Praise & Awards

“If you’ve ever wondered why Art21 nabbed an impressive Peabody Award, tune in. Every two years, a number of hour-long programs burrow deep into the artistic process to observe how artists think and work. The only narrators are the artists themselves. No curators, no critics, no collectors, but many savvy if unseen producers and editors.”

—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 2020

“It’s just beautiful, smart footage of art and artists, no two of whom are alike even in their conceptions of what art is…Artists are complicated, and the show captures that without getting in the way.”
—Jen Graves, The Stranger, 2016

“For artists or anyone who wants to understand contemporary art, this show is for you. Professional artists articulate the ideas intrinsic to their work, which can teach you how to ask questions of any artwork you encounter…All [featured] artists are museum-level candidates for the history books.”
—Kristin Farr, KQED, 2014

“From Trevor Paglen to Joan Jonas to Thomas Hirschhorn, the dozen artists discuss not only the compelling virtues that make creation worthwhile, but the ins-and-outs of producing their own aesthetic universes too.”
—Katherine Brooks, The Huffington Post, 2014

“At a time when so much documentary programming can seem downright histrionic…the television series Art21 has always offered a smart antidote. Its segments—which cover buzzy blue-chip types as well as lesser-known artist’s artists—consist solely of artists discussing their work and the traditions and ideas that might influence it.”

—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 2014

“Whether they’re in the studio or prowling around rural Texas with Rackstraw Downes, there’s often something revealing about the process and persona of art in the [Art21] profiles.”
—Allison Meier, Hyperallergic, 2013

“It has found a winning formula…The artists…are allowed to speak for themselves, and they do so in the setting of their studios, their favored places of work, and the galleries that show their art. The result? There’s no dumbing down. Better yet, we’re allowed to see that creativity, although it is endlessly fascinating, is in essence pretty straightforward.”
—Sebastian Smee, The Boston Globe, 2012

“Where Art:21 shines is in the direct connection it establishes between artists and viewers….The producers…have included artists young, old, male, female, of various races and national backgrounds. They’re not merely being PC; they’re reflecting the reality of an art scene whose diversity still isn’t necessarily reflected by major galleries and museums.”
—The Boston Globe, 2006

“While the series may seem a video substitute for those visits to museums and galleries that never seem to be scheduled, each hour will instead compel the casual art appreciator to get more involved.”
—Ned Martel, The New York Times, 2005

“…the very existence of Art in the Twenty-First Century feels groundbreaking.”

—Joy Press, The Village Voice, 2003

“It’s the kind of programming that makes public television shine.”
—Sheila Farr, The Seattle Times, 2003

“Art21 rewrites the possibilities for art on television. Its true subject is inspiration, and its method scraps all the formulas by getting rid of narrators and allowing artists to tell us in their own words how they work and why they do what they do.”
—Kay Larson, The New York Times, 2001

Art in the Twenty-First Century

Award of Excellence Accolade Award
given by The Accolade Film, Television, New Media & Videography Awards in 2015 for Season 7

Silver Remi Award
given by Worldfest Houston / The Houston International Film Festival in 2013 for Season 6

Best in Show Accolade Award
given by The Accolade Film, Television, New Media & Videography Awards in 2012 for Season 6

Gold Aurora Award
given by The Aurora Awards in 2010 for Season 5

Best in Show Accolade Award
given by The Accolade Film, Television, New Media & Videography Awards in 2010 for Season 5

Silver Remi Award
given by Worldfest Houston / The Houston International Film Festival in 2010 for Season 5

Silver Hugo Award
given by The Hugo Television Awards / Chicago International Television Competition in 2010 for Season 5

International Documentary Association Awards Nomination
given by International Documentary Association in 2010 for Season 5

Second Place Silver Screen Award
given by US International Film and Video Festival in 2008 for Season 4

Gold Remi Award
given by Worldfest Houston / The Houston International Film Festival in 2008 for Season 4

Silver Hugo Award
given by The Hugo Television Awards / Chicago International Television Competition in 2008 for Season 4

George Foster Peabody Award
given by University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2007 for Season 4

Platinum Best in Show Aurora Award
given by The Aurora Awards in 2007 for Season 4 / Romance

Bronze Remi Award
given by Worldfest Houston / The Houston International Film Festival in 2006 for Season 3

CINE Golden Eagle
given by Cine in 2005 for Season 3

CINE Golden Eagle
given by Cine in 2002 for Season 1

Gold Hugo Award
given by The Hugo Television Awards / Chicago International Television Competition in 2002 for Season 1

Emmy Award Nomination
given by News and Documentary Emmy Awards in 2002 for Season 1

William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible

Gold Remi Award
given by Worldfest Houston / The Houston International Film Festival in 2011

Silver Plaque Hugo
given by Hugo Television Awards / Chicago International Film Festival in 2011

Accolade Award of Excellence
given by The Accolade Competition in 2010

George Foster Peabody Award
given by University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2010

New York Close Up

Digital Series Winner
awarded by Cine Golden Eagle Independent & Emerging Media in 2016 for “New York Close Up” series

Best Documentary Series Nomination
awarded by 16th Annual Webby Awards in 2012 for “New York Close Up” series