Arts Documentaries

Catching up on some Arts Documentaries that have not yet played in the area, the Dalhousie Art Gallery is pleased to present some major non-fiction films on various issues on the arts including the art of collecting, modern design, sound recording, free expression and politics in China, and a screening of local filmmaker Alan Collins’ film on the artist Wayne Boucher, which features a special appearance by a certain Dalhousie Art Gallery personality. To acknowledge the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s recent extraordinary announcement of its coming into possession of the Annie Leibovitz collection, the series also includes Life Through A Lens, a cinematic portrait of the photographer filmed by her sister.

SCREENINGS WEDNESDAYS AT 8 PM. FREE ADMISSION

SEATING IS VERY LIMITED

25 September - Sound City

Dave Grohl, USA, 2013, 122 minutes. Nirvana and Foo Fighters musician Grohl follows the trail of a sound board from a Southern California studio, charting the recording scene from the ’70s to the ’90s. Paul McCartney, Rick Springfield and the members of Fleetwood Mac are on hand to discuss, play and revel in the studio’s incredible vibes.

2 October - Drowning In Colour

Alan Collins, Canada, 2012, 46 minutes. A portrait of Nova Scotian artist Wayne Boucher: his work, life and extraordinary relationship with colour, directed by famed editor/filmmaker Alan Collins.

23 October - Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

Alison Klayman, USA, 2012, 91 minutes. Catching the famed Chinese maverick and social media activist just as his government is finally taking notice of his activities, director Klayman fashions a fascinating film biography of an enigmatic and yet surprisingly direct artist at the top of his game; the game, however, may have higher stakes than anyone realizes.

30 October - Waste Land

Karen Harley, USA/Brazil, 2010, 99 minutes. When artist Vik Muniz decides to train denizens of Brazil’s garbage dumps to become artists, an amazing transformation takes place that gives an entirely new meaning to the word ‘recycling’. Waste Land is an uplifting story that contains lessons for the whole world.

6 November - Herb & Dorothy

Megumi Sasaki, USA/Japan, 2008, 87 minutes. A Postal Clerk. A Librarian. And one of the most important collections of conceptual and minimalist art in America. This is the story of Herb and Dorothy Vogel who, with modest incomes, amassed an astounding amount of incredible artwork through the ’60s onward, and what they had to do when they ran out of room.

13 November - Eames: The Architect and the Painter

Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey, USA, 2011, 84 minutes. For anyone obsessed with modern design, the name Eames means more than just cool chairs. From Venice Beach in California, Charles and Ray Eames fashioned a revolution in design, and this is their story.

20 November - Exit Through the Gift Shop

Banksy, USA/Britain, 2010, 87 minutes. Whether it’s phony or real, Exit Through the Gift Shop remains wildly entertaining. When the enigmatic UK street artist Banksy is followed by filmmakers, he turns the tables on them to make a documentary on their sudden rise—or not—in the art world.

27 November - Life Through A Lens

Barbara Leibovitz, USA, 2008, 90 minutes. Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz is seen through the eyes of her sister Barbara in an intimate feature documentary that explores the work of one of the 20th—and 21st—century’s greatest image makers.