Watch Now: The Very Best Art Documentaries

Isn’t it wonderful to live in a day and age where the best art documentaries are just a few clicks away, anywhere and anytime? For this article, we have listed a selection of our favorite art documentaries you can watch right now, online and for free.

Although the internet is a great place to find short and exciting videos on art, including interviews, studio visits, lectures, or exhibition views, for this list we have focused on long-playing documentaries. All films are of the highest quality and can be considered the perfect moving picture for a lazy Sunday afternoon – or any other day of the week.

Without any further distractions, sit back with a nice cup of coffee or some popcorn, relax, and enjoy our nine best picks of art documentaries on YouTube.

1. Marlene Dumas – Miss Interpreted (1997)

Marlene Dumas – one of the most important painters today and a representative of so-called New European Painting – is a contemporary painter born in 1953 in Cape Town, South Africa, living and working in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The charismatic artist was followed by MM Produkties’ camera team discussing her life, career, and art, strolling through the streets of Amsterdam, traveling to her home country South Africa and hopping from show to show. The documentary includes some very exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Marlene Dumas working feverishly in her Amsterdam studio. The artist at work at its very best!

Enjoy this one-hour-long playing documentary and discover Marlene Dumas from a different perspective, directed by Rudolf Evenhuis and Joost Verhey.

2. Sean Scully – Why This, Not That? (2019)

In 2009, CutStone Productions delivered one of the greatest artist documentaries on one of the greatest artists ever, Sean Scully. Sean Scully is one of the most famous painters today and in this film, he shows why.

The Irish artist talks about his works and process in his very own and charismatic manner. For 51 minutes, we follow Scully in New York, at exhibitions, in the countryside or see him painting in his studio.

Enjoy!

3. Luc Tuymans – An Awful Lot of Colour (2003)

The documentary was produced on the occasion of a Luc Tuymans exhibition at FRAC in Auvergne, France. The Belgian artist works on a Micky Mouse mural and gives us a tour of his – previous – art studio in Antwerp, discussing his art, art in general, his youth, and how everything seems to be connected throughout his life by the medium of painting.

Further, the charismatic Belgian art icon Jan Hoedt discusses Tuymans’ work in front of the painting Body in S.M.A.K. Ghent. Zeno X gallery director Frank Demaegd not only tells us how it is to work with the perfectionist Tuymans, but also shows some unique behind-the-scenes at Zeno X Gallery as they are collectively preparing the important Tuymans retrospective at Tate Modern in London.

Enjoy the film!

4. Gerhard Richter – Painting (2011) [Excerpt]

Gerhard Richter is arguably the most important painter of his time. The German artist has been around for over half a century on the international art scene, known for his blurry photo paintings and monumental abstract paintings made with as monumental squeegees.

In 2007 Richter appeared on camera for the first time in 15 years with a film by Corinna Belz, titled Gerhard Richter’s Window. Four years later, the German painter agreed for a follow-up picture, Gerhard Richter Painting.

The documentary shows us intriguing behind-the-scenes footage of Richter’s creative process. We enter his studio, sit down with the artist, and have intimate conversations.

This excerpt from the film on YouTube shows us one of these intimate conversations with the former director of Tate, Nicholas Serota, on the occasion of an upcoming retrospective show at Tate Modern where the film was displayed in a dark room.

If you would like to see the full picture, the entire film is available for sale and for rent on YouTube.

5. Michaël Borremans – A Knife in the Eye (2009)

Michaël Borremans, born in 1963 in Geraardsbergen, Belgium, lives and works in Ghent, Belgium. Borremans is one the most prolific painters of his time, enchanting the viewer with his enigmatic and surreal compositions rendered in an old master fashion.

The documentary A Knife in the Eye follows the Belgian artist, discussing his works. Unique behind-the-scenes footage from his art studio in Ghent, an exhibition in David Zwirner, New York, or a visit to Appel Gallery, Amsterdam, are several passages from this intriguing documentary.

Around one hour of film, produced by Goudvis for Canvas – Belgian state television – is a true public favorite, as is the illustrious painter Michaël Borremans.

