Drips of paint falling across a canvas, erased charcoal, or a fingerprint left on a sculpture, all are lasting evidence of the human touch. Nuances both subtle and pronounced capture the handmade, one-of-a-kind essence of an artist’s work. This visceral visibility is what made Margaret Kilgallen’s large-scale paintings feel so personal. “My hand will always be imperfect, because it’s human,” mused Kilgallen. Remnants of human activity are also what steeps graffiti with intrigue for Barry McGee, acting as “a presence of other people doing things” on the fringe of society. 

A freehand approach, while natural for some, can be equally challenging. Marcel Dzama admits that “if paint dripped across my drawing I would try to incorporate it,” whereas Raymond Pettibon, with whom Dzama frequently collaborates, “would just leave the drops.” Drawing from an array of practices, this collection of films explores the organic nature of artists whose work is marked by the human touch. 

With summer recess comes the chance to catch up on the essentials. While students are handed a list of must-read texts, consider this playlist a primer of must-see contemporary art. A swirl of low-brow humor, bold color, sculpture, performance, and reoriented historical context, each of these artists has influenced the discourse of contemporary art. “We do create the reality in which we live,” declared James Turrell, a vanguard of the Light and Space movement, and whose work continues to inform today’s visual artists and popular culture at large. For Luchita Hurtado, considered an emerging artist at 98 years old, her body of work celebrates motherhood, mother nature, and memory—a sincere introspection of lived experience. 

Artists “invent strategies that allow themselves to see in a way that they haven’t seen before to extend their vision,” mused Richard Serra. Whether you’re on summer break or simply in a summer state of mind, this selection of artists will inspire you to discover the great potential of contemporary art.

“Gay politics, human rights, whatever, it’s always about being free,” ruminates Eli Sudbrack, a principal member of the collective assume vivid astro focus. “Go after things in your life that bring you pleasure.” Historically, social structures have pressured individuals to choose from pre-packed ideas of identity. Breaking free from the expectations of the binary, artists abstract traditional definitions of gender and sexuality to provide visibility to LGBTQ communities and liberated perspectives underrepresented in the mainstream.

For Collier Schorr, “there is no progress unless you put things forward to unveil desire and unveil repression.” This playlist explores how artists examine queer identity through individual and community participation, challenging audiences and participants to exercise free expression by putting forth their own personal experiences.