art:21

I just found out that PBS has this great series called art:21 about art in the twenty-first century. Season Four premieres October 28 on PBS at 10 pm (ET). If you have a DVR you can set it now (I think).

Past artists featured on the series include Tim Hawkinson, Margaret Kilgallen, Mike Kelley, Maya Lin, Barbara Kruger, Laurie Anderson, Matthew Barney, Barry McGee, Sally Mann, Kara Walker, Richard Serra, and Andrea Zittel.

Here's some info on the series from their site:

Art21 travels across the country and abroad to film 17 contemporary artists, from painters and sculptors to photographers and filmmakers, in their own spaces and in their own words. The result is a rare opportunity for television viewers to experience first-hand the complex artistic process – from inception to finished product – behind some of today’s most thought-provoking art.

The artists profiled in the series speak directly to the audience, describing their passions, impulses and methods. Viewers are invited behind-the-scenes to see artists at work in their studios, homes, communities, and in sites as diverse as an old-growth forest near Seattle, a military base in California, a theater academy in Warsaw, and a film set, in addition to galleries and museums.

“This series not only showcases the contributions of these artists, but also transcends the everyday art experience of a museum or gallery visit,” says Susan Sollins, Executive Producer of the series. “Viewers can discover what goes on inside the minds of these dynamic and thoughtful people, and what they have to say can significantly expand our knowledge and understanding of the world.”

Sounds cool, right? I'm sad I missed Seasons 1 and 2. PBS has some really great programming that unfortunately just doesn't reach enough people. I hope that with the increasing number of DVR systems in homes, people might have more of an opportunity to look for these types of programs, click a button, and then watch them at their leisure.

You can buy the DVDs and watch clips of them on YouTube. I watched a clip of Margaret Kilgallen, and it was interesting and made me really want to see the entire series. You can also watch the trailer for Season 4 on YouTube and subscribe to their videos.

So, if this sounds interesting, tune in for the upcoming installment.