The Downtown Festival: ART/New York & 3 Downtown Artists + Q&A

In collaboration with Paul Tschinkel’s Art/New York: 3 DOWNTOWN ARTISTS – Robert Mapplethorpe, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Nan Goldin

 Presented in collaboration with Paul Tschinkel’s pioneering video series ART/new york, this program brings together rare archival portraits of three artists who helped define the visual culture of downtown New York. Through interviews, exhibition footage, and intimate documentation, the program traces the work and lives of Robert Mapplethorpe, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Nan Goldin at pivotal moments in their careers.

A 1982 studio interview captures a 21-year-old Basquiat on Crosby Street as he discusses his process, persona, and rapid ascent through the New York art world. Mapplethorpe is seen in a 1983 interview from his downtown loft, speaking candidly about the ideas, relationships, and charged subject matter behind a body of work that transformed contemporary photography. The program also revisits Goldin’s celebrated 1996 Whitney Museum retrospective, which brought together more than 25 years of photographs documenting her friends, lovers, and the alternative cultures of New York, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo, and beyond.

Together, these films form an extraordinary record of three singular artists whose work emerged from, documented, and permanently altered the cultural landscape of downtown New York.

Screening followed by a conversation between director and producer Paul Tschinkel, art historian and curator Marc H. Miller, moderated by filmmaker and founder & director of The Downtown Festival Rebekah Sherman-Myntti

ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL:
The Downtown Festival is a multidisciplinary celebration of independent film, music, art, and culture held across Lower Manhattan each October. Founded and directed by filmmaker Rebekah Sherman-Myntti, the festival brings together artists across disciplines and generations through film premieres, anniversary screenings, live music performances, artist talks, and special one-night-only events. Programming is led by Sherman-Myntti and Associate Director Briana Bursten, with a focus on discovery, experimentation, community, and genuine artist-to-artist exchange. The festival’s film program runs October 9-18 at Roxy Cinema, with additional programming and special events taking place all over downtown.