Robert Motherwell: Summer of 1971

1972 / 45 min. / color
Directed by Michael Blackwood

Robert Motherwell is communicative with his art, approaching the canvas with an open mind prepared for discussion. As we join him in his Connecticut studio, Motherwell notes the intimate rapport he has with his painting, describing it as “a lifelong relationship with a person you really love- there are different moods, different nuances, and in one sense there’s a basic real continuity that never alters.” (Robert Motherwell) Offering his astute commentary on art history, Motherwell reminds us of the ever-evolving fluidity possessed by both painting and movements. He believes that individuality can be found in the ways in which one structures their art, whether that structuring be intentional or not. Motherwell believes that the past is a key component of creation in that an artist must exist not only in their own time but also in periods prior. Movements, as Motherwell sees them, are not linear but overlapping and collaborative. Motherwell followed the ideals of Abstract Expressionism, letting his emotion guide his brush as he creates with a sense of instinctive impulse.