Jacob Kainen was one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, not only as an accomplished and lauded painter and printmaker, but as an academic and important curator. Often forsaking his own career to mentor and teach dozens of artists who saw major successes, it is now time to showcase Jacob’s extraordinary life and art to a wider audience and a new generation.

A short documentary film is currently in production, and will be released in November 2024. Spearheaded by the Jacob Kainen Art Trust, in association with Hemphill Artworks, and curators Jonathan F. Walz (The Columbus Museum) and Seth Feman (Frist Art Museum), the film is being produced by Jon Gann at Reel Plan, and directed by award-winning documentarian Mark Covino.

While the seed funds for the film have been raised, more money is needed to see the film through. Obtaining rights to use images, video, and part of the Smithsonian’s archives is an expensive endeavor. The production plans on filming experts, art historians, friends, family, and some of the artists Jacob mentored. With every dollar raised, we are able to film more people. All of the raw footage will be archived with the Trust for future researchers and historians.

Please consider an IRS-approved tax-deductible donation to the project through our fiscal sponsor Women in Film & Video. For your generosity, you may choose to receive the following benefits:

To make a tax-deductible donation through Women in Film & Video, simply click the button below. Or if you prefer to make a donation directly to the Jacob Kainen Art Trust, please send an email to Teresa Grana at teresa.grana39@gmail.com.