Radical Perception

 

This is the documentary on the life and legacy of one of the most important painters of the 21st century: Knox Martin. What is the lineage of great art? What makes art great?

 

Admired by Willem de Kooning and Bob Rauschenberg, among others, the film features interviews with painters, gallerists, friends, and family — offering a unique perspective on the mission of a true artist and how to sustain that vision over time.

 

I spent 14 years working on this documentary. Its title is inspired by Henri Matisse’s most radical period, Radical Invention, taking it to a new level: Radical Perception. For Knox, “radical” is what defines great art — “You’ve never seen it before, and you want to keep looking at it. Again, and again, and again.”

 

Special thanks to Knox’s family — Olivia and Jonathan; to Hollis Taggart, the principal gallerist representing Knox Martin’s work; and to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and The Art Students League of New York.