Gerhard Richter Painting

CinemaSerf

On the face of things, this can come across as quite a superficial documentary on this acclaimed painter - he isn't exactly quizzed on his techniques or rationale. If we just sit back, though, and watch a master at work as he starts - and quite often finishes too - with a white canvas; some tins of brightly coloured paints and a variety of implements used to craft differing hues and textures for a finished product that he always gives the impression might not - or ever be - completed at all, then it proves to be quite an interesting observation. It's all filmed as if we were an intern in his studio. We are allowed to follow him and to watch him, but not to ask any probing questions and any words of wisdom he does offer are very much on his own terms and often quite philosophical. He espouses a position on art that is refreshingly candid and he regales honestly against that "emperor's new clothes" mentality that so often accompanies the work of the critic. They haven't a clue what, if anything, is supposed to be going on but are not prepared to acknowledge that in case they look inadequate - he clearly has no truck with this. With a large and prestigious exhibition looming at London's National Portrait Gallery, we follow some of the meticulous planning gone into by himself and his staff to ensure the presentation of some of his amazingly natural and detailed portraiture is lit and mounted to best advantage. He is from East German stock, but this film doesn't really dwell on his past nor of his relocation to the West - but I think that's a deliberate choice from storyteller Corinna Belz and from a man who never seems that comfortable talking about his own life but who is happy to let us watch him work. It is perhaps a little on the long side and there is certainly a bit too much padding, but as a fly-on-the-wall style of production this is quite an informative glimpse into the world of quite an ordinary man capable of creating extraordinary and lasting works of art.