Weekly artist series: Week 6 Part 2 DOWNTOWN 81 #Basquiat #arttherapy

Week 6 Part 2 JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT

Downtown 81 (a.k.a New York Beat Movie), shot in 1980-1981, was directed by Edo Bertoglio, written and produced by Glenn O’Brien with post-production in 1999-2000 by Maripol, It is a rare real-life snapshot of ultra-hip subculture of post-punk era Manhattan. Starring Jean-Michel Basquiat and featuring such early Village artists as James Chance, Amos Poe, Walter Steding, and Tav Falco, the film is a bizarre elliptical urban fairytale. [source]

Watch the film and immerse yourself in the sounds. Basquiat used the city as his canvas.

Take snapshots of your downtown. I work on the Downtown Eastside, so I’ll take photos there.

Write for 10 minutes, just letting words come as you look at your snapshots, listen to the movie soundtrack and just let out what comes out onto paper. Tomorrow we will use these words.