One of the experiences that I miss the most about working in a museum is the luxury of having immediate access to art. When I was an employee at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, long and stressful days demanded breaks, and I often strolled through the galleries to take my mind off of work. There is one particular Stuart Davis painting, with a strategically-placed bench opposite from it, that always seemed to do the trick—just the distraction I needed before jumping right back into a project. The ritual of staring at this painting was essential for getting through the toughest days.

RxArt provides a similar comfort to medical patients in hospitals across the country. The organization—celebrating its 10th year—inspires hope in hospital guests by way of placing contemporary art in the halls and rooms of healthcare facilities. I spoke with RxArt founder and president Diane Brown to learn more about how these installations come about, and how patients, family, and medical staff alike have responded to the works.

Diane Brown, President and Founder, RxArt

Jonathan Munar: From what I’ve read, the origins of RxArt trace back to you, a CT scanner, and visions of Matthew Ritchie-esque figures covering the walls. Can you tell us more about how you came up with the idea for RxArt?

Diane Brown: I was working as the curator of a corporate collection and had a medical problem necessitating a CT-Scan. I found the experience frightening—frightening mainly because I was afraid the doctors would find what they were looking for—but additionally, the staff was humorless and cold (not that I expected a vaudeville team) and the room was totally stark. There was nothing comforting in any way, and coupled with a high level of anxiety, it was a miserable experience. I did not actively try to picture an artwork, but my subconscious took over as a defensive mechanism and I imagined a work by Matthew Ritchie. It was sufficiently complex that it kept me busy during the scan.

JM: Flash forward 10 years later, and a CT scanner comes back into play through an RxArt installation at the Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois by Jeff Koons. Was that deliberate? How did the project come about?

DB: I was invited to Chicago by a pediatric radiologist working at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital. We toured the hospital, met with members of the hospital administration and discussed a collaboration between RxArt and Hope. Since the contact had been initiated by a radiologist and because it had always been my hope to have an artist work directly on a CT-Scan machine—we decided to make that the site of our first installation together. We made a wish list of artists for the project and Jeff Koons was our first choice. We were very fortunate in that Jeff understood the project and agreed enthusiastically.

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In celebration of Art21′s new feature film William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible — which premiered nationally on October 21, 2010 and will continue to air on PBS (check local listings) — the Exclusive series is devoting the month of October to telling stories about Kentridge’s numerous artistic collaborators whom we’ve had the distinct privilege of meeting these past few years. This is the fifth of six episodes.

Episode #126: Anne McIlleron, William Kentridge’s studio manager, discusses the artist’s working method and penchant for collaboration. Featuring behind-the-scenes moments from the artist’s studio in Johannesburg, South Africa; a performance of I am not me, the horse is not mine (2008) at the 16th Biennale of Sydney, Australia; and rehearsals for Kentridge’s production of The Nose (2010) at The Metropolitan Opera, New York.

Having witnessed first-hand one of the twentieth century’s most contentious struggles—the dissolution of apartheid—William Kentridge brings the ambiguity and subtlety of personal experience to public subjects most often framed in narrowly defined terms. Using film, drawing, sculpture, animation, and performance, he transmutes sobering political events into powerful poetic allegories. Aware of myriad ways in which we construct the world by looking, Kentridge often uses optical illusions to extend his drawings-in-time into three dimensions.

William Kentridge is featured in the Season 5 (2009) episode Compassion of the Art in the Twenty-First Century television series and the Art21 special, William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible (2010), both on PBS. Watch full episodes online for free via PBS Video or Hulu, as a paid download via iTunes (link opens application), or as part of a Netflix streaming subscription.

VIDEO | Producer: Wesley Miller & Nick Ravich. Interview: Susan Sollins. Camera: Philipe Charlut, Robert Elfstrom & Joel Shapiro. Sound: Ray Day, Patrick Mullins & Roger Phenix. Editor: Mary Ann Toman. Artwork Courtesy: William Kentridge. Special Thanks: Anne McIlleron, The Biennale of Sydney & The Metropolitan Opera, New York. © 2010 Art21, Inc.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

We have a special treat for anyone that was unable to catch last week’s broadcast of William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible. The full program is now available for immediate online viewing by way of the PBS Video portal. Whether you’re watching it for the first time, watching it again at your convenience, or using it in a classroom setting, we are pleased to make the entire program available for all viewers.

Watch the full, hour-long program on the film site or over at PBS Video.

