Gerhard Richter Painting

Film director Corinna Belz was granted extraordinary access to the studio of eminent German painter Gerhard Richter. The result is rare, immediate insight into the genesis of a series of his abstract paintings, from the first stroke of paint on canvas, through countless layers of over-painting, to an exhibition opening in New York. The perceptive feature-length documentary allows the viewer to become immersed in the quietly suspenseful cycle of an artistic process. Born in 1932, Gerhard Richter has been at the cutting edge of his field for five decades. His first 13 years were spent under the National Socialist regime, followed by 16 years of East German Communism and then a half century of what Richter has jokingly referred to as "Capitalist Realism". The artist remains fundamentally sceptical of all belief systems and ideologies. Throughout the film we are treated to Richter's pithy comments, which reveal not only wry humour but also hard-won insight into life and art. Filmmaker Corinna Belz studied philosophy, art history and media sciences in Cologne and Berlin. She has numerous documentaries to her credit, including Life After Microsoft and The Cologne Cathedral Window.