Articles by Jonathan Munar

Meet the New Art21.org

Meet the New Art21.org

Art21’s Director of Digital Media and Strategy Jonathan Munar introduces our new website, and all the new features—like Playlists and Watchlists—that come with it.

Share Art from Your City with #MyArtMyCity

Share Art from Your City with #MyArtMyCity

Announcing our new hashtag project: #MyArtMyCity. Share what’s unique about the art and artists in your cities with #MyArtMyCity on Instagram!

Art21 New York Close Up

Daniel Gordon & Ruby Sky Stiler Take Baby Steps

Art21 New York Close Up

Daniel Gordon & Ruby Sky Stiler Take Baby Steps

In a new “New York Close Up” film, married artists Daniel Gordon and Ruby Sky Stiler candidly discuss the complex professional and personal dynamics of bringing a baby into their already busy lives.

Art21 New York Close Up

Bryan Zanisnik Goes to the Meadowlands

Art21 New York Close Up

Bryan Zanisnik Goes to the Meadowlands

In new film from the ART21 New York Close Up series, artist Bryan Zanisnik hikes through the New Jersey Meadowlands landscape and exhibits his work “Meadowlands Picaresque” at the Brooklyn Museum.

Season 7 of ART21 "Art in the Twenty-First Century"

Premiering Tonight on PBS: Season 7 of ART21 “Art in the Twenty-First Century”

Premiering Tonight on PBS: Season 7 of ART21 “Art in the Twenty-First Century”

ART21 returns to PBS tonight with a new season of the Peabody Award-winning series Art in the Twenty-First Century.

Art21 New York Close Up

Mariah Robertson’s Chemical Reactions

Art21 New York Close Up

Mariah Robertson’s Chemical Reactions

In a new ART21 New York Close Up film, artist Mariah Roberston experiments with photographic chemistry in her Brooklyn darkroom, leading to a striking series of colorful cameraless abstractions.

Art21 New York Close Up

Abigail DeVille’s Harlem Stories

Art21 New York Close Up

Abigail DeVille’s Harlem Stories

In a new ART21 New York Close Up film, artist Abigail DeVille stalks the streets of Harlem with a trash-laden push cart, creating temporary sculptural interventions along the way.

Artist Marela Zacarías works on her large painted sculpture, "Red Meander" (2014), in her Bedford–Stuyvesant studio, Brooklyn, 2014. Production still from the ART21 "New York Close Up" film "Marela Zacarías Goes Big & Goes Home." © ART21, Inc. 2014.

Art21 New York Close Up

Marela Zacarías Goes Big & Goes Home

Art21 New York Close Up

Marela Zacarías Goes Big & Goes Home

In a new film from the ART21 New York Close Up series, artist Marela Zacarías creates a work commissioned by the Art in Embassies program for the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, Mexico.

Announcing Season 7 of ART21 "Art in the Twenty-First Century"

Announcing Season 7 of ART21 “Art in the Twenty-First Century”

Announcing Season 7 of ART21 “Art in the Twenty-First Century”

Announcing a new season of ART21 Art in the Twenty-First Century, premiering October 24 on PBS.

Art21 New York Close Up

Bryan Zanisnik Keeps It in the Family

Art21 New York Close Up

Bryan Zanisnik Keeps It in the Family

In a new film from ART21 New York Close Up, artist Bryan Zanisnik discusses how he draws inspiration from his family and personal history in his artwork.

ART21 Partners with ArtPrize 2014

ART21 Partners with ArtPrize 2014

ART21 announces a new partnership with ArtPrize 2014, including a world preview of the forthcoming ART21 Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 7

Art21 New York Close Up

Louise Despont Draws Deep

Art21 New York Close Up

Louise Despont Draws Deep

New in ART21 New York Close Up, artist Louise Despont uses architectural stencils to create intricate pencil-on-paper drawings in her home and studio in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Art21 New York Close Up

Abigail DeVille’s Flair for the Dramatic

Art21 New York Close Up

Abigail DeVille’s Flair for the Dramatic

New in ART21 New York Close Up, artist Abigail DeVille constructs the set for a premiere performance of Adrienne Kennedy’s play “She Talks to Beethoven” (1989) at the JACK arts center in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

Flashback

Ten Artists on Value

Flashback

Ten Artists on Value

A roundup of Art21 videos featuring artists describing their own perceptions of the value of their work.

Art21 New York Close Up

Jacolby Satterwhite Is Going Public

Art21 New York Close Up

Jacolby Satterwhite Is Going Public

New in New York Close Up, artist Jacolby Satterwhite works to finish his latest animation, “Reifying Desire 6” (2014), in time for the 2014 Whitney Biennial.

Letter from the (Guest) Editor: Translating Translation

Letter from the (Guest) Editor: Translating Translation

Jonathan Munar, Art21 Director of Digital Media and Strategy and guest editor of the “Translation” issue, rounds up the current issue.

