Since we shared book recommendations last week, we thought it only fitting to give the same treatment to streaming this week. Not everyone’s relaxation mode is book in hand! From reality television to film and documentary, there's a story to for every art lover's viewing pleasure.

Angela’s Pick: The Leunig Fragments on ABC, Looby on SBS on Demand and Kanopy's collection of art films 

On Thursday, our Director Angela attended the memorial for beloved artist, cartoonist and poet Michael Leunig at St Paul’s Cathedral. Before a congregation of admirers, peers and figures of note, Leunig’s family and friends paid tribute to an “artist of the little people”. The experience has compelled Angela to revisit The Leunig Fragments, a poignant documentary on the artist now streaming for free on ABC iview. 

Another documentary worth watching is Looby, a profile of Australian artist Keith Looby who many have described as his own worst enemey. Delving into his art, philosophy and the Australian art world, it has been described by Artist Profile magazine as one "of the most unusual portraits of an artist ever committed to film." 

Lastly, Angela recommends exploring Kanopy's collection of art films. Free with any public library card, Kanopy is a veritable treasure trove of free viewing. Enjoy!  

Ella’s Pick: Fake or Fortune? on the ABC 

Indulging the fantasies of every private collector, Fake or Fortune? sees art dealer Philip Mould and journalist Fiona Bruce investigate cases of art world intrigue. Each episode delves into the provenance and authorship of a single work, seeking counsel from a range of specialists. Not only a lesson in art history, Fake or Fortune? can be a fairytale, restoring dusty old art with forgotten prestige. 

Philippe Le Miere 'ruby shoes of oz' and Adam Cullen's 'Playtime' 

Caitlin’s Pick: Close to Vermeer on Apple TV

Close to Vermeer follows a single curator’s quest to stage the biggest Johannes Vermeer exhibition ever in the year before his retirement. As the curator delves into who Vermeer was, questions around authenticity, what constitutes greatness and what marks its decline emerge. For those who didn’t make it to the Rijksmuseum, Close to Vermeer is the next best thing.

Isabel’s Pick: The Square on Apple TV and The Gleaners and I on MUBI

An arch satire of the international contemporary art world, The Square won the Palme d’Or when it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. It follows a curator as he prepares for a career-defining show – the creation of an enclosed public square where people are told to behave responsibly, setting in motion a series of events that devolve into the strange, surreal and spectacular.

The Gleaners and I, a documentary made by the great artist Agnes Varde, could not be more different than The Square. A kind of artwork in and of itself, The Gleaners and I explores the lives of scavengers in the countryside of France. As she embarks on her quest, however, Varde gets lost in the details, producing a shimmering film of gleaned moments, reminders that there is beauty even in the discarded. This is film as art.