Arthur Jafa with gray braided hair, a beard, and earrings is shown in profile, looking forward in an indoor setting.

Director’s Notes with Jurrell Lewis

Before coming on as the director of this film, I thought I understood Arthur Jafa’s practice. I had seen APEX and Love is the Message, the Message is Death, and saw AJ’s work as chronicling Black life in America, both the good and the bad. I still think that’s true—his films do offer a nuanced […]

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Hyeree Ro with long dark hair closely observes small sculpted objects displayed on a transparent surface supported by a wooden frame.

Director’s Notes with Andrea Yu-Chieh Chung

When I was first introduced to Hyeree, I fell in love with her work immediately. Given our shared background—we’re both East Asians living in the US, existing between two languages and two places—it’s perhaps not surprising that I resonated with Hyeree’s musings around language and the idea that when you’re speaking one language, you’re one […]

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Blue promotional graphic for “Screening Society” featuring a book titled “Artists & the Unknown,” a film camera illustration, and the Art21 logo. Text invites event registration.

Art21 Invites Organizations to Host Free Screenings of Documentary Films About Contemporary Artists

Starting April 3, 2025, Art21 invites you to host a free screening of films featuring artists Linda Goode Bryant, Sarah Sze, Josephine Halvorson, Rose B. Simpson, and Michael Rakowitz—celebrating the new book “Artists and the Unknown”

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Hyeree Ro with long dark hair closely observes small sculpted objects displayed on a transparent surface supported by a wooden frame.

Art21 to Release new film: “Hyeree Ro’s Precise Ambiguity”

Art21 is proud to announce the release of a new film: “Hyeree Ro’s Precise Ambiguity,” premiering Wednesday, April 9 at 12:00 p.m. ET on Art21.org and YouTube.

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Amy Sherald with glasses and curly hair painting while looking at a laptop displaying an image of a person wearing yellow pants.

Director’s Notes with Ian Forster

I started working with artist Amy Sherald when filming for Season 11 of the Art in the Twenty-First Century series. In that initial segment, we focused on the iconic works that Amy is most known for, like the portraits of Michelle Obama and Breonna Taylor. When revisiting the interview and footage we captured with Amy […]

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Amy Sherald with curly hair and glasses smiling, seated next to an open laptop.

Art21 to Release New Film: “Amy Sherald: Singular Moments”

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 […]

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Guadalupe Maravilla with a patterned jacket and hat stands inside a white empty bus, reaching towards a large metallic gong.

Director’s Notes with César Martínez Barba

The first time I connected with Guadalupe, we spoke about the bus, Mariposa Relámpago, and what its presence in Marfa, Texas was going to look like. I felt that there was a lot of poignancy and emotion in Guadalupe’s intentions for Marfa, and I wanted the film to reflect that. We thought a lot about […]

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Guadalupe Maravilla stands in front of a white wall with a white horse statue on top, a blue building in the background.

Art21 to Release New Film: “Guadalupe Maravilla’s ‘Mariposa Relámpago'”

Art21 is proud to announce the release of a new film: “Guadalupe Maravilla’s ‘Mariposa Relámpago’” premiering Wednesday, February 26 at 12:00 p.m. ET on Art21.org and YouTube

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Hyeree Ro with long hair working on a wooden structure in cement room, with the Art21 logo overlaid on the image.

From the Executive Director: Sneak Peek at Art21’s 2025 Stories

Curious what’s ahead for Art21 in 2025? Our latest trailer previews eleven productions currently in the works set to premiere throughout the year.

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