Gerhard Richter Painting (2011)

A documentary on the German artist that includes glimpses at his studio, which has not been seen in decades.

Director:

Corinna Belz

Writer:

Corinna Belz

Stars:

Gerhard Richter, Norbert Arns, Hubert Becker

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Gerhard Richter	...	Self
Norbert Arns	...	Self
Hubert Becker	...	Self
Sabine Moritz-Richter	...	Self
Konstanze Ell	...	Self
Marian Goodman	...	Self
Benjamin Buchloh	...	Self
Kasper König	...	Self
Ulrich Wilmes	...	Self
Sandy Nairne	...	Self
Paul Moorhouse	...	Self

Storyline

A documentary on the German artist that includes glimpses at his studio, which has not been seen in decades.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

Klavierkonzert No.1 in d-moll
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Angela Hewitt (piano), Richard Tognetti (conductor), and Australian Chamber Orchestra
With the kind permission of Hyperion Records, London; available on CDA67307 from www.hyperion-records.co.uk

User Reviews

Always interesting documentary on the artist Gerhard Richter

Always interesting documentary on the artist Gerhard Richter, his work process and his sometimes uneasy relationship with the larger world outside his studio.

The film effectively combines a mix of traditional documentary techniques (interviews, archival footage), and much more cinema verite style, where for long stretches we simply observe Richter working on his paintings with no comment (besides his own occasional mutterings).

Through it all, I gained a much deeper understanding of the man and his work. I've always struggled to really appreciate abstract expressionism and it's absence of obvious meaning. But somehow, watching this film and the process of creation of these works, I found myself far more pulled into the painting themselves than I would ever have been otherwise. (Note – Richter has worked in many forms and medium besides the abstract expressionist paintings he was focused on during the making of the film).

Likewise the quiet, introverted, but wryly funny Richter becomes an ever more rich and likable subject – even his cranky unease at being constantly filmed is understandable and ultimately a bit endearing. His struggle to deal with the commercial side of the art world, and the desire to retreat back to the safety of his studio make him tremendously human.

I also appreciated how sensual the film was. Not in any sexual sense of the term, but how Belz managed to make us feel the physical aspects of the painting process – the thickness of the paint, the muscular effort to spread it across the canvas, even the smell of the room seem to come through the screen.

In the end, this isn't an 'essential' or 'change your life' documentary. I wasn't deeply moved, nor do I think I will be haunted by its images years from now. Yet I appreciated being given a way in to an art form and a person who made my life a little richer, and whom I might have never really known otherwise.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Germany]

Country:

Germany

Language:

German English

Release Date:

14 March 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Pintura de Gerhard Richter

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,537, 18 March 2012

Gross USA:

$242,646

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$717,545

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zero One Film, Terz Film, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Technical Specs

Color:

Color Black and White