If you like a side of street cred with your art, look no further than H street this weekend: Dissident Display Gallery is launching its fall ‘07 program by presenting photographs by Director / Photographer and hip hop legend Charlie Ahearn.
And why is Charlie Ahearn a hip hop legend: Well, circa 1982, he wrote, directed, and produced a small, independent movie starring legendary New York graffiti artist Lee Quinones as Zoro, the city’s hottest and most elusive graffiti writer that took the world by storm and has since screened in Cannes, Tokyo, and Times Square.
The movie was called “Wild Style” and is widely considered the first ever hip-hop movie.
It was the first film to unite the underground urban art forms of nascent hip hop culture, DJing, MCing, b-boying, and graff writing.
The film was shot on location in the South Bronx. And is filled with the kind of imagery street art dreams are made of:
great subway shots, breakdancing, freestyle MCing and rare footage of one of the godfathers of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash, pulling off an awesome scratch-mix set on a pair of ancient turntables.
Anyhoo, here we are in 2007, twenty-five years after it’s release, Wild Style has earned cult status,and has a rabid following among everyone who has any interest in street art/culture.
now on…
Wild Style: The Exhibition
The exhibition will consist primarily of 15-20 color photographs taken by Charlie Ahearn and colleagues Martha Cooper and Cathy Campbell that depict the process and experiences making the film Wild Style. Presented in conjunction with the photo exhibition will be a mini-documentary video. This documentary produced by Dissident Display, features exclusive interviews with Charlie Ahearn, Busy Bee, Whipper Whip and comments from adoring fans of the film.
Additionally: a commemorative mural will be painted by local artist Tim Conlon on the floor and walls of the gallery
Wild Style: The Exhibition and Book Signing
Opens September 14, 2007 from 7pm-12midnight
416 H Street NE. Washington, DC 20002
