Hockney, one of Britain’s most successful contemporary artists, took a break from painting early in the 1980s to experiment with photography. He created ‘Joiner’ photographs – montages of prints showing subjects from many different angles and at different times. Filmed at his Los Angeles home, Hockney is seen creating one of these photo-pieces, from the initial idea through to the finishing touches. He talks about his interest in photography and its effect on his paintings.
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Ingres (1780-1867) presents a paradox – admired by many but loved by few, he was called reactionary and opposed the new Romanticism. Yet many who followed in the footsteps of his arch rival Delacroix found inspiration in Ingres’ work. Demonstrating the diversity of his art and the flexibility of his style, this film considers his reaction against the artistic changes of his day. It uses contemporary documentation and Ingres’ words and paintings to investigate the enigma he presents.
Jacques-Louis David
David (1748-1825) saw his art as a weapon for social change. This film traces his career from his youth, as a Student of Boucher, through his heavy involvement in the politics of the French Revolution, to his exile in Brussels. Drawing on the memoirs of his pupil Delecluze and other historical documents, it provides a fascinating insight into the world of late eighteenth-century French society.
Costakis the Collector
A Film About George Costakis and His Definitive Collection of Russian Avant-garde Art George Costakis (1912-90) was one of the world’s greatest collectors. Over a thirty-five year period, he built up a magnificent collection of Russian Avant-garde paintings – the most comprehensive record of an art movement ever amassed. In this film, Costakis tells the remarkable story of how he rescued these important artworks from destruction during political upheavals in the Soviet Union and imparts his first-hand knowledge of the artists and their work.
Chanel Chanel
The world of fashion has produced no greater designer and no more charismatic figure than Coco Chanel, who died in 1971. This film tells her fascinating rags-to-riches story and looks at the Chanel fashion house, flourishing under the auspices of top designer Karl Lagerfeld. The film contrasts the theatre of his large-scale shows with the comparative austerity of the old-style Chanel presentations and assesses the impact of the Chanel legacy on Lagerfeld’s work.
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo (1907-54), wife of Diego Rivera, lived at the political and artistic centre of the Mexican Revolution, but her paintings are uniquely personal. They reflect the anguish she suffered following an accident when she was sixteen which left her in constant pain and unable to bear children. Both beautiful and frightening, Breton described her art as “a ribbon around a bomb”. This portrait was filmed in Mexico, particularly at the Blue House where she lived.
Three Painters
The painter, scholar and writer Lawrence Gowing (1918-91) was an eminent figure in the British art establishment. In this series he illuminates a central purpose in the work of three seminal artists who each mark a distinct stage in the story of European painting between the Renaissance and today. The artists’ work lies at the heart of the documentaries and Gowing’s lucid commentary reveals their wholly original achievements.
Raphael
For four centuries after his death, Raphael (1483-1520) occupied a pre-eminent position in the world of art but, while his greatness is still unquestioned, his popularity has waned over the past hundred years. This three-part study reappraises his work and considers why the values represented in his art are in eclipse. Filmed in Italy in the centres where Raphael lived and worked, the programmes also travel around Europe to survey his influence.