Picturing the Presidents

Feb 10, 2009

1h 10m

★ 7.0

Is image everything?

Overview

We go behind the scenes and into the minds of artists as they capture, commemorate, and, at times, condemn our presidents.

Genres

Documentary

History

Production Companies

The Smithsonian Network

Picturing the Presidents Trailers

Cast

Narrator

Salvatore Vecchio

Self (archive footage)

George H. W. Bush

Self (archive footage)

Gerald Ford

Self (archive footage)

Bill Clinton

Self (archive footage)

Lyndon B. Johnson

Self (archive footage)

Richard Nixon

Self (archive footage)

John F. Kennedy

Self (archive footage)

Elaine de Kooning

Self

Addie Moray

Self

Marc Pachter

Self

Nelson Shanks

Self

Hilary Kacser

An examination of the intimate life of America's most consequential president, Abraham Lincoln. As told by preeminent Lincoln scholars and never before seen photographs and letters, Lincoln's romantic relationships with men is detailed. The lens is widened into the history of human sexual fluidity and focuses on the profound differences between sexual mores of the 19th century and those we hold today.

6.7

Pollock

Sep 6, 2000

In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" The film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man, a man who has fittingly been called "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity who nobody knew." As he struggled with self-doubt, engaging in a lonely tug-of-war between needing to express himself and wanting to shut the world out, Pollock began a downward spiral.

0.0

Dada Found Objects. Surreal Doodles and Dreams

Invalid Date

Contemplate the "anti-art" spirit of Dadaism, its nihilistic yet humorous indictment of civilization and bizarre use of unconventional media. In the sensibility of Surrealism, observe its compelling focus on the subconscious and two substyles - dream imagery, with its juxtaposition of objects and settings, and "automatic drawing," eliciting unplanned images from the unconscious.

0.0

La grotte Chauvet — hors du temps

Oct 15, 2024

No overview available.

0.0

Bone Wind Fire

Oct 9, 2011

A journey into the hearts, minds and eyes of Georgia O’Keeffe, Emily Carr and Frida Kahlo - three of the 20th century’s most remarkable artists.

7.2

Zeitgeist: Addendum

Oct 2, 2008

Zeitgeist: Addendum premiered at the 5th Annual Artivist Film Festival. Director Peter Joseph stated: "The failure of our world to resolve the issues of war, poverty, and corruption, rests within a gross ignorance about what guides human behavior to begin with. It address the true source of the instability in our society, while offering the only fundamental, long-term solution."

8.0

Frans Hals - Maler des Lachens

Jul 14, 2024

Alongside Rembrandt and Vermeer, Frans Hals was one of the key figures in 17th century Dutch art. But unlike his contemporaries, who tended to paint gloomy or pensive pictures, Hals was entirely devoted to joy. He painted people who could barely conceal their zest for life - at a time when it was frowned upon to show teeth.

7.1

Francis Bacon: A Brush with Violence

Jan 28, 2017

In this unique, compelling film, those who knew him speak freely, some for the first time, to reveal the many mysteries of Francis Bacon.

7.5

Thomas Hart Benton

Oct 31, 1989

Thomas Hart Benton's paintings were energetic and uncompromising. Today his works are in museums, but Benton hung them in saloons for ordinary people to appreciate.

6.2

W.

Oct 17, 2008

The story of the eventful life of George W. Bush—his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith—and the critical days leading up to his decision to invade Iraq.

6.8

The Final Days

Oct 29, 1989

The Final Days concerns itself with the final months of the Richard Nixon presidency.

0.0

República del color

Oct 29, 2015

About the history of the Dominican Republic's visual arts from the perspective of color given by the incidence of light in the island, alongside the historical events that defined its master artists.

0.0

FuckUmentary

Oct 26, 2001

A zombie in Seoul, 2001 is a corpse which died 22 years ago. The corpse sucks vital energy of the live to revive and walks around Seoul. There are people to worship the zombie. They build a church for it at last, and the honorary president of the church is President who has been hurt by it. Moreover, many Korean rightists talk about the zombie and still perform what he instructed. It is the zombie, the president Park that the rightists worship, who is the leader of the National rightists. This is a reality of the right wing which now are still working in Korea. I’d like to teach English to you rightists and Park. Fuck you!

7.6

JFK

Dec 20, 1991

Follows the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison.

0.0

A Greater Society

Sep 17, 2018

It’s the 2014 midterms and residents of a South Florida retirement community feel the weight of democracy on their shoulders. In one of the most influential counties of America’s largest swing state, these political kingmakers trade their golf clubs for clipboards and hit the pavement to get out the vote. A GREATER SOCIETY is a feature documentary to inspire voter turnout. Inside the gates of Wynmoor Village are three miles of manicured lawns lined with palm trees, a golf course, and carefully maintained condominiums. At first glance, it’s just another retirement community where elders go to enjoy their golden years relaxing by the pool and taking ceramics classes; but look further and you’ll see that the people who live in this community share something unique: the power to have a real impact on national politics.

7.7

The Take

Sep 3, 2004

In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed ceramics workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats and refuse to leave. All they want is to re-start the silent machines. But this simple act - the take - has the power to turn the globalization debate on its head. Armed only with slingshots and an abiding faith in shop-floor democracy, the workers face off against the bosses, bankers and a whole system that sees their beloved factories as nothing more than scrap metal for sale.