Based on the award-winning series produced by Art21 and broadcast on PBS. 
Art21 films, educational programs and publications provide a diverse audience with unprecedented access to the personal and professional lives of the greatest creative minds of our time. Art21 is unique in that it collaborates with each artist on every program produced, providing them with a platform to speak directly to audiences. With the mission to inspire a more creative world through the works and words of contemporary artists, Art21 is the go-to place to learn firsthand from the artists of our time. Published on the occasion of the nonprofit organization's 21st anniversary, this compendium of artist interviews captures the engaging and seminal conversations that have taken place over the organization's history, serving as an essential primer on a generation of contemporary artists for those interested in the artistic process as a tool for curriculum building. In some cases, these interviews are previously unpublished. Examples include: Bruce Nauman reflecting on choosing the right questions; Julie Mehretu on the historical and political references embedded in her abstract paintings; Cai Guo-Qiang comparing the process of drawing with lovemaking; Nick Cave describing art as a vehicle to express his emotions; Maya Lin explaining why she keeps art and architecture separate; Catherine Opie narrating her work's evolution from street photography to representational photography; Kerry James Marshall expounding on why art making is about fighting for recognition; James Turrell meditating on spirituality in the arts; and Theaster Gates proposing possibilities for art to go beyond the making of objects. Select images of the artists and their artwork, pulled from Art21's expansive media library, illustrate the interviews.

Being an Artist: Artist Interviews with Art21

Arts & Photography

Sollins, Susan

History & Criticism

Art21

Published to accompany the third season of the award-winning PBS television series, this lavishly illustrated volume offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the most interesting artists working today. Interviewing the artists on the themes of Memory, Power, Play, and Structure, Susan Sollins, executive producer of the series, takes us into their studios and homes where they talk about their life and art in their own words. The 18 artists include established figures such as Ida Applebroog, Mike Kelley, Susan Rothenberg, and Fred Wilson, and emerging artists such as Laylah Ali, Arturo Herrera, and Josiah McElheny. The innovative approach-bringing the viewer and reader directly into the world of these artists to hear their own unique voices-has already won the Art:21 series the prestigious Golden Hugo Award for "the best in international television," and a rave notice from the New York Times: "When the artists do the talking, something fascinating happens."

Art: 21: Art in the 21st Century 3

Biographies & Memoirs

Harry N.Abrams, Inc.

Who are today’s artists? Why do they do what they do? How do they describe their work? These are some of the questions addressed in this companion volume to the fourth season of the Emmy-nominated PBS series. Using the artists’ own words, together with images culled from the documentary’s footage and generous selections of their works, the book provides an extraordinary behind-the-scenes look into the creative process. The artists are shown at home, in the studio, and in the community, in a rich mosaic that debunks the Romantic notion of the artist as an isolated genius. Among those profiled are widely recognized artists such as Jenny Holzer, Robert Ryman, and Nancy Spero, and lesser-known artists such as Allora &amp; Calzadilla, An-My Lê, and Catherine Sullivan. Throughout the volume, the artists’ varied and engaging voices speak to us directly—musing, analyzing, and laughing about their lives, works, and inspirations.

Art:21: Art in the Twenty-First Century 4

Abrams Books

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Books by Sollins, Susan