The University Gallery at UMass Amherst, in partnership with the Art21 Access ’09 initiative, presents a sneak preview of the fifth season of Art:21 - Art in the Twenty-First Century, the only prime time national television series focused exclusively on contemporary art. The screening will be held on October 23rd at the Flavin Auditorium in the Isenberg School of Management. This event is free and open to the public.

Art21 Access ’09 is an international screening initiative created to increase knowledge of contemporary art, ignite dialogue, and inspire creative thinking through hundreds of public screenings and events that tailor the ideas presented in the series to the interests and concerns of local audiences. The season premieres on PBS October 7th with a new episode each Wednesday during the month at 10pm (check local listings). Through in-depth profiles and interviews, the four-part series reveals the inspiration, vision and techniques behind the creative works of some of today’s most thought-provoking artists.

"Transformation" episode details:
Whether observing and satirizing society or reinventing icons of literature, art history, and popular culture, the artists featured in Transformation capture the sensibilities of our age while at times inhabiting the characters they have created. Yinka Shonibare MBE, Cindy Sherman and Paul McCarthy are featured.