Henry Geldzahler was one of the most important figures in 20th Century American art, even though he was not an artist himself. Geldzahler was a collector and historian who helped establish the role of artists such as Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, George Segal, and Roy Lichtenstein within the canon of contemporary art with "New York Painting and Sculpture: 1940-1970," a groundbreaking show at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art which made the case for pop art while the gallery
establishment was still favoring the more accepted but less accessible abstract expressionists. A passionate man who was a friend, confidante, and collaborator to many of the painters and sculptors he championed, Geldzahler assembled the "New York Painting and Sculpture" show himself, and while it caused no small amount of controversy at the time (especially among his colleagues at the MoMA), it established a consensus that the pop movement and its leading figures were here to stay, and Geldzahler continued to be a mover and shaker in the world of contemporary art until his death in 1994 at the age of 59. Who Gets to Call it Art? is a documentary which celebrates and chronicles Geldzahler's life and career and features interviews with a number of his friends and associates, including Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Jasper Johns, Jonas Mekas, Larry Poons, John Chamberlain, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Shot with a Peter Greenaway-like austere impudence and edited brilliantly (by Jed Parker), this is an entertaining movie, and a moving one -- even if, like me, you're not especially fond of these paintings or that scene.
Peter Rosen's documentary Who Gets to Call It Art? paints an entertaining picture of the cherubic gentleman, who as the first curator of contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Clocking in at 80 minutes, this glib, largely uninformative and poorly organized précis of the post-World War II art scene succeeds neither as history nor as art history.
You are likely to enjoy this bio-pic to the extent that you buy into the idea that one effete snob ought to define an aesthetic for the rest of us slobs.
You are likely to enjoy this bio-pic to the extent that you buy into the idea that one effete snob ought to define an aesthetic for the rest of us slobs.
The film's flippant style ultimately undermines its material -- and, ironically, makes the American art scene of the '60s appear as shallow and trendy as its detractors always claimed it was.
No quotes approved yet for Who Gets to Call It Art?. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Who Gets to Call It Art?'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
