Art History - Non-Western Traditions at HFC

A collection of videos on the subject of visual art on Kanopy.

Mitra Farahani’s lyrical documentary explores the enigma of provocative artist Bahman Mohassess, the so-called “Persian Picasso,” whose acclaimed paintings and sculptures dominated pre-revolutionary Iran. Irreverent and uncompromising, a gay man in a hostile world, Mohassess had a conflicted relationship with his homeland—revered by elites in the art scene and praised as a national icon, only to be censored later by an oppressive regime.

Operating under a pseudonym which means "no boundaries", North Korean defector, Sun Mu, doesn't just paint about his troubled life in the world’s most reclusive and repressive state - he paints images of hope. Sun Mu's work is imbued with nuance and heartbreak, political pop art that inverts the propaganda work he used to paint for the North Korean regime. In July of 2014, Sun Mu is offered an historic, though potentially dangerous, opportunity - a solo exhibition in the capital of Asian Art - China. As he prepares his show undercover, an unexpected turn of events puts Sun Mu and all of his friends and family in danger.

At the heart of this feature documentary is the groundbreaking “Two Centuries of Black American Art” exhibition curated by the late African American artist and scholar David Driskell in 1976. Held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, this pioneering exhibit featured more than 200 works of art by 63 artists and cemented the essential contributions of Black artists in America in the 19th and 20th centuries. The film shines a light on the exhibition’s extraordinary impact on generations of African American artists who have staked a claim on their rightful place within the 21st-century art world.

Take a journey through the life of a true icon, discover her art, and uncover the truth behind her often turbulent life. Making use of the latest technology to deliver previously unimaginable quality, we take an in-depth look at key works throughout her career. Using letters Kahlo wrote to guide us, this definitive film reveals her deepest emotions and unlocks the secrets and symbolism contained within her art. Exhibition on Screen’s trademark combination of interviews, commentary and a detailed exploration of her art delivers a treasure trove of colour and a feast of vibrancy.