Art21 New York Close Up

Shana Moulton & Nick Hallett Stage An Opera

Art21 New York Close Up

Shana Moulton & Nick Hallett Stage An Opera

New in New York Close Up, artist Shana Moulton and composer Nick Hallett collaborate on the opera Whispering Pines 10—rehearsing and performing at the New Museum as part of the Rhizome “New Silent” series.

Xu Zhen & Armory Focus: China

Xu Zhen & Armory Focus: China

“Armory Focus: China” curator Philip Tinari discusses his selections for this year’s edition at the The Armory Show, including the work of artist Xu Zhen.

Reflections on Chinese Contemporary Art: Ai Weiwei, Cao Fei, and Cai Guo-Qiang

Reflections on Chinese Contemporary Art: Ai Weiwei, Cao Fei, and Cai Guo-Qiang

“Armory Focus: China” curator Philip Tinari discusses artists Ai Weiwei, Cao Fei, and Cai Guo-Qiang.

Art21 New York Close Up

Josephine Halvorson Gets the Conversation Going

Art21 New York Close Up

Josephine Halvorson Gets the Conversation Going

New in New York Close Up, artist Josephine Halvorson guides an undergraduate painting class in a group critique at Cooper Union in Manhattan.

Art21 New York Close Up

Mary Mattingly’s Waterfront Development

Art21 New York Close Up

Mary Mattingly’s Waterfront Development

New in New York Close Up, artist Mary Mattingly constructs and occupies “Triple Island” (2013), an outdoor sculpture overlooking the East River.

Liz Magic Laser, "Flight", production still, 2011. Courtesy of the artist.

Art21 New York Close Up

Liz Magic Laser’s Guerrilla Theater

Art21 New York Close Up

Liz Magic Laser’s Guerrilla Theater

New in New York Close Up, artist Liz Magic Laser directs a group of actors performing theatrical scenes in public locations throughout New York City.

Art21 New York Close Up

Behind the Scenes with Mika Tajima

Art21 New York Close Up

Behind the Scenes with Mika Tajima

At her Bushwick Brooklyn studio, artist Mika Tajima discusses the processes and ideas behind her two installational-performative works Today is Not a Dress Rehearsal (2009) and The Pedestrians (2011).

Art21 New York Close Up

Alejandro Almanza Pereda Strikes a Balance

Art21 New York Close Up

Alejandro Almanza Pereda Strikes a Balance

Installing new work in Brooklyn, New York, and Mexico City, artist Alejandro Almanza Pereda discusses the process and ideas behind his finely balanced sculptural works.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Daniel Gordon Gets Physical

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Daniel Gordon Gets Physical

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Daniel Gordon is shown in his DUMBO studio photographing paper collages constructed from found images downloaded from the Web.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Debo Eilers Makes Things Uncomfortable

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Debo Eilers Makes Things Uncomfortable

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Debo Eilers invites two friends to discuss his sculpture and performance work, as the artist quietly observes in the background.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Jacolby Satterwhite Dances with His Self

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Jacolby Satterwhite Dances with His Self

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Jacolby Satterwhite crafts surreal 3D animated videos while transporting characters from his virtual worlds into the streets of New York City.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Mary Mattingly Owns Up

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Mary Mattingly Owns Up

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Mary Mattingly transforms personal belongings into sculptural forms that she later incorporates into photographs and performative actions.

Staff Pick

Staff Pick: Doug Aitken’s “Station to Station”

Staff Pick

Staff Pick: Doug Aitken’s “Station to Station”

Jonathan Munar, Art21’s Director of Digital Media and Strategy, takes a quick look at the forthcoming project from artist Doug Aitken.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Marela Zacarías’s Work Finds A Good Home

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Marela Zacarías’s Work Finds A Good Home

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Marela Zacarías moves a suite of sculptures from the Brooklyn Museum to different spaces in the borough.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Eddie Martinez’s Risky Business

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Eddie Martinez’s Risky Business

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Eddie Martinez discusses the motivation to shift his paintings from Pop-like figurations to pared down abstractions.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Erin Shirreff & Tony Smith Go Way Back

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Erin Shirreff & Tony Smith Go Way Back

In a new “New York Close Up” film, artist Erin Shirreff discusses sculptor Tony Smith as an inspiration for a pair of works, including a 2011 commission for Public Art Fund.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Diana Al-Hadid’s Suspended Reality

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Diana Al-Hadid’s Suspended Reality

How does an artist resist reality? Watch the latest film from “New York Close Up” featuring artist Diana Al-Hadid.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Josephine Halvorson Is on the Clock

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Josephine Halvorson Is on the Clock

Can an artist create a compelling work in a single day? Watch our latest NYCU film featuring artist Josephine Halvorson.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | David Brooks Is In His Element

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | David Brooks Is In His Element

What can an artist learn from the hard sciences? Watch our latest NYCU film featuring artist David Brooks.

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Mika Rottenberg and the Amazing Invention Factory

Art21 New York Close Up

NYCU | Mika Rottenberg and the Amazing Invention Factory

What are the stories we tell about objects? Watch our latest NYCU film featuring artist Mika Rottenberg.