Jacob Lawrence: An Intimate Portrait

A very inspiring and interesting intimate portrait of one of the greatest African-American artists of all time, painter Jacob Lawrence. A great representative of the dynamic cubism with works characterized by social realism, some abstracton and a great use of colors, Lawrence portrayed the daily life of Harlem, the good and the bad from it, and other works that reflect America's past and the times he lives, and also the world. Despite many social thematics that reflect the black experience in America, and mostly were seen as social denounces or used for social causes, he didn't envisioned himself as a political artist or used of his art to make a protest platform. He just captured what he's seen, what he felt and to anyone who views his works it looks as something deeper, meaningful and something that opens our eyes to reality.

Along with his views on art and his work (also as a teacher), there's many interviews with young artists who were inspired by his works, scholars and his wife, the also artist Gwendolyn Knight. The points of view expressed by a student of his and the young man who has an art group in California were some of the enlightning and most charming bits from the piece, as to show how Lawrence was a positive influence in their lives, and showed them that they could live through their art, express themselves and help their commnunities. I didn't know anything about the man and the artist before, but after this documentary he got himself a new admirer and observer of his talents. 9/10.