Alan Magee is a painter best known for his realist works. He also delves into human subjects like greed and gun violence. His work is truly captivating, and the documentary surrounding him Alan Magee: Art is Not a Solace dives deeper into the artist and his works.
Some of Magee’s paintings, from his childhood to now, can be grotesque and downright disturbing. However, they are almost always worthy of praise. You get a grasp of Magee’s process as an artist, and how he taps into humanity for inspiration. There’s a warning here, however: This film isn’t for the beginner art student. It deals with concepts like monoprint making, and those unfamiliar with it may have a difficult time accessing the documentary.
Magee’s monoprints are a huge part of his process. This requires some form of familiarity with them, so this may be a deterrent to some potential viewers. Also, some of the paintings and presenters included throughout the hour-long documentary aren’t identified, so those unfamiliar with the art world may find the film incoherent. Even those familiar with Magee and/or the art world may be confused as the pacing is non-linear and haphazard. Still, those with an understanding of Magee and his work will find a lot to like here. Alan Magee: Art is Not a Solace is a challenging documentary that should be included in academic libraries for advanced art students.