6. David Hockney – The Art of Seeing (2012)

And then there is of course the School of London. We start off with David Hockney, a one-of-a-kind painter and person. With a true feel for one-liners, Hockney discusses art and the art scene in the documentary The Art of Seeing.

The documentary starts off with sunrise at the beach. Such beauty in an event that happens daily, the beauty that can be perceived when one knows how to look/see. Running for almost an hour, the film covers Hockney’s inspirations for landscapes and a series of landscapes, giving us a glimpse in the mind of the artist.

The documentary first aired on BBC 2 in 2012.

David Hockney is one of the most famous painters today. Read the entire article and discover the 19 other painters here.

7. Francis Bacon – A Brush with Violence (2017)

Next we have Francis Bacon, friend and colleague of David Hockney.

Francis Bacon is an artist who doesn’t need any introduction and nor should this documentary. The captivating documentary Francis Bacon: A Brush with Violence – what great title by the way – shows everything you need to know on the illustrious painter’s painter Francis Bacon.

Various experts and acquaintances of Bacon have their say on the man, his works and his life.

8. Lucian Freud – A Painted Life (2012)

Dear friend of the previous two painters and an absolute painter’s painter favorite today, Lucian Freud completes the trio of the London School with the documentary Lucian Freud a Painted Life. Shortly before his death, Freud gave his blessing and support, backing the documentary.

The film explores – as the title suggests – the life and work of Lucian Freud. One of the most unique fragments of this film, is Lucian Freud himself in his studio, painting one of his last works, a portrait of his assistant David Dawson (who recently published a wonderful book Lucian Freud : The Self- Portraits).

A one of a kind documentary of a one of a kind painter. A picture of A Painted Life.

9. Anselm Kiefer – Remembering the Future (2014) [5 parts]

Then we have a documentary (in five parts) of one of paintings most intriguing figures, Anselm Kiefer.

Anselm Kiefer: Remembering the Future is a documentary by Jack Cocker. On the occasion of this documentary, Alan Yentob was invited to visit Kiefer’s studio in Buchen, Germany en Barjac, France, for a conversation on his life, work and art and life in general.

In short, this documentary is a unique insight in Kiefer’s mind, life, workspace and philosophy of his much lauded artistic universe.

Anselm Kiefer is part of our list article of the most famous painters today.

10. Tate Modern – Power Into Art: The Battle for the New Tate Gallery (2000)

The Power Into Art Documentary was made on the occasion of the redevelopment and renovation of London’s most iconic power station into an absolute powerhouse for contemporary art, Tate Modern. With a busy schedule, short in time and with many difficulties on their path, this documentary follows the steps of Nicholas Serota, the former director of Tate, the Swiss architects of Herzog de Meuron and more during this immense project for the new millennium.

Although the documentary is primarily about the construction works, it shows unique behind the scenes footage and information of one of the most important institutions of the art world. From the first phase of the construction works to the grand opening, this film gives an insight in the enormous undertaking of renovating and managing a major institution such as Tate Modern.

This YouTube video consists of the entire three part documentary offering more than three hours of film. The entire documentary is in English, narrated by Henrietta Bess with music by Mark Emney, and is directed and produced by Karl Sabbagh and Belinda Aird.

The documentary aired for the first time on Channel Four in 2000.

11. De Pont Museum – A Space for Art (2019)

De Pont Museum – Space for Art is a documentary produced on the occasion of the 25th year anniversary of the unique museum De Pont. The documentary starts in their depot with former director Hendrik Driessen. Driessen calls the depot of De Pont their memory.

From this point of view, the director guides us through the history of De Pont, starting with the renovation of the industrial building, how the collection came about, encompassing artists such as Richard Serra, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Marlene Dumas, up to De Pont’s latest public ‘sky sculpture‘ by Anish Kapoor.

The one hour documentary is in Dutch and English with English subtitles when necessary. Also, we highly recommend to give the museum a visit when given the chance. The unique building offers the possibility to view the works in daylight. Further, the visiting experience seems to be entirely different than with other musea.