This popular series of documentary film offers a though-provoking look at visionary artists and individuals pushing both artistic and personal boundaries – challenging or exceeding perceived limitations and setting new paths for performative work. Following each film, share your thoughts during an informal discussion led by experienced guest moderators.
Ai Weiwei is China’s most famous international artist, and its most outspoken domestic critic. Against a backdrop of strict censorship and an unresponsive legal system, Ai expresses himself and organizes people through art and social media. In response, Chinese authorities have shut down his blog, beat him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention. This detailed portrait by first-time director Alison Klayman, provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures. It is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics.
Meet the discussion leader
Victoria Reis is a curator and arts organizer who has been actively supporting artists and arts organizations within local, national, and international contexts since 1991.
In 2002, Reis co-founded Transformer, an internationally recognized non-profit visual arts organization based in Washington, DC. Since 2006, Reis has been leading Transformer as its Executive & Artistic Director, curating and presenting exhibitions and programs in support of emerging artist and new & best practices in contemporary visual art. Reis has established comprehensive partnerships & collaborations with dozens of national and international cultural, educational and diplomatic organizations and institutions, and has launched and advanced the careers of several hundred artists.
In May 2017, Reis expanded Transformer’s programming to include Siren Arts, an Asbury Park, NJ based summer residency program for emerging visual artists working within the performance art discipline. Siren Arts will be pursuing its 4th season of programming summer 2020.
Reis is a Founding Member of Common Field (commonfield.org) a national network of art spaces and artist-led initiatives. She has been a member of ArtTable since 2000. In 2018, she joined the Board of Directors of Monmouth Arts, a non-profit arts organization supporting artists and arts organizations throughout Monmouth County, NJ.