“State of the Art,” a film by award-winning filmmakers Craig and Brent Renaud about the 2014-15 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art exhibition of the same name, will get a free preview screening at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Ron Robinson Theater in the River Market district. The film will then be aired on AETN at 8 p.m. Friday, April 26.

The film focuses on seven of the 102 contemporary artists of emerging fame whose works were chosen by then-Crystal Bridges Director Don Bacigalupi a year of studio tours across the country. The seven include Fayetteville ceramicist Linda Lopez, a University of Arkansas art professor who creates vaguely organic plant forms and has been the subject of the Times feature “Making the Abstract Come Alive”; Carl Joe Williams of New Orleans, who paints stylized scenes inspired by the Big Easy; Justin Favela of Los Angeles, who draws on his Chicano background to create iconoclastic sculpture; Peter Glenn Oakley of Banner Elk, N.C., who carves in marble; Susie J. Lee of Seattle, who creates 30-minute video portraits (one of which is on exhibit now in the permanent collection gallery); Teri Greeves of Santa Fe, who places Kiowa beadwork on everyday objects; and Vanessa German of Pittsburgh, who uses dolls to create black “power figures.”

Advertisement

A panel discussion with Crystal Bridges curator Lauren Haynes, Craig Renaud and others will follow the film at Ron Robinson. In celebration of the television premiere, Crystal Bridges will host a watch party in its Great Hall starting at 7 p.m. Register online or by calling 479-657-2335 for the free event.

“State of the Art II” will open in early 2020 at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary, a new arts space under construction in Bentonville.

Advertisement

Be a Part of the Fight

Step up and make a difference by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, the progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock that's been fighting for truth for 50 years. Our tough, determined, and feisty journalism has earned us over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, all of whom value our commitment to holding the powerful accountable. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Join us in the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article Friday To-Do: Downtown Little Rock’s 2nd Friday Art Night Next article Who will fill the gaps for poor people in Arkansas when DHS fails?