"Caroline Woolard's Floating Possibility," a film by Art21 Summer of Shorts: Ten New Films in Ten Weeks Premiering on Art21.org every Friday through August 4 Art21 premieres its eighth film from Summer of Shorts, a dynamic ten-week roll-out of exclusive new short films documenting the life and work of the most compelling contemporary artists working today: Meriem Bennani, Jordan Casteel, Stan Douglas, Theaster Gates, Liz Larner, Aki Sasamoto, Avery Singer, Jeff Wall, Chris Ware, and Caroline Woolard. Summer of Shorts continues today with a new film from Art21's New York Close Up series featuring artist Caroline Woolard. WATCH ART21'S LATEST FILM: Caroline Woolard's Floating Possibility Through August 4, a new film will premiere at noon every Friday on Art21.org as well as on the Art21 YouTube channel. What if the ocean was your studio? Artist Caroline Woolard and a group of collaborators embark on Carried on Both Sides, a research-based sculptural project that reimagines the past and future of a once ubiquitous object, the Roman amphora. With extensive underwater photography, the film follows the artists from UrbanGlass in Brooklyn to Rockaway Beach in Queens as they experiment with their own contemporary glass amphorae, taking the ancient vessels back to the seas where they originally travelled. Preoccupied with today’s economic globalism, Woolard found a strong political and formal resonance in the amphora (originally meaning “carried on both sides”)—a two-handled vessel that was used to transport goods from conquered subjects to the Roman imperial center. Digging further into the object’s history, Woolard discovered that the “@” symbol we use in email addresses and social media handles originated as a symbol for amphora itself. Collaborating with artists and master glassblowers Helen Lee and Alexander Rosenberg, and fashion designer Lika Volkova, Woolard pushed this conceptually rich research into material expression, creating a variety of globular glass amphorae and testing them on the Rockaway shoreline. With plans to exhibit the project as a website, short film, and series of sculptural works at Lesley Heller Workspace in New York City, the artist-collaborators are still exploring the links between ancient commerce and digital connectivity. “It’s interesting to think about the twentieth century imperative to produce, as compared to the twenty-first century imperative to communicate. So where will we go next?” asks Woolard. “What if the imperative to communicate is, in the future, an imperative to rest?” Summer of Shorts Premiere Schedule Friday, June 2 - Available Now! Avery Singer (New York Close Up) Friday, June 9 - Available Now! Theaster Gates (Extended Play) Friday, June 16 - Available Now!  Jordan Casteel (New York Close Up) Friday, June 23 - Available Now! Meriem Bennani (New York Close Up) Friday, June 30 - Available Now! Jeff Wall (Extended Play) Friday, July 7 - Available Now! Stan Douglas (Extended Play) Friday, July 14 - Available Now! Aki Sasamoto (New York Close Up) Friday, July 21 - Available Now! Caroline Woolard (New York Close Up) Friday, July 28 Liz Larner (Extended Play) Friday, August 4 Chris Ware (Extended Play) Spread across two original Art21 web series, New York Close Up and Extended Play, viewers will have intimate access to artists’ studios, and witness the creative process of artists firsthand. From the Extended Play Series The Extended Play digital series is a refreshed take on Art21's longest-running digital series, formerly called Exclusive. Five new films will premiere during Summer of Shorts, featuring artists: Stan Douglas, Theaster Gates, Liz Larner, Jeff Wall, and Chris Ware. From the New York Close Up Series The New York Close Up digital series introduces five additional artists to the series roster through new films: Meriem Bennani, Jordan Casteel, Aki Sasamoto, Avery Singer, and Raúl de Nieves (whose first film premiered in April). A new film featuring Caroline Woolard will also premiere during Summer of Shorts. Digital Extras Summer of Shorts programming will extend across Art21 digital platforms, including Instagram takeovers by New York Close Up artist Tommy Hartung, as well as thematic and guest-contributed playlists featuring films from the ever-expanding Art21 Library. Keep up with Summer of Shorts by joining Art21 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Credits New York Close Up is supported, in part, by The Lambent Foundation; public funds from the New YorkCity Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; VIA Art Fund; and by individual contributors.