It’s no wonder that the world of art has influenced many bitter dark comedies, especially in recent years. Think of “Velvet Buzzsaw,” a movie that mocked the intertwining of industry elitism and capitalism, and “The Square,” the Palme d’Or winner. ..
Kelsey Edwards’ documentary “Art of Making It” is not a complete departure from these pessimistic fictional portraits. However, it does provide a more practical and sometimes hopeful perspective on the visual arts ecosystem and the collectors, gallery owners, curators, critics and artists who play according to its rules.
“Making It” boasts a number of top-notch talking heads. There is a famous New York Magazine critic, Jerry Saltz. The infamous art dealer Stephen Simchowitz. Hilde Lin Helpenstein (aka Jerry Gogosian), a critic and media influential person known for her art memes. As Edwards enters and exits these insiders, she follows the careers of several artists, such as Jenna Gribbon, a figurative painter who helped launch her career savvy in social media. And Chris Watts, a multimedia artist who started the MFA program at Yale University because it didn’t comply with Yale University’s marketability standards. (Troublesome, only Gribbon’s work has been investigated in detail.)
For those unfamiliar with the industry, “Making It” is a good description of its complex dynamics. Expression pipeline from MFA to gallery. The desire for more commercial artwork. Mercenary practices of specific buyers and collectors.
However, Edwards’ general approach (focusing on Talking Heads and descriptive title cards) is an unplanned rush of information that overwhelms the rare moments when documentaries settle into a clearer and more compelling perspective. And often gives ambiguous results. Edwards sees the world of art through the narrowest peephole, much like trying to cover multiple locations. It’s like establishing a world of art with a handful of black sheep.
The art that makes it
Unrated. Execution time: 1 hour 34 minutes. At the theater.
