Divided in five parts, 'The Art of Influence' registers fifteen artists' impressions on the life and work of other artists that influenced them. Part one 'Performers on Performers' covers Salerno-Sonnenberg's opinions on Maria Callas, and Cassandra Wilson's on Miles Davis. In part two 'Ways of Seeing', Fuentes talks about Luis Buñuel, Iturbide about Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Frankenthaler about Jackson Pollock, and Jackie Chan about Bruce Lee's films, Buster Keaton's stunts, Charles Chaplin's humor, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Sylvester Stallone. Part three 'Breaking the Silence' is dedicated to Fugard's admiration for Bertolt Brecht, and Oe's for Günter Grass. Choreographers Marin and Jones reflect on the influences of, respectively, Samuel Beckett and Marcel Proust, in part four 'Choreographers on Writers'.