Art In The Twenty-First Century: Boundaries

Season six of ART IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY includes 13 profiles of artists from five continents gathered into four, one-hour thematic episodes: "Change" (May 11), "Boundaries" (May 18), "History" (May 25) and "Balance" (June 1).

Spanning the globe from Nigeria to New York City, from Beijing to Brazil, the programs reveal the artists at work and speaking in their own words as they demonstrate the power of art to alter perception, challenge convention, and change how we see the world around us.

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David Altmejd's "The Eye," 2008. Wood and mirror; 129 1/2 x 216 1/2 x 144 1/2 inches overall. Installation at Gallery Met at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, NY, October 13, 2008-January 30, 2009.

Courtesy of Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York. © David Altmejd

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Tabaimo's "public conVENience," 2006. Video installation; dimensions variable. Installation veiw of "YOROYORON: Tabaimo," Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, June 3-August 27, 2006.

Courtesy of Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo and James Cohan Gallery, New York. © Tabaimo

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Lynda Benglis's "Psi," 1973. Enamel silver paint and sparkles on plaster, cotton bunting and aluminum screen; 83.8 x 33 x 38.1 cm. Collection John Cheim.

Courtesy of Cheim & Read, New York. © Linda Benglis / Licensed by VAGA, New York

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assume vivid astro focus. "assume vivid astro focus," 2003. Mixed media installation; dimensions variable. Indatllation at Deitch Projects, New York.

Courtesy of Deitch Projects, New York. © assume vivid astro focus. Photo: Tom Powell Imaging

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assume vivid astro focus. "Trava Ciclope," 2011. Color pigment on paper; 41 x 33 cm each.

Courtesy of Casa Triangulo. © assume vivid astro focus. Photo: Edouard Fraipont

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Lynda Benglis. "Phantom," 1971. Polyurethane foam with phosphorescent pigments; 102 x 420 x 96 inches. Union Art Gallery, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.

Courtesy of Cheim & Read, New York. © Linda Benglis/Licensed by VAGA, New York

"Boundaries" - Who and what limits our freedom of expression? In what ways do cultural differences affect our understanding of art and other forms of communication? How do an artist’s process and choice of medium affect our perception of his or her work?

This episode features artists David Altmejd, the collective assume vivid astro focus (avaf), Tabaimo and Lynda Benglis, who synthesize disparate aesthetic traditions, present taboo subject matter, discover innovative uses of media, and explore the shape-shifting potential of the human figure.

About Art21:

Over the past decade, Art21 has established itself as the preeminent chronicler of contemporary art and artists through its Peabody Award-winning biennial television series, ART IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY.

Art21 is a nonprofit dedicated to engaging audiences with contemporary visual art, inspiring creative thinking, and educating a new generation about artists working today. Learn more about the organization and its initiatives at art21.org.

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