Season 1
Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: Jun 9, 2010
Bravo brings color to the creative competition landscape in a new series that assembles fourteen of the art world's most talented, up-and-coming artists where they will compete for a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum and a cash prize of $100,000. Equipped with self-portraits, the artists size up their competition and are randomly put into pairs for their first elimination challenge. They learn that after only one night together, their mission is to create a piece of art that captures the essence of a fellow competitor. Host and judge China Chow, alongside series judges Bill Powers, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, and Jerry Saltz, must determine who makes the cut and who is not "The Next Great Artist."
Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: Jun 16, 2010
For their second challenge, the artists are taken to an appliance graveyard filled with televisions, toaster ovens, and an array of broken electronics. Using the trash heap as their canvas, the artists are charged with transforming one man's trash into another man's piece of art. Renowned mixed-media sculptor Jon Kessler joins the judging panel.
Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: Jun 23, 2010
The contestants meet the President and Publisher from one of the largest book publishers in the world, who guides them through the impressive history of the marriage of art and literature. For their elimination challenge, the artists are charged with creating innovative cover art for a classic novel. Jonathan Santlofer, New York author and internationally recognized artist, sits on the judging panel to determine which winning cover will be put into production and which artist will go home.
Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: Jun 30, 2010
The artists are challenged to create a piece that is shocking and memorable, and speaks to issues that are important to them personally. An originator of provocative and controversial imagery, acclaimed photographer Andres Serrano serves as guest judge.
Episode: 1x05 | Airdate: Jul 7, 2010
The contestants are given a fleet of cars and told to drive them through New York City. An artist's city often serves as a source of inspiration, and for their elimination challenge, the artists must create a piece of work that is reflective of their experience driving through the streets of Manhattan. Richard Phillips, known for his hyper-realistic paintings, serves as guest judge.
Episode: 1x06 | Airdate: Jul 14, 2010
The remaining artists are challenged to create a large-scale, outdoor installation piece. The artists must put egos aside and collaborate effectively in order to create a public art masterpiece in just two days. The challenge culminates in a public viewing; complete with guest judge Yvonne Force Villareal, president and co-founder of the Art Production Fund.
Episode: 1x07 | Airdate: Jul 21, 2010
The artists find themselves in the Children's Museum of the Arts, filled with finger paint portraits and crayon collections. Their challenge is to create a work that is symbolic of the moment their artistic expression began, using only kid friendly materials to create an adult masterpiece. Will Cotton, an oil painter known for his surreal, childlike landscapes, serves as guest judge.
Episode: 1x08 | Airdate: Jul 28, 2010
The artists are paired and must create works about opposing forces: Heaven and Hell, Male and Female, Order and Chaos. New York artist notorious for his graphic paintings, Ryan McGinnes, sits on the judging panel.
Episode: 1x09 | Airdate: Aug 4, 2010
The remaining five artists head out of bustling New York City to the quiet refuge of a nature preserve. Here they are invited to draw inspiration from their surroundings -- exploring the landscape and gathering natural materials to incorporate into their piece. Michele Oka Doner, who specializes in creating art based on nature, serves as guest judge.
Episode: 1x10 | Airdate: Aug 11, 2010
The remaining four artists head out of bustling New York City to the quiet refuge of a nature preserve. Here they are invited to draw inspiration from their surroundings -- exploring the landscape and gathering natural materials to incorporate into their piece. Michele Oka Doner, who specializes in creating art based on nature, serves as guest judge.
Season 2
Episode: 2x01 | Airdate: Oct 12, 2011
Fourteen of the art world's up-and-coming artists come together to compete for $100,000 and a solo exhibit at the world renowned Brooklyn Museum on the second season of "Work of Art." For their first challenge, the artists must use pieces of "bad" art, such as a painting of dogs playing checkers, a velvet cowboy, and a sculptural golden peacock as their canvas. Mentor Simon de Pury explains that in order to reach the top of the art world, they have to start at the bottom. Series judges China Chow, Jerry Saltz and Bill Powers will be looking for the artist that distinguishes themselves from the group by turning their abomination into a masterpiece. Renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark serves as the guest judge.
Episode: 2x02 | Airdate: Oct 19, 2011
For their second challenge, the artists must use Parkour, a discipline where participants overcome obstacles using only their bodies to move from point A to point B in the most creative and inventive way possible, as their inspiration. Esteemed curator and owner of Salon94 gallery in New York City, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn returns to the panel as a guest judge.
Episode: 2x03 | Airdate: Oct 26, 2011
Andy Warhol summed up a generation of consumerism and launched the POP art movement with a painting of a Campbell's soup can. For this challenge, the contestants must create a piece of POP art that captures the popular culture of their time, as effectively as Warhol did. Celebrity culture, music and reality TV are all fair game. This week the stakes are high, as the winning artist will receive a full page spread in Entertainment Weekly. Internationally renowned contemporary artist Rob Pruitt joins the judging panel.
Episode: 2x04 | Airdate: Nov 2, 2011
The remaining artists find that their workspaces have been turned into a kid's art classroom, complete with colorful art adorning the walls and mini artists in each of their stations. In the spirit of youthful imagination, artists are challenged to create a piece of art inspired by the original artwork of the child they are paired with. Actress, Executive Producer and member of the President's Committee of the Arts and Humanities, Sarah Jessica Parker guest judges.
Episode: 2x05 | Airdate: Nov 9, 2011
In the fifth episode, the contestants are invited to visit the home of one of the most recognized publications in the world - The New York Times. The artists must rummage through bins of newspapers to find a headline that strikes a chord with them and are then challenged to create a piece of art that illustrates the story they selected. The winning artist will have their work hung in the New York Times building. Artist Adam McEwen, best known for his text paintings, serves as guest judge.
Episode: 2x06 | Airdate: Nov 16, 2011
The remaining artists are challenged to leave their mark on New York with a work that embodies the subversion of street art. Randomly paired, each team's canvas is a brick building's wall in DUMBO, Brooklyn, where they will install their art under the cover of night. After working through the day and night, they reveal their final piece to the public. Legendary street artists Lee Quinones is the guest judge.
Episode: 2x07 | Airdate: Nov 30, 2011
The artists must utilize one automobile component from a Fiat 500 and transform it into a piece of art. From utilizing the engine block, being inspired by the facade, or even using the leather seating as a canvas, the contestants have total artistic freedom. Performance artist and automotive designer Liz Cohen joins as guest judge.
Episode: 2x08 | Airdate: Dec 7, 2011
Simon takes the artists on a field trip through the streets of New York City. After turning a corner, a row of empty tables and easels is revealed -- one for each artist. In the ultimate battle of commerce vs. "high art," the artists will work in teams to create a minimum of one piece of art that they must sell to the public, but that is also worthy of presenting in a gallery show the following day. The winner of the challenge will receive a cash prize; in addition to keeping the money they earned selling their work(s). Jeanne Greenberg-Rohaytn returns to the judging panel this week.
Episode: 2x09 | Airdate: Dec 14, 2011
China and Simon take the remaining artists out of their comfort zone, to a quaint town in the Hudson Valley. The artists wander the streets, meet the locals and seek inspiration from a slower-paced lifestyle. They are instructed to create an undated version of Americana using only materials sourced from the town.
Episode: 2x10 | Airdate: Dec 21, 2011
The final contestants have been sent home to prepare a full solo exhibition. Climaxing in a large-scale gala opening at the Brooklyn Museum, the finalists present their collections to the judging panel to determine who will be "The Next Great Artist."