Anyone who values the contribution of this examination of a moment near the birth of hip hop and graffiti culture will be familiar with the players that chalfant and. His photographs, along with the 1983 film he coproduced with tony silver, style wars, and the essential 1984 photography book, subway art, coauthored with. Directed by tony silver and produced by tony silver and henry chalfant, style wars is an indispensable documentary that captured nyc street culture in the beginning of the 1980s. Style wars introduces young artists struggling to express themselves through their art, and their points of view on the subject of graffiti.
Transit, 19771987 catalog, and mention on the exhibition website as a backer. A new project to preserve the additional footage please support the kickstarter fundraiser. In 1983, chalfant coproduced the pbs documentary style wars, the seminal documentary. Directed by tony silver and henry chalfant, style wars was originally made for pbs in 1983. Through the eyes of several renowned artists, the film reveals how the street art movement has progressed and why its become so attractive to the public and the art world at large. In style wars, new yorks ramshackle subway system is their public playground, battleground, and spectacular artistic canvas. Simon schluter i was just doing it because it was fun, it wasnt. The film is considered the indispensable document of new york street culture of the early 80s, the record on film of a golden age of youthful creativity that exploded into. Transit, 19771987 september 25, 2019 march 8, 2020 is the first major retrospective of photographer and filmmaker henry chalfant b. Henry chalfant style wars, spraycan art, subway art patti astor fun gallery, ny eric brugier brugierrigail gallery jay jamil international art seller yannick boesso urban art fair, paris, ny arnaud oliveux artcurial, paris learn more. The producer of the legendary film on its making, and why street art shouldnt be a. Transit, 19771987 through march 8 at the bronx museum of the arts, 1040 grand concourse. Chalfant coproduced the pbs documentary, style wars, the definitive documentary about graffiti and.
Chalfant had already documenting the new york graffiti crews of. The film explores the definition, history, culture, and social impact of new yorks summer bball scene, widely recognized as the worldwide mecca of the sport. He and martha cooper spent a huge amount of time photographing nyc subways, and their hard work is well documented on the 2nd dvd which contains 32 artist galleries and a. Chalfant helped create a documentary about the roots of hiphop culture called style wars, which won an award at the sundance film festival. He became one of the foremost authorities on new york subway art and other aspects of urban youth culture.
Henry chalfant, producer of the seminal graffiti documentary style wars, is in melbourne to speak at the carbon festival. The definitive book to go along with style wars is subway art by henry chalfant who also produced style wars. Interviews with the first graffiti generation from dortmund, berlin and frankfurt. Many of chalfant s photos, on view in the exhibit, show teenagers being creative and playing on the streets, with. The film has an focus on graffiti, although bboying and rapping are covered to a lesser extent. One of the foremost authorities on new york subway art. Henry chalfant s big graffiti archive is a work of visual anthropology and one of the seminal documents of american popular in beirut december 2010 my wife kathy and i were invited to american university beirut last week. The documentary shows both young artists struggling to express themselves through their art, examines their points of view on the subject of graffiti, as well as the views of. A documentary that exposes the rich growing subculture of hiphop that was developing in new york city in the late 70s and early 80s, specifically focusing on graffiti art and breakdancing. The henry chalfant art vs transit 19771987 exhibit depicts the emergence of graffiti art in the bronx through photographs shot by the visual anthropologist. Even if youre vaguely familiar, however, the display cases set up between the photocovered walls might function like a memory jolt. Henry chalfant s graffiti archive is a work of visual anthropology and one of the seminal documents of american popular culture in the late twentieth century. Over 70 minutes of never before seen extras including. The urban landscape was physically transformed by graffiti artists who invented a new visual language to express both their individuality, and the voice of their community.
Style wars is regarded as the indispensable document of new york street culture of the early 80s, the filmic record of a golden age of youthful creativity that exploded into the world from a city in crisis. When henry chalfant moved to new york city in 1973, the stanfordeducated sculptor found cheap studio space in a declining city, and. In the fall of 1983, pbs premiered style wars, a documentary that chronicled new york citys youth culture, focusing in. About henry chalfant starting out as a sculptor in new york in the 1970s, chalfant turned to photography and film to do an indepth study of hiphop culture and graffiti art. Henry chalfant style wars collection, the writers bench. This exhibition displays 150 of chalfant s photographs of graffiticovered subway cars, many of which will be exhibited for the first time. Featuring a brand new hd transfer from the original 16mm print. Style wars is one of the first documentaries produced on hip hop culture, shot by tony silver and henry chalfant in new york city in 1983. Ten days on the west bank, based on his visit to the occupied territories in 2000. Directed by tony silver and produced by tony silver and henry chalfant, it was awarded the grand prize for documentaries at the 1983 sundance film festival. A special exhibition poster, a digital copy of style wars, one henry chalfant. Henry chalfant style wars received the grand prize for documentaries at the 1983 sundance film festival.
