17 films for 2021
This year, seventeen new films were introduced to our Extended Play and New York Close Up series. Across the winter, spring, summer, and fall, these films spanned themes global and local, individual and shared, fleeting and timeless.
From Nairobi to Beijing to New York City, our latest films gave a glimpse into the creative practices of seventeen artists, featuring:
Tanya Aguiñiga, John Akomfrah, Phyllida Barlow, Firelei Báez, Abigail DeVille, Doreen Garner, Guan Xiao, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Loie Hollowell, Shaun Leonardo, Guadalupe Maravilla, Adam Milner, Wangechi Mutu, Michael Rakowitz, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Rachel Rossin, Salman Toor.
Stream each film in full, along with nearly 70 hours of films from the entire Art21 library.
Whatever may have led you to stream an Art21 film this year, we hope that the experience delivered a moment of respite and a dose of creative energy. Thank you for tuning in!
Art21 depends on your support
Thanks to viewers like you, Art21 has grown to be the go-to place to discover art and learn first-hand from some of the greatest artists of our time.
This season of giving, stand behind the voices of artists and become an Art21 monthly supporter. As a recurring donor, your support helps the entire organization moving forward and contributes directly to the production of enriching documentaries, thought-provoking interviews, and inspiring stories told by artists themselves.
Please consider donating to Art21 today. Your contribution, in any amount, helps ensure this extraordinary catalog of resources remains accessible and free to all. In gratitude for your support, with a monthly donation of $21, or a one-time donation of $250, you will receive a special Art21 beanie. Get one for yourself or send it to a fellow Art21 fan as a gift!
Alex Da Corte in costume on set. Production still from the Extended Play film, “57 Varieties.” © Art21, Inc. 2018.
Alex Da Corte tells a new story
Drawn to misunderstood and colorful characters, Alex Da Corte films a series of fifty-seven videos that combine personal narrative, art-historical references, and television characters, to create a contemporary portrait of America.
Da Corte’s juxtaposition and remixing of disparate images and icons detaches them from their original meanings, allowing him to tell new stories about familiar characters.
“I thought, that’s this beautiful moment of transition—when I think we as a country and as a people are always transitioning.”
Upcoming workshops for educators
Join Art21 for two virtual teacher workshops being offered this month.
In “Art Break,” a special online artmaking workshop on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. ET, watch an Art21 film, consider a prompt from Art21’s Educators’ Guides, and create art. Participants are encouraged to bring whatever art materials speak to them, which could include drawing paper, pencils, markers, fabric, thread, tape, scissors, clay, paint, canvas, etc. Please note this workshop will occur in the Zoom meeting format, so participants will be on camera and able to speak to one another. Registration is free, but space is limited.
On Saturday, January 22, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. ET for the latest installment in a series of virtual teacher workshops presented in collaboration with SFMOMA. Exploring different aspects of the question—”What is contemporary art?”—each virtual workshop encourages educators to think and work like artists, using thematic, inquiry-driven processes and strategies. The January workshop, “Environmental Impacts,” will look at artists that explore the relationships between people and the environment, as well as raise awareness about our role in the climate crisis. Registration is free, but space is limited.
Visit our education calendar for a list of upcoming workshops for educators.
