Deep Focus: Inside Art21 Films

Behind the Scenes of Season 8: Los Angeles

Director of Photography Scott Anger filming at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Today’s “Deep Focus” gives an inside look at the ART21 production crew filming the season’s third episode in Los Angeles. This episode premieres on Friday, September 23rd at 9 p.m. on PBS, and features artists Edgar Arceneaux, Liz Larner, Tala Madani, and Diana Thater.

In this post we’re filming:

Liz Larner in Her Studio
Edgar Arceneaux Rehearsing Until, Until, Until…
Los Angeles’ Watts Towers


Filming Liz Larner in Her Studio

It was a hot summer day in August nearly one year ago when ART21 visited Liz Larner’s studio to film the artist in action.

Liz Larner in her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. © ART21, Inc. 2016.

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. © ART21, Inc. 2016.

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. © ART21, Inc. 2016.

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. © ART21, Inc. 2016.

ART21 filming Liz Larner at her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Director of Photography Scott Anger with artist Liz Larner in her studio (Larner’s assistant Tom Allen behind). Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Director of Photography Scott Anger with artist Liz Larner in her studio in Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 


 

Filming Edgar Arceneaux Rehearsing Until, Until, Until…

Edgar Arceneaux’s first live work, Until, Until, Until… was commissioned last year by Performa 15. The performance reenacts Ben Vereen’s infamous 1981 blackface performance that was nationally televised as part of Ronald Reagan’s inaugural celebration. In these photos, the artist rehearses the performance at CalArts Center for New Performance in Valencia, California.

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Director of Photography Scott Anger filming Edgar Arceneaux with set designer Elizabeth Smith, in rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Sound recordist Kathryn Korniloff filming rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Actor Frank Lawson playing Ben Vereen in rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Director of Photography Scott Anger and sound recordist Kathryn Korniloff filming Edgar Arceneaux (pink shirt) in rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson.

Director of Photography Scott Anger and sound recordist Kathryn Korniloff filming Edgar Arceneaux (in pink shirt pointing) in rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Lead camera for performance: Solomon Turner (in green shirt center). Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Actor Frank Lawson playing Ben Vereen with lead camera for performance Solomon Turner (green shirt) in rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Edgar Arceneaux with set designer Elizabeth Smith during rehearsal for Until, Until, Until… at CalArts Center for New Performance, Valencia, CA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson.


 

Filming Los Angeles’ Watts Towers

Seventeen interconnected sculptures make up Watts Towers, a structure designed and built by Italian construction worker and tile mason, Sabato (“Simon”) Rodia, over the course of three decades, between 1921 and 1954.

Director of Photography Scott Anger filming Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Director of Photography Scott Anger filming Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 

Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts State Historic Park, Los Angeles, USA, 2015. Behind the scenes of ART21’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Season 8, 2016. Photo: Deborah Dickson. 


Check back here on the ART21 Magazine next week for more from behind-the-scenes of Season 8.