I have included a youtube link to the full original 1983 film and deleted scenes at the. Style wars holds tremendous value as evidence of an extremely influential time period in the history of new york city. A documentary exploration of the subculture of new yorks young graffiti writers and break dancers, showing their activities and aspirations and the social and aesthetic controversies surrounding new. Chalfant coproduced the pbs documentary, style wars, the definitive documentary about graffiti and hip hop culture and directed flyin cut sleeves. He has been married to kathleen chalfant since 1966. Bronx museum launches kickstarter to support a graffiti. Henry chalfant was born on january 2, 1940 in sewickley, pennsylvania, usa as henry chalfant jr. Story by yanibel fernandez the exhibit, at the bronx museum of the arts, is curated by the spanish graffiti artist suso 33, who previously has hosted other exhibits of henry chalfant.
Style wars producer henry chalfant offers panoramic. Inside the 80s graffiti doc style wars the producer of the legendary film on its making, and why street art shouldnt be a crime. Pickup basketball, nyc is an independent documentary directed by bobbito garcia and kevin couliau. More than a document of new york street culture of the early 80s, it positions the messiahs of graffiti and bboy culture at the opposing end of a battle with mayor edward koch, the police, and the new york transit authority. Starting out as a sculptor in new york in the 1970s, henry chalfant turned to photography and film to do an indepth study of hiphop culture and graffiti art. The film has an emphasis on graffiti, although bboying and rapping are covered to a lesser extent. Style wars is an american 1983 documentary film on hip hop culture and its american roots, directed by tony silver and produced in collaboration with henry chalfant.
The bronx museum of the arts is pleased to announce henry chalfant. Style war train by noc167, photographed by henry chalfant, 1981. As mcs, djs and bboys rock the city with new sounds and new moves, we see street corner breakdance battles turn into performance art. Style wars is a 1983 documentary on the hip hop culture in new york. Directed by tony silver and produced by tony silver and henry chalfant, style wars was awarded the grand prize for documentaries at the 1983 sundance film festival. The original artworks depicted here, which have been the inspiration and guide for thousands of youthful artists around the world, were never able to endure for long before the city. Style wars is regarded as the indispensable document of new york street culture of the early 80s, the filmic record of a golden age of youthful creativity that exploded into the world. When henry chalfant moved to new york city in 1973, the stanfordeducated sculptor found cheap studio space in a declining city, and compelling, clandestine art on the subway to soho.
Style wars is an early documentary on hip hop culture, made by tony silver and henry chalfant. Style wars pelicula completa, ver online y descargar. Henry chalfants graffiti archives are a work of visual anthropology and one of the seminal documents of. Henry chalfant style wars collection home facebook. Best known for his graffiti and hip hop documentation, style wars, subway art, spraycan art, and other projects. Subway photographer henry chalfants photos of 70s and. Eric firestone loft is pleased to present henry chalfant. Krsone when director tony silver and coproducer henry chalfant. Tony silver and henry chalfant s pbs documentary tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in new york in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Style wars producer henry chalfant on the making of the doc, and why public art shouldnt be illegal. Henry chalfant born january 2, 1940 is an american photographer and videographer most. X art highlights the work of street artists which often contain strong social and political messages. Anybody who wants to understand what hip hop is all about needs to see a movie called style wars.
It is a time capsule which accurately documents the vocal defenses of the writers who found themselves vilified by the leaders of the cityincluding mayor ed koch. Here you find the collection of photos and limited edition nyc train collection. Among chalfants other films are flyin cut sleeves, a documentary about bronx street gang leaders in the 1970s and visit palestine. On july 28th, oscars outdoors, in collaboration with kcrw, are hosting a 30th anniversary screening of the film, with mear one, chalfant, and l. Recognized as one of the most significant documentarians of subway art, chalfant s photographs and films immortalized this ephemeral art form from its bronxborn beginnings, helping to. Cult films like charlie ahearns wild style 1982, henry chalfant s style wars 1984 and beat street 1984 by harry belafonte switched on a generation of young germans to breakdance and hiphop culture. Directed by tony silver, coproduced by tony silver and henry chalfant. In 1983, chalfant coproduced the pbs documentary style wars, the seminal documentary about graffiti and hip hop culture. If youre completely ignorant of all this, in order to bridge that gap fully, youll just have to check out style wars, the 1983 documentary on hiphop, break dancing, and graffiti that chalfant codirected with tony silver.