Joan Mitchell: Portrait of an Abstract Painter

A well put together documentary about an important but not very well known artist. More than half the time goes to Mitchell talking about her work, backed up by statements from others (notably Brice Marden and a few of her dealers) who understood and sympathized with the work and the person.

Mitchell is presented as someone who took herself and her work very seriously--probably more seriously than the art establishment or the public. The focus is on her art. Her demons--alcoholism, bouts of cancer--for the most part go unexamined and unmentioned.

Mitchell's work itself overall is tough to like, yet some of the pieces shown in this film are beautiful beyond description. Her vividly colored, wildly eccentric paintings appear throughout. If you're curious about how she came to paint as she did and what she thought she was doing, you probably couldn't do much better than to watch this film. The same may be true if you're simply interested in hearing from an artist who, while not exactly articulate, is good at plain talk.

Seeing this film on the big screen is by far the best way to view Joan Mitchell's magnificent work. I was floored by the power and lyricism of her paintings, and happily drove an hour and a half twice to view "Joan Mitchell: Portrait of an Abstract Painter" at a film festival. I then purchased the VHS - one of just a few, and very costly. And I have never regretted it. I've watched it many times, and learn so much from it. Now you can buy the DVD for a mere $19.99!

The 2011 biography of Joan Mitchell discusses her destructive behavior in some detail, from what I read in reviews. Anyone who really wants a full sense of this complex artist would do well to hear Cajori's sensitive interviews with her in this film. For all of her issues, Joan Mitchell appears to have been utterly authentic, fiercely loyal to her vision and someone who expressed her vulnerability best and brilliantly on canvas. I recommend this film to anyone, and hope it is featured in more film festivals and screenings.

Good (probably better) reviews of this fine film can be found on Amazon, where the DVD can be purchased.