American Graffiti's History, Evolution And Impact Examined And Explored Through Six Weeks Of Programming In "Write of Passage"

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, October 17th, American graffiti's history, evolution and impact will be examined through "Write of Passage," a six-week series of educational programming that explores the impact of American graffiti art on global culture. Curated by Sacha Jenkins, noted "Writing culture" historian (hence Write of Passage; "writer" is what the artists call themselves) and Mass Appeal, a cultural collective, Write of Passage will comprise of panels, workshops, screenings and public exhibitions that highlight the various creative turns "graffiti" has taken. Housed at Red Bull Studios New York, the programming will include legendary graffiti artists and influential figures including Jonathan Levine, Cost, Daze, KR and Greg "SP" Lamarche, fostering a much needed intelligent and critical dialog around graffiti, an often misunderstood and mischaracterized art form.

"Write of Passage" will immerse 12 hand-selected student-artists in an extraordinary program offering once in a lifetime interactions with graffiti legends. Participants have been selected in partnership with NYC at-risk youth organizations like "Paint Straight" and "Art Start NYC" alongside educational institutions such as, Parsons and School of Visual Arts.

Workshops will explore everything about "writing" from its evolution as a felonious act, to a six-figure gallery trade embraced by the commercial world, including its very recent role in public exhibitions in New York, by world-renowned street artist, Banksy. Exceptionally rare is the examination of the individuals who proliferated graffiti on the streets and those who sought its demise with discussions around today's increasingly harsh penalties and participation by retired members of NYPD's infamous Vandal Squad.

The programming will also feature a public art exhibit and installation celebrating graffiti's origins and influences including rare collaborative canvasses, vintage apparel and over 100 original graffiti artifacts.  Additionally, a mix of Subway artifacts, graffiti writer mementos, photography and influential artwork will hang alongside four interactive installation areas within the space.

"Graffiti—or what many of us call writing--is often misconstrued, denigrated or simply ignored by America's people and her institutions—both on the academic and fine arts side of things," says curator Sacha Jenkins. "Write of Passage will address this void through a historic set of programming that will bring together some of the craft's most influential figures in an effort to offer clarity, and to give the art and her apostles the credit and respect that it deserves."

For more information on Write of Passage workshops, panels and exhibition, please see below.
Panel Info/Schedule: www.massappeal.com/writeofpassage
Write of Passage Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cETGJvv44Mg
Write of Passage Media Photos: http://cl.ly/0S2k1G0A3s3P
Twitter and Instagram at @rbstudiosny

Location
Red Bull Studios New York
218 West 18th Street, NYC

Exhibition Times & Days
Saturdays, 1-5pm from October 19 – November 23

Workshop Itinerary – Available through invitation:

Thursday, October 17

• Wall Writers Screening: Graffiti in its Innocence screening with curator / author Roger Gastman
• Signature Analysis; Speakers: Rocky 184, Mike 171, Snake 1
• VS; Speakers: Steve Mona, Ket
• Shooting Galleries; Alan Bortman, Daze, Cope 2, Jonathan Levine
• Little Black Book: The Internet Before the Internet; Speakers: Ces, Keo, Serve,

Friday, October 18

• Shot in the Dark; Speakers: Henry Chalfant, Chino
• Graffiti Media; Speakers: Craig Costello, James Matthew, Sacha Jenkins
• Street Walkers: The Evolution and Friendly Merger Between Graffiti Culture and Street Art; Speakers: Stephen "Espo" Powers, COST
• Grafik Design; Speakers: Cey Adams and Haze

About Red Bull Studios New York
Red Bull Studios New York is a state-of-the-art gallery space, lecture hall, radio broadcast booth and recording studio that offers a blank canvas for provocative and thought-provoking ideas and serves as a resource for those who challenge convention.

About Mass Appeal
With a foundation in creative instigation, Mass Appeal magazine was spawned from the tattooed walls and ink stained subways of a now bygone era. Founded by Patrick Elasik (1979-2005) and Adrian Moeller in 1996, what began as a graffiti zine evolved into much more, a publication truly by and for opinion leaders, trendsetters, risk takers and rule breakers. With a rich heritage in hip hop culture, Mass Appeal is a nod to the past while discovering and championing what's next.

About Sacha Jenkins
Sacha Jenkins, a veteran of the publishing, music and television industries. Among his many accomplishments are the recent re-launch of the Mass Appeal brand, co-authorship of Eminem's The Way I Am biography with Marshall Mathers, and producing a highly-acclaimed series of fine art books under his own SHR Airlines imprint with Prestel. With these projects and more, it is clear to see that Jenkins' influence casts a wide cultural net. 

Jenkins spent a decade as an independent TV producer, creating original programs for networks such as MTV, VH1 and Cartoon Network. He also worked as editorial director of Mass Appeal magazine and as a music editor for Vibe. In the early days of his career, he wrote for Rolling Stone, was a writer-at-large for both Spin and Vibe while simultaneously publishing Ego Trip, a magazine dedicated to music and the politics of race.

SOURCE Red Bull Studios New York