Jackson Pollock 51

A portrait of the artist at work. The film begins in 1972 with Johns repainting Air Ocean World based on Buckminster Fuller's dymaxion map. Johns work is traced over the next eighteen years. His Untitled, 1973, with its cross-hatching, flagstones, and anatomical parts become recurrent motifs, as Johns begins to imbed skulls and severed arms in them. The paintings become more personal as Johns gradually "drops the reserve" in his recent series, "The Seasons." The film culminates with Johns working on the final state of the etching based on "The Seasons."

François de Menil and Monique Alexandre's short portrait of artist Niki de Saint Phalle, shot in 16mm, 1982.

The styles of Henri Matisse's works range from impressionism to fauvism to an almost abstract technique. He, along with Picasso, are regarded as two of the giants of 20th century art. This installment of the Museum of Modern Art series depicts the works of Matisse, and is the only film record of the landmark exhibition in Paris in 1970. All of his works, including the seldom-seen paintings from the Russian collections are shown here. Rare footage of the master painter at work is also offered. Matisse scholar Pierre Schnieder narrates.