Lonnie Holley
2021
From the Edge of America
Ethan Payne
Lonnie Holley, Richard Swift
Ethan Payne’s documentary captures the rapport between musician Lonnie Holley and the late producer/musician Richard Swift, two men separated by decades in age, but united in spirit. Spanning two recording sessions, this half-hour chronicle shows the making of Holley's National Freedom EP.
From the Edge of America
The Sandman's Garden
Arthur Sloss Crenshaw
Lonnie Holley
This documentary examines the life and art of Lonnie Holley, a self-taught African-American artist based in Birmingham, Alabama. It follows Holley as he builds a sculptural environment out of discarded materials and found objects in the Birmingham Museum of Art’s sculpture garden. His art is by turns profound, playful, and deeply moving. As the garden grows piece by piece, Holley is revealed as a man who has overcome a tortured past. Growing up poor and black in the 20th century American South, Holley worked to overcome prejudice and deprivation by using art to explore his life and ideas. The camera captures the artist’s process and reflections as he gathers materials, creates pieces, interacts with others, and relives the joys and sorrows that forged his unique and genuine artwork.
The Sandman's Garden
