Yuliia Korienkova Lists 5 Films to Inspire Aspiring Artists

An artist is first and foremost defined by their body of work. But for an artist to be iconic, they need to have created the sort of art that will stand the test of time and speak to something hidden within us all. Such individuals, by the very nature of what they do, tend to […]

An artist is first and foremost defined by their body of work. But for an artist to be iconic, they need to have created the sort of art that will stand the test of time and speak to something hidden within us all. Such individuals, by the very nature of what they do, tend to live the sort of lives far removed from what most of us consider normal. As people who push boundaries, challenge stereotypes, break rules, and refuse to be defined or limited by other’s perceptions, their lives usually lend themselves well to powerful and hard-hitting films. 

Hollywood has a long history of bringing artists to the big screen and capturing the essence of what makes them truly iconic. As someone who works in the cutting-edge field of robotic art and is inspired by the blend of artificial intelligence and creativity, Yuliia Korienkova has always been a film buff. She has agreed to combine her two loves and share her list of five powerful Hollywood movies based on iconic artists that’ll leave you spellbound.

 

The Doors

Courtesy of The Doors

Although not as big as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, The Doors had far more integrity and edginess than their counterparts. This, in part, was mainly due to their frontman Jim Morrison, whose life, director Oliver Stone does a truly stellar job of portraying this 1991 film. There was a darkness and myth surrounding Morrison which the movie does its best to penetrate. But more than that, it gives an authentic glimpse into what it must have been like to be riding the crest of a wave in the swinging sixties. 

 

Lust For Life 

Courtesy of Lust for Life

Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh was a tortured soul, but his legacy lives on across the ages in the billions of people who have been inspired and mesmerized by his hugely influential work. In this 1956 film by director Vincente Minnelli, Kirk Douglas delivers the performance of his career as an artist searching for inspiration and the lengths he will go to stay true to his vision. I feel this movie captures the raw truth of Van Gogh. 

 

Walk The Line 

Courtesy of Walk the Line

As well as creating an unmistakable sound and having an uncompromising attitude that was all his own, Johnny Cash lived an extremely colorful life, and James Mangold doesn’t pull any punches in portraying this in his 2006 classic. Joaquin Phoenix almost appears to be born to play the man in black and gets under Cash’s skin to deliver a warts-n-all performance.

 

Pollock 

Courtesy of Pollock

Jackson Pollock’s abstract expressionist technique was hugely divisive, and as Ed Harris’s 2000 film shows to perfection, so was the great painter himself in everyday life. Obviously, a huge fan, Harris not only directs the film but also takes the lead role. His performance as the alcoholic and neurotic painter is extremely moving and memorable, and serves to remind the audience that genius often comes at a great cost. 

 

Control 

Courtesy of Control

Joy Division may not be the biggest name in the history of modern music but they are certainly one of the most influential, and their late-frontman Ian Curtis’s tragically short life is the subject of Anton Corbijn’s 2007 film, Control. Shot in striking black and white footage, the film reads as a poetic tribute to a complicated artist we’ll, perhaps, never truly understand, but this film goes some way into exploring the man behind the myth. 

 

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