Documentary 'Troublemakers' Chronicles Land Art Pioneers on Sky Arte

The documentary 'Troublemakers', directed by James Crump, airs on Sky Arte on Sunday, July 31, exploring the history of Land Art. Set against the turbulent late 1960s and early 1970s, the film follows a group of outsider artists from New York who transcended painting and sculpture by creating monumental works in the American desert. It features rare footage and interviews with legendary artists like Robert Smithson, Walter De Maria, and Michael Heizer, whose interventions could not be exhibited in galleries and highlighted contradictions in the art system during an era marked by the Vietnam War, Cold War political uncertainty, and bleak future predictions. The film also examines humanity's relationship with the planet, inspired by early NASA images of Earth, with nature as a sometimes conflictual protagonist prompting reflection on the fragile balance between humans and the environment. The story unfolds across California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.