Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), the most important sculptor of the first half of the 20th century, has been a fascinating and enduring influence on a generation of contemporary American artists.

Insights into Brancusi’s legacy are presented by Carl Andre, Lynda Benglis, Ellsworth Kelly, Martin Puryear, Richard Serra, and Joel Shapiro, with additional commentary on Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Roy Lichtenstein, Isamu Noguchi,and Claes Oldenburg.

In 1995, Anne d’Harnoncourt, Director Emeritus of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, asked Checkerboard to document the PMA’s acclaimed retrospective on Brancusi for the Museum’s archive. The resulting footage became the genesis of the documentary.

Film locations include the recreated Brancusi studio at the Centre Pompidou, the PMA’s Brancusi gallery, and studios and gallery exhibitions of the artists.

Commentary is offered by Anne d’Harnoncourt; the Co-Curators of the 1995 Brancusi exhibition at the Centre Pompidou and the PMA: Margit Rowell and Ann Temkin (Marie-Josee and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, N.Y.); Robert Storr, artist, critic and curator; Richard Woodward, art critic; and William Tucker, artist.