thrift shop for $5. Learning that the piece may have been painted by Jackson Pollock and may be worth about $50 million, she tries to have it authenticated. When some experts declare the painting worthless, she enlists the aid of a forensic scientist and others to establish its credentials. In this documentary, veteran filmmaker Harry Moses exposes the controversy in the world of high priced artwork. He paints a vivid picture of how art is bought and sold in America.
In addition to being some of the worst war criminals in history, Hitler and the Nazi regime were also among the most prolific art thieves. During World War II, the Third Reich ordered the destruction of thousands of pieces of art from "inferior" cultures and the theft of thousands more. This documentary explores the effects of the cultural destruction perpetrated by the Nazis across Europe, and examines the ongoing struggle to recover and return the stolen art.
Tells the story of contemporary graffiti, tracing its roots in ancient rock paintings through Picasso to its place in hip-hop culture in 1970's New York City.
They turned crime into an art form. Meet the crooks who plundered artistic treasures, sending shock waves through the art scene and setting off frantic dragnets across the globe. This thrilling documentary unlocks gallery doors to chronicle history's most notorious art thefts--from nabbing the Mona Lisa out of the Louvre in broad daylight to the still-unsolved blockbuster heist at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Vivid reenactments show how cunning break-ins, scams, and forgeries netted millions of dollars and became front-page news. Follow the trail of stolen art as it passes through the hands of unscrupulous dealers and shadowy smugglers, then often into obscurity. In candid interviews, the thieves who stole the art and the investigators who chased them share insights into crimes committed in galleries, tombs, and mansions from Egypt to Sweden. Some of the colorful characters suspected in the thefts include mobster Whitey Bulger, Nazi Hermann Göring, and even painter Pablo Picasso.
ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray (SURFWISE, SCRATCH, HYPE!), it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time -- people who've profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising's "creative revolution" of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation: George Lois, Mary Wells, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others featured in ART & COPY were responsible for "Just Do It," "I Love NY," "Where's the Beef?," "Got Milk," "Think Different," and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. They managed to grab the attention of millions and truly move them. Visually interwoven with their stories, TV satellites are launched, billboards are erected, and the social and cultural impact of their ads are brought to light in this dynamic exploration of art, commerce, and human emotion.
This film looks at the controversy surrounding the art collection of Dr. Albert C. Barnes, a millionaire who amassed a remarkable selection of significant works during the early 20th century. Barnes sought to keep his priceless pieces together as part of his foundation even after his death, but the involvement of numerous parties led to the scattering of his collection. This documentary sheds light on how his wishes were violated by a handful of opportunistic individuals.
The infamous, shadowy British graffiti street artist Banksy has literally left his mark on cities throughout the world. He comes in contact with Thierry Guetta, a Los Angeles-based Frenchman who videotapes various underground art escapades, and later is transformed into an art phenomenon dubbed "Mr. Brainwash." Rhys Ifans narrates an overlapping documentary where the line between what is real and what might be fake blurs, as modern art and celebrity are put under the microscope.
Director Tamra Davis pays homage to her friend in this definitive documentary but also delves into Basquiat as an iconoclast. His dense, bebop-influenced neoexpressionist work emerged while minimalist, conceptual art was the fad; as a successful black artist, he was constantly confronted by racism and misconceptions. Much can be gleaned from insider interviews and archival footage, but it is Basquiat's own words and work that powerfully convey the mystique and allure of both the artist and the man.
The incredible story of how a treasure trove of banned Soviet art worth millions of dollars was found in the desert of Uzbekistan develops into a larger exploration of how art survives in times of oppression.