Educators’ Guide and Screening Companion

On the subject of “classroom settings,” we are also very excited to announce the release of the film’s educators’ guide and screening companion, available for download immediately in PDF format. This 22-page guide offers suggestions for facilitating discussions and activities, as well as screening the film with classroom and community audiences.

The film and guide explore topics relevant to studio art, art history, and the humanities, as well as themes central to his artistic practice, including: the role of the artist in society; narrative and storytelling; personal and social histories; process and play; and collaboration. We encourage educators and event organizers to learn more about these topics and to connect them with related discussion questions, activities, and screening ideas.

Warm up your televisions and set your DVRs: Art21′s latest film, William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible, premieres on PBS this week. The national broadcast premiere is scheduled for October 21 at 10:00 p.m., though broadcast times vary by region (for example, the New York broadcast time is Wednesday, October 20, at 10:00 p.m.). Please remember to check your local listings to find out when the program will air on your local PBS station.

Join Art21 on Twitter tonight as we share moments live from the New York premiere at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Previews, Exclusives, and More
Visit the film site to view preview clips from the broadcast film, as well as special Exclusive videos, featuring moments and interviews not included in the broadcast film. Also available are thematic image slideshows, featuring exclusive production stills and images of artwork paired with quotes from the artist.

Screenings Across the Country
Preview screenings of William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible continue this week and throughout October at select venues across the country. Screening hosts represent a broad range of organizations and institutions. Visit the film site to find a preview screening near you.

Educators’ Guide and Screening Companion
A free 26-page educators’ guide and screening companion has been produced to accompany the film. The guide is designed for use in a wide range of cultural and educational institutions, and is available for download from the film site later this week.

Support Art21′s Educational Initiatives
Art21 is pleased to offer educators and their students a number of resources specifically designed to accompany William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible. These materials explore various facets of Kentridge’s work and offer suggestions for facilitating discussions and activities, as well as screening the film with classroom and community audiences. Help Art21 provide free resources for educators by joining Art21′s Back to School campaign.

DVD Pre-order
The William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible DVD will be released through PBS Home Video on October 21. Pre-order the film from ShopPBS and receive 20% off this and other Art21 titles. Visit ShopPBS for more information.

Production still from the film William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible. © Art21, Inc., 2010.

The PBS broadcast premiere of Art21′s latest film, William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible, is just over a week away, and we want you to join us in celebrating.

Art21 is giving away FIVE pairs of tickets to the invite-only New York City premiere of the film, taking place on Monday, October 18 at the Museum of Modern Art. For readers not in the New York City area, we are also giving away FIVE copies of the William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible DVD (shipping at the end of October). The deadline for entry has just been extended to Tuesday, October 12, 11:59 p.m. ET, so be sure to throw your name in the hat before the drawing closes.

Visit the film site to enter the drawing and to view related videos, images, and more.

There are also other opportunties to win tickets and DVDs. Additional drawings are being held at Hyperallergic, Artlog, and Thirteen/WNET. Visit their sites for more information.

Best of luck to everyone, and be sure to tune in to the national PBS broadcast premiere on October 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings on pbs.org).

Fall preview season is upon us, so it’s time for us to throw our cards into the mix. The first trailer for William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible is now available for your viewing pleasure on the special film site (and after the break below), as well as at any of your (and our) favorite video-sharing or video-watching platforms.

On the subject of media, new image slideshows are coming later this week, each featuring thematic narratives by way of pairing artworks, photos, and exclusive production stills with selected quotes from the artist. In the meantime, catch up with the first two slideshows: In the Studio is a glimpse of the artist at work in his Johannesburg studio; and On Perception shows the range of optical trickery and techniques adapted by the artist through various projects.

Finally, we released two more teaser videos since mid-August; all four teasers can be viewed in the Media section of the film site. Catch the trailer past the break, and be sure to browse through the Media section of the film site for additional videos and images.
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Art21 is proud to announce the forthcoming broadcast of our latest film, William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible, the first film produced by Art21 for national television broadcast outside of the biennial Art in the Twenty-First Century series. The film is also Art21′s first feature to focus on a single artist.

The broadcast premiere of William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible takes place this October 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

The film gives viewers an intimate look into the mind and creative process of William Kentridge, the South African artist whose acclaimed charcoal drawings, animations, video installations, shadow plays, mechanical puppets, tapestries, sculptures, live performance pieces, and operas have made him one of the most dynamic and exciting contemporary artists working today.

