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Speaking of Abstraction: A Universal Language

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, abstraction - that most quintessentially modernist innovation - maintains a peculiarly contradictory position. Used, on one hand, by post-modernist artists as just one more quotable style amongst many, it is on the other hand still considered an elitist or hermetic language by audiences intimidated by its lack of recognizable subject matter. Yet ultimately, abstraction continues to be a viable creative path for contemporary artists of all generations, many of whom embrace it as the most inclusive and fundamentally resonant of artistic languages. Filmed at the artists' studios, the Dia Center for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Museum during their exhibition, "Abstraction in the Twentieth Century."

Top Cast

  • Helmut Federle

    Helmut Federle

    Himself

  • Günther Förg

    Günther Förg

    Himself

  • Jonathan Lasker

    Jonathan Lasker

    Himself

  • Robert Mangold

    Robert Mangold

    Himself

  • Brice Marden

    Brice Marden

    Himself

  • Gerhard Richter

    Gerhard Richter

    Himself

  • Richard Serra

    Richard Serra

    Himself

  • Philip Taaffe

    Philip Taaffe

    Himself

  • Günter Umberg

    Günter Umberg

    Himself

Overview

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, abstraction - that most quintessentially modernist innovation - maintains a peculiarly contradictory position. Used, on one hand, by post-modernist artists as just one more quotable style amongst many, it is on the other hand still considered an elitist or hermetic language by audiences intimidated by its lack of recognizable subject matter. Yet ultimately, abstraction continues to be a viable creative path for contemporary artists of all generations, many of whom embrace it as the most inclusive and fundamentally resonant of artistic languages. Filmed at the artists' studios, the Dia Center for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Museum during their exhibition, "Abstraction in the Twentieth Century."

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