The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski

This is on Netflix now and a pretty interesting documentary film. It was backed by Leo DiCaprio since his dad, George DiCaprio, was friends with Stanislav Szukalski.

Achieving fame as an artist (during one's own lifetime) is not simply a matter of talent. It is also being in the right place at the right time, marketing and communication (if you don't convince enough people of the value of your work, it is hard for it to take off), and a large amount of luck. Having most of his work destroyed during the Nazi invasion of Poland in WWII did not help.

Not much of his work survived (although there are photographs of a lot of it). Szukalski was definitely a genius (some of his work is just amazing) but he was also a bit wacky and self destructive. Definitely an interesting guy.

Kudos to Glenn Bray for finding that Szukalski was living near him in Los Angeles in the 1980s.  Bray befriended him and conducted hours of interviews with him (on grainy Beta video). I liked it.

Rotten Tomatoes: Szukalski

Laughing Squid: Why was Szukalski left behind?

ArtNews: Why George and Leo DiCaprio made this film on Szukalski