FAVORITE FEATURES | AUGUST

1) Burden
Infamous for his dangerous and mostly painful performance work throughout the 1970s, Chris Burden has consistently pushed the envelope when it comes to using the body as medium. From having himself shot to crucifying himself to the roof of a VW Bus, Burden's artistic practice has been both passionately revered and equally stomach-churning. Through videos of his most famous performances, personal accounts from friends and critics alike, and his own video and voice journal recordings, Burden looks at the more personal side to the artist's sometimes seemingly insane practice. An American modern bad boy, Chris Burden is a forever memorable piece of art history and this documentary provides a comprehensive look behind his bizarre work.

2) The Cool School: How LA Learned To Love Art
The story of the Ferus Gallery, and its leader Walter Hopps,  who took a multi-faceted group of unconventional post-war artists and created a major launching point for their careers, and consequently placing LA on the art map. Between 1957 and 1966, the Ferus Gallery was a small storefront gallery that was credited with hosting artists such as Robert Irwin, Ed Ruscha, Ed Moses, Wallace Berman, Craig Kauffman, and Ed Kienholz. Through the grooming of these artists, and the LA art scene, the Ferus Gallery experienced a volatile history of money, interpersonal relationships, and the complication of egos. Although the gallery made a huge impact on both these artists and the market alike, these factors are what led to its ultimate demise in 1966, ironically when it was finally financially stable. Narrated by Jeff Bridges, watch the Ferus Gallery build an art scene within a decade, only to see the continued impact and lasting remnants of its demise.

3) Waste Land
New York-based artist, Vik Muniz spent three years creating an art project at the world's largest landfill just outside of Rio de Janerio in Brazil. Interested in the catadores, the men and women who sift through the trash for income, Muniz creates six large-scale portraits dedicated to these workers, made out of this refuse that surrounds them. In an attempt to aid these individuals, Muniz gave the proceeds from selling the works at auction, as well as the earnings from the film and awards back to the people and their communities. In this heartwarming and award-winning documentary, Muniz takes a journey with these individuals, creating a new dialogue about our environment, as well as people's livelihoods through contemporary art.