Presented in partnership with Visible: Barry Jenkins and Mark Friedberg discuss the symbolism of art in “If Beale Street Could Talk” and how art imitates truth in everyday life.

Jenkins' favorite shot in “If Beale Street Could Talk” features a 360º shot of Fonny inspecting the oblique wooden sculpture he's working on. The sourcing behind the art in the film turned out to be an exception “easter egg” in the film. The sculpture is made by Baltimore artist Valerie Maynard; it turns out she was friends with James Baldwin, and likely the inspiration behind the presence of art and a few plot lines in Jenkins' adaptation. This discovery made by Mark Freidberg proves that art is truth.

This video, "Barry Jenkins & Mark Friedberg On 'If Beale Street Could Talk' ", first appeared on
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