Join EXHIBITION ON SCREEN directors Phil Grabsky and David Bickerstaff as they share how they create their captivating Art documentaries.
The Making of Exhibition on Screen
Art documentary

What is the true power of art, and how does it shape how we see the world? This documentary series offers a fresh look at our bond with creative work. Across eight episodes, the series asks how art shapes our thoughts, who pays for art to sway the public mind, and if new art still meets our creative needs. The show starts by looking at art as a basic human need present from birth. Art brings pure joy, builds strong bonds, and helps us make sense of our complex world. From there, it explores a new history of Modern Art, showing how bold artists captured the unseen forces of life. The story then shifts to the Cold War, showing how art became a key tool for global powers to spread political ideas. Looking at today's world, the series shows how new art uses bold public action to challenge old views. It meets working artists who avoid labels while finding strength in the team, and takes a sharp look at the link between art and money. Finally, the series looks at the future of museums and ends with a look at beauty and wonder. Ultimately, this series shows that art is a clear mirror that reveals who we are and who we can become.
Discover how art serves as a basic human need, bringing us joy, connection, and a deeper sense of the world.
Explore a fresh history of Modern Art and discover how visionary artists used creative breakthroughs to shape our world.
Discover how visual art became a strategic tool during the Cold War, as competing global powers weaponized culture.
Uncover how contemporary art challenges traditional boundaries, using political commentary and activism to provoke viewers.
Explore how contemporary artists reject rigid labels while finding strength and purpose in the creative collective.
Examine the complex bond between art and commercial value, urging a critical view of today's market-driven world.
Examine the future of museums as they fight to remain accessible, vital sanctuaries in a rapidly changing world.
Discover how the beauty and transcendence of art allow us to pause, reflect, and discover who we truly are.