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Who Is Gorky? An Abstract Life

In a personal journey into a family tragedy, filmmaker Cosima Spender explores how she and her relatives have been shaped by her grandfather - the pioneering Abstract Expressionist painter, Arshile Gorky. Following a series of tragedies, he committed suicide in 1948, leaving a young wife and two daughters behind. Through conversations with her grandmother, Gorky's widow, Spender tries to make sense of his creativity, the reasons for his death and the shadow it subsequently cast. The film takes the viewer through the pain and courage of the family, coming to an emotional climax in Gorky's Armenian birthplace.

English
  • Originally Aired March 12, 2012
  • Runtime 75 minutes
  • Content Rating United States of America TV-PG
  • Production Code b01dc584
  • Network BBC Four
  • Created December 20, 2012 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified December 20, 2012 by
    Administrator admin
Name Type Role
Cosima Spender Director