A Web site complements the film, where you can learn more about the film, watch related videos, and browse through image slideshows. Throughout the coming weeks leading into the October 21 broadcast, we will be releasing additional features related to William Kentridge: Anything Is Possible. Features will include essays and interviews contributed by writers from the Art21 Blog stable of contributors, preview and exclusive videos, thematic image slideshows, educational features, and much more.

Stay tuned, we’re just getting started!

Look out, Internet: The Present Perfect is here! We’re coming at you live from the 92YTribeca in New York City tonight, starting promptly at 8:00 p.m. EST. Tune in on PBS.org to watch the live stream and to join the discussion with other online viewers.

There will be conversation and there will be performance…and there will be participation from you!

Come prepared to have a conversation: Watch videos featuring Laurie Simmons and Oliver Herring beforehand, view recent work by Laurie, and catch up on audience-contributed performance projects as part of Oliver’s Three Day Weekend and The Present Perfect Weekend. Selections from the online conversation will be passed to moderator Robert MacNeil during the live event.

In addition to the in-browser chat room, we will also keep a Twitter back channel open during the event. Use #art21live on Twitter to discuss the event at the venue, on the go, or at home.

To keep the online discussion flowing, we’ve assembled a cast of moderators from across the country, including: Los Angeles-based Art21 Blog contributors, Catherine Wagley and Lily Simonson; St. Louis-based Art21 Blog Flash Points editor and Communications & Web Manager at The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, Rachel Craft; Washington, DC-based Online Arts Initiative Manager at PBS, Lauren Saks; and from the live audience in New York City, Art21 Manager of Education and Public Programs, Marc Mayer, and myself, Art21 Manager of Digital Media and Strategy, Jonathan Munar.

We at Art21 are excited to bring you this live interactive event, and we hope to see you online tonight!

Today is your final chance to participate in advance of Wednesday’s live event, The Present Perfect with Art21. Submissions close tonight at 11:59 p.m. ET. Current participants can give soon-to-be participants a sense of what’s possible: performing with friends, colleagues, or even solo!

A steady stream of submissions kicked off the weekend on Friday with a string of questions posted for Laurie Simmons in response to her recent collaborations.

With gorgeous weather this past Saturday, we packed our camera and boombox and set up camp outside of the Brooklyn Museum to film participants, museum goers, and passersby as they performed their own takes on Three Day Weekend and The Present Perfect Weekend. We captured iced coffee dancers (below), fountain dwellers, juggling puppets, and many more spirited performances throughout the day. The results were absolutely amazing! Watch the performances on Vimeo or via the embedded widgets at the end of this post.

Remote audiences also took a chance to upload their own performances, including a contribution by a frequent Oliver Herring project participant, Davis Thompson-Moss, who reminded us how much we love Johnny Gill’s Rub You the Right Way.

Time is ticking, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to contribute to this unique experience: Ask Laurie a question or perform with Oliver! More videos from the weekend embedded below.

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Want to participate in one of these:

…but finding it difficult to get enough people together? Let Art21 help you out!

Join us this Saturday, June 19, in front of the Brooklyn Museum as we set the stage for anyone to participate in performances for Oliver Herring’s Three Day Weekend and The Present Perfect Weekend.

All are welcome to participate or observe. Collaborate with friends new and old to create a filmed performance, some of which may be selected for screening during the June 23rd live event, The Present Perfect with Art21. We’ll bring the equipment—you just bring yourself! Or, bring your own cameras to create and contribute footage of your own!

Details for the Art21 Pickup Performances
Where: Brooklyn Museum
When: Saturday, June 19, 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m

Be sure to join us on Twitter to keep track of where we are or to call us out during the performances

Our cameras will also be ready to film responses and questions for Laurie Simmons, who will also be featured at the June 23rd event. Have something you’ve been itching to tell or ask Laurie? Flag us down and let us know!

Come alone or with friends, and please help us spread the word. The more performers we have, the more possibilities there are to reinterpret the performances. Oliver’s instructions were just suggestions, after all—the true performance comes from what you bring to it.

Not able to participate this weekend, but still interested in contributing your own performance or responses? Visit The Present Perfect site for more information about how to get involved in advance of the June 23rd event.

Update: The University Galleries of Illinois State University in Normal, IL, is organizing a performance for Thursday, June 17, and will screen the live event on Wednesday, June 23rd.

Additional sample videos are available after the jump.

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