You are here:

Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself

Name: Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself
Director: Jill Nicholls
Released: 2016
Duration: 67 min

Representation Score

5.0/10

Fair

2016

TV-14

Director

Jill Nicholls

Runtime

67 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

This documentary effectively showcases the individual ability to act of Georgia O'Keeffe against the backdrop of historical social norms. Its primary strength lies in the portrayal of gendered subversion, presenting a woman as the central architect of her own reality rather than a secondary figure. While the film is limited by its historical context regarding racial and LGBTQ+ breadth, it still offers a meaningful progressive reading of O'Keeffe's life. Ultimately, the film succeeds in highlighting how a single artist can navigate and challenge the hierarchies of her era through creative and personal autonomy.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film explores the complex relationship between Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz, touching on the scandalous nature of their intimacy. However, it does not explicitly focus on non-straight relationships.

How does Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself portray gender?

Excellent

Georgia O'Keeffe is portrayed as a strong figure who successfully navigated and disrupted a male-dominated art establishment. She refused to conform to traditional domesticity and instead chose an independent, self-determined life.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself?

Limited

The human representation is largely homogeneous, focusing on the white-dominated art world of the period. The film reflects the demographic reality of the subject's immediate social and professional circles.

How does Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative highlights O'Keeffe's move towards a solitary, nature-focused existence, which contrasts with traditional Western social institutions and conventional societal structures.

Does Georgia O'Keeffe: By Myself include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that drive the narrative arc.

Present on Screen

Strong depiction of female independence and intellectual dominance.
Effective challenge to early 20th-century gender hierarchies.
Highlights O'Keeffe's pursuit of an independent, self-determined life.

Limited or Absent

Limited racial and ethnic diversity within the historical context.
No explicit focus on non-straight relationships.
Homogeneous representation of the professional art world.

Official Synopsis

On the brink of the Depression in 1929, Georgia O'Keeffe - America's first great modernist painter - headed west. In the bright light of the New Mexico desert, she forged an independent life and found the solitude she needed for her truly original art. The photographs taken of her by her older lover scandalized the public. Her flower forms were seen as a shocking and vibrant display of femininity, her bones and skulls as surreal and disturbing. Now, 30 years after her death, to coincide with a major Tate Modern show, imagine - tells the story of Georgia O'Keeffe, one of the most inspiring artists ever.

How are these scores produced? →