FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 6, 2025
New York, New York – Art21 is proud to announce the release of a new film, “Amy Sherald: Singular Moments,” premiering Wednesday, March 19 at 12:00 p.m. ET on Art21.org and YouTube. In this installment of Art21’s Extended Play digital series, Amy Sherald offers insights into what inspires her portraits: small moments of freedom, the exhilaration of childhood exploration, and commitments to land and to community.
Depicting Black American subjects, Sherald understands the contexts and histories with which she must contend and acknowledges how they shape the reading of her works. However, in all of this the artist works to hold onto the everyday, ordinary moments she captures, fundamentally working to create beauty that affirms both subjects and viewers.
“I think beautiful paintings are important,” says the artist. “I say figuration is like the soul food of art making, it’s what takes you back home and what you eat when you need comfort, and we all need that at some point.”
“My goal for this film was to showcase Amy’s experiences and the personal relationships that inspire her to portray everyday people in extraordinary ways,” says Ian Forster, director and Art21 senior producer. “By revisiting our archive of footage from her Season 11 segment, we uncovered new moments that offer a deeper look at the influences shaping her portraits and the powerful narratives they hold.”
Tune in to the digital premiere of “Amy Sherald: Singular Moments” on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. ET at Art21.org and on Art21’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/art21org. To learn more, email Art21 Associate Director of Communications, Hannah DeGarmo, at [email protected].
Art21’s Extended Play digital series provides unmediated, behind-the-scenes access to today’s leading artists. Through process-revealing footage and intimate interviews, these curatorially-driven films chronicle a diverse scale of international projects, ranging from major commissions to exploratory sketches. Produced in close collaboration with artists, Extended Play uncovers provocative ideas, timely cultural influences, and biographical anecdotes that inspire the artists featured throughout the series.
Extended Play is presented by the Marina Kellen French Foundation, with support from Migs and Bing Wright, Stephanie Robinson, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Every Page Foundation, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Henry Nias Foundation, and individual contributors.
Art21 is the world’s leading source to learn directly from the artists of our time. The mission of Art21 is to educate and expand access to contemporary art through the production of documentary films, resources, and public programs. The organization recently embarked on capacity-building efforts to grow its operations and services to bring more artists to more audiences worldwide. Art21 opens the world of art to everyone. Learn more at Art21.org.
