The lives of famous artists have long intrigued their audiences. Through chaos, creativity and raw emotion, artists have remained captivating enigmas that many can only hope to understand. Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Jean-Michel Basquiat - It's difficult not to become entranced with the lives of famous artists. Explore why they are who they are in these art movies.
Basquiat: Jean-Michel Basquiat
Basquiat is an art movie starring Jeffery Wright as Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the most famous artists from the 1980s and a significant part of Andy Warhol‘s circle. An artist himself, Schnabel tells the story of Basquiat’s rise to popularity and the addiction that ultimately took his life.
About The Artist
Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in 1960 to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents in Brooklyn. From spray-painting graffiti to works of art selling for 100 million dollars, Basquiat explored his heritage, city, politics, religion, and the influence of pop culture. As a graffiti artist with his friend Al Diaz, he created works around Lower Manhattan, signing them with the pseudonym SAMO. At a party in 1979, Basquiat revealed himself as the illustrious SAMO, which jumpstarted his career. He later became friends with Andy Warhol and worked with him on many occasions and other artists in Warhol’s factory. When Basquiat was 27, he tragically succumbed to his heroin addiction in 1988.
Frida – Frida Kahlo
Frida, directed by Julie Taymor and starring Salma Hayek, details the life of Frida Kahlo, focusing on the relationship she had with her husband, artist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), and tragic moments that helped shaped her art.
About The Artist
Frida Kahlo was born in 1907 as Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón in Mexico City. One of the most recognizable and famous female artists of all time, Kahlo painted many self- portraits. Her style is surrealist and her works are transcriptions of memories and emotion taking the form of herself, animals, and still lives. The palpability of her heart and soul in each piece of her art is what makes her work so poignant.
She married her mentor, muralist Diego Rivera when she was only 21, and their relationship doomed from the start. While he was off having affairs, she was also having affairs with Leon Trotsky and Josephine Baker, among many others. After an unfortunate incident, while riding a bus, Kahlo’s pelvis was pierced by a handrail. She was in the hospital with significant pain for a month. For the rest of her life, she suffered from chronic pain resulting in the need to continuously wear a corset.
Girl with a Pearl Earring – Johannes Vermeer
Girl with a Pearl Earring details the career of artist Johannes Vermeer and Griet, the model of Vermeer’s most famous work, Girl with a Pearl Earring painted in 1665. Based on the novel by the same name written by Tracy Chevalier, the art movie mixes fiction with fact. Griet is fictional because nothing is known of the famous model wearing the pearl earring.
About The Artist
Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch artist born in 1632 and known as one of the most famous artists of the Northern Baroque period with his symmetrical and realistic works based on everyday life in the Netherlands. Only 35 works of Vermeer’s survive, with one stolen from the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990.
At Eternity’s Gate – Vincent Van Gogh
At Eternity’s Gate is a classic art movie with a dream-like narrative and visuals starring Willem Dafoe as the famous artist. It’s not a traditional biopic but details the last chapter of his life, from living with Paul Gaugin, talking with his brother, Theo, his hospitalization, and sudden death. The viewer sees van Gogh’s life from his own eyes, with most of the shots from van Gogh’s POV. The world around van Gogh represents what was going on in his mind as depression overtook not only his art but also his life.
About The Artist
Vincent van Gogh was born in 1853 in the Netherlands. He was close to his brother Theo, and the two exchanged letters throughout his life. Most of what we know about van Gogh and his state of mind during adulthood comes from these letters. He moved to France in the 1880s to be close to the art world’s action, eventually moving to Arles in the south of France to start an artist commune, which never happened. Van Gogh died in Arles, surrounded by townspeople who feared the artist’s erratic and strange behaviour. Van Gogh went from only selling one painting to becoming one of the most famous artists of all time, his work and self-portraits recognized by all.
Pollock – Jackson Pollock
Ed Harris directed and stars in Pollock, the art movie detailing the career and life of artist Jackson Pollock, focusing on the tumultuous relationship Pollock had with his wife, artist Lee Krasner. This movie was close to Harris’ heart. He bought the rights of a Pollock biography in the early 1990s, and his dedication shows. The art film doesn’t shy away from the famous artist’s troubles.
About The Artist
Jackson Pollock was born in 1912 in Cody, Wyoming. He studied art in New York in 1930, where he practiced the art of the surrealists, interested in how to translate the subconscious on the canvas. It wasn’t until 1947 when he invented his style, drip, or action art. His drip paintings were simple; Pollock would flick paint off his brush onto a large canvas laid out on the floor. He would throw cigarette buts and other materials to create a cluttered and messy look. To viewers, Pollock’s art displayed real creativity. It was a raw creation and translation from mind to canvas. In 1956, Pollock’s life was cut short in a car accident. His wife, Lee Krasner - a fantastic artist in her own right, did everything she could to keep Pollock’s legacy alive despite their strained relationship.
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