Ellsworth Kelly: Fragments

Along with artists such as Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, Ellsworth Kelly—an enormous talent, who has been described over the years as an Abstract Expressionist, Minimalist, and Post-Painterly Abstractionist—changed the direction of American art. Labels aside, Kelly's masterful handling of form, space, and color is on display both in public spaces and in major collections and exhibitions throughout the world. Still vibrant, articulate, and productive at the age of 80-plus, Kelly is our guide for this documentary capturing the installation of his latest works, a series of colorful panels. Providing necessary background, Kelly revisits his haunts in France and New York, discusses early influences (including Constantin Brancusi and Alexander Calder) and—together with interviewed experts—assesses his oeuvre of panel pictures, paintings, collages, photographs, sculptures, and public commissions. A winning combination of striking high-definition cinematography and informative commentary, Ellsworth Kelly: Fragments is a superb documentary showcasing the works of a seminal figure in American art. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)