Blog

Artist Wayne White poses in his studio with samples of his artwork in the background.
January, 21, 2013

Beauty Is Embarrassing

Independent Lens

Part biography, part live performance, Beauty Is Embarrassing tells the story of this one-of-a-kind visual artist and raconteur. The film traces White’s career from an underground cartoonist in New York’s East Village to his big break as a designer, puppeteer,…
January, 18, 2013

Categorize Artist Wayne White? Don’t Even Try

826chi

In the world of art, if you've met with success by wielding a paintbrush or a camera or a microphone or a sculpting knife, it's easy to hang onto that tool and become best known in its genre. Sure you…
Lists
December, 4, 2012

7 Books That Inspired Popular Documentaries

826chi in Lists

Not many national commemorative months get our attention here at Independent Lens. National Raisin Bread Month ended a few days ago, and no one here so much as gave a toast! Along with National Prune Breakfast Month in January, but…
Nutayunean tribe
Lists
November, 21, 2012

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with 8 Documentaries

826chi in Lists

November is Native American Heritage Month, but that wasn’t always the case. At one point, it was a single day to honor Native American history, and before that, there was no official government recognition at all. The history of the…
A circus performer casts aside the curtains before entering the ring.
May, 3, 2012

Circo

Independent Lens

The Ponce family circus has been living and performing in rural Mexico for seven generations. Its history dates back to the late 19th century, when Genaro Ponce founded the Circo Ponce Hermanos. Today, the circus members are still carrying on…
April, 12, 2012

When the Drum Is Beating

Independent Lens

In Haiti, there is one band that’s seen it all: Septentrional. For six decades, this 20-piece band has been making beautiful music – a fusion of Cuban big band and Haitian vodou beats – that turns out thousands of fans…
Kevin Clash performs with Elmo puppet.
April, 5, 2012

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

Independent Lens

Every day, millions tune in to Sesame Street to see one of the world’s most adored and recognizable characters — a furry red three-and-a-half year-old monster named Elmo. Yet, with all of Elmo’s fame, the man behind the icon is…
December, 29, 2011

These Amazing Shadows

Independent Lens

What do the films Casablanca, Blazing Saddles, and West Side Story have in common? Besides being popular, they have also been deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and listed in The National Film Registry, a…
Photographer Francesca Woodman
December, 22, 2011

The Woodmans

Independent Lens

The Woodmans are a family of well-known artists bonded in their belief of art-making as the highest form of expression. But for their daughter Francesca — one of the late 20th century's most recognized and influential photographers — fame came…
Aneta Brodski performs poetry using sign language.
November, 3, 2011

Deaf Jam

Independent Lens

Aneta Brodski is an Israeli-born teenager living in Queens, New York. She is passionate and driven and well liked by her high school classmates. Unique among her classmates, Aneta longs to fully participate in the hearing world. (more…)
A woman in headscarf reads the 99 comic book.
October, 13, 2011

Wham! Bam! Islam!

Independent Lens

In 2003, Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa — Kuwaiti psychologist, graduate of Columbia Business School and father of four young boys — had an idea: create a comic book series with roots in Islam and Islamic culture. Al-Mutawa came up with the…
Uncategorized
October, 10, 2011

R.I.P. Mikey Welsh: Musician, Artist, Friend of Independent Lens

826chi in Uncategorized

[caption id="attachment_6828" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mikey Welsh in his studio. (He called this image "Light mood.")[/caption] I met Mikey Welsh by way of the internet last winter, as we prepared our special project for Artists Month, featuring outsider artists. In my…