Art is... the Permanent Revolution

Quiet Contemplation Of The Artistic Process: Two Narrative Threads That Never Quite Fit Together
As a movie experience, "Art is...The Permanent Revolution" is a bit more modest in scope than its title may imply. This incredibly low-key effort is undoubtedly a must-see for any artist that toils in anonymity hoping to take the world by storm. In many ways, though, it is two films in one. In the primary narrative, we are introduced to contemporary artists who are each working on a piece. One is a wood engraving, one is an etching, and one is a lithograph. The film starts these works at the beginning and as the film proceeds, we get an up close look at the process that brings the final products to fruition. Over it all, the artists lend a gentle commentary about any number of topics. Everyone is genial enough, but at times it seemed to lack focus. Interspersed with these interview segments are montages of artwork (from famous masters and/or uncredited artists) that generally unite in some social or political theme. Although there are occasional ninety second history...

Resurfacing the Centuries-Old Power of Protest Prints
"Has a work of art ever stopped a bullet?" we are asked in the opening scenes of the fascinating documentary Art is... The Permanent Revolution. Then, printmaker Sigmund Abeles poses his question another way: "Guernica is an incredible painting but did it stop a single bullet? I'm not sure." In fact, this thought-provoking film isn't about the entire range of the fine arts as the title suggests. Manfred Kirchheimer's documentary focuses specifically on the last 500 years of print making as protest. While that may sound like a very narrow topic, the 82-minute film branches off into religious and spiritual themes at every turn.

Here are just some of the provocative branches the film unfolds ...

Were you in the crowds who flocked to see the Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus exhibition that has been touring the U.S. over the past year? The printmakers we meet in The Permanent Revolution open up new perspectives on Rembrandt's vocation by paying more attention to his...



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