FREE FILM : NYC - HARLEM
November 3rd - December 3rd
Neighborhood: Harlem
Partner: Brotherhood Sister Sol
Prompt: One Square Mile
Artist: Kevin Claiborne
FREE FILM : NYC follows the footsteps of the previous iterations as a meditation on community and local culture. The Airstream-darkroom will take up residency in a given neighborhood and distribute free rolls of film to the general public, and WORTHLESSSTUDIOS will partner with local community organizations and hold youth workshops where students will learn how to use a film camera, focus a lens and process and print film using professional equipment provided by FREE FILM. Over the course of the next year and a half, the project will make its way around New York to document each borough, neighborhood by neighborhood.
FREE FILM : NYC - HARLEM will be launching this November in collaboration with the Brotherhood Sister Sol. FREE FILM : NYC aims to document and catalog our communities and our city in new ways, by democratizing the documentation of our ever-shifting realities.
Photographer and multidisciplinary artist Kevin Claiborne will be our photographer in residence. Starting November 3rd, Kevin will teach a series of workshops and lead photowalks for the local youth around the neighborhood, as well as develop his own practice on the Airstream.
As part of the project, we invite photographers of all levels to participate by shooting photographs within the boundaries of the neighborhood as a response to the prompt “ONE SQUARE MILE.” From November 3rd to December 3rd, the Airstream-darkroom will distribute free rolls of black and white 35mm film to the general public. Participants can drop off their film at the main building of the Brotherhood Sister Sol or at the mailbox on the Airstream-darkroom 24/7 by December 3rd. WORTHLESSSTUDIOS and our darkroom partner Picturehouse + thesmalldarkroom will develop the film and send negatives to participants after the program is over.
The project kicks off on November 3rd, 2023, at the Johnny Hartman Plaza, located on W 143rd Street and Amsterdam Ave, from 12-4 PM at the FREE FILM : NYC - Harlem Opening Party and you are invited!
Public Programming Schedule
Friday, November 3rd. 12-4PM
FREE FILM : NYC - Harlem - Opening Party
Johnny Hartman Plaza, Amsterdam Ave and W 143rd St.
Pick up your roll of FREE FILM!
Photowalks
Sunday, November 12th, 1PM
Photowalk 1
Johnny Hartman Plaza, Amsterdam Ave and W 143rd St.
Saturday, November 25th, 1PM
Photowalk 2
Johnny Hartman Plaza, Amsterdam Ave and W 143rd St.
HOW IT WORKS
Step 1: When a new neighborhood is launched, photographers come pick up a roll and celebrate the kick off with WORTHLESSSTUDIOS wherever the Airstream darkroom is parked. Photographers fill out a sign-up form to join and film is given out on a first come, first served basis.
Step 2: Participating photographers have a month to shoot their roll of film on the prompt of “ONE SQUARE MILE” within the boundaries of the current neighborhood. Participants are asked to interpret the theme however they see fit.
Step 3: Once they have shot their film, participants return their roll of film (with their name written on it) by the deadline and fill out the return form to ensure their film is processed. There will be a drop location that can receive film at all times.
Step 4: WORTHLESSSTUDIOS will process all film and scans will be emailed FOR FREE to photographers, whether or not they choose to have their negatives returned. WORTHLESSSTUDIOS develops film and sends scans on a rolling basis so the sooner you return the sooner you get your scans.
Step 5: The images could be published into a hardcover book! FREE FILM : NYC will travel to multiple neighborhoods over the next 18 months distributing film on the same prompt phrase. Once all the neighborhoods are complete a selection of images from each neighborhood will be put together and published as a book like we’ve done for the last three iterations of the project.
Find out more about FREE FILM public events, workshops, and upcoming iterations by subscribing to the WORTHLESSSTUDIOS newsletter below.
Workshops
Monday, November 13th, 4-6PM
Workshop: Film Photo 101 (Middle School Class)
Wednesday, November 15th, 4-6PM
Workshop: Film Photo 101 (High School Class)
Monday, November 20th, 4-6PM
Workshop: Darkroom Printing (Middle School Class)
Wednesday, November 22nd, 4-6PM
Workshop: Darkroom Printing (High School Class)
about kevin claiborne
Kevin Claiborne is a multidisciplinary conceptual artist whose work examines intersections of identity, social environment, & mental health within the Black American experience. Moving between collage, silkscreen, photography, painting, and sculpture, while frequently using language as material, Claiborne is interested in finding new ways to look at history and its connection to the present. Claiborne holds a B.S. in Mathematics from the historically Black college North Carolina Central University (2012), an M.S. in Higher Education from Syracuse University (2016), and an MFA in Visual Arts from Columbia University (2021).
Claiborne is currently living and working in Harlem, New York City.
ABOUT BROSIS
With a focus on Black and Latinx youth, BroSis is where young people claim the power of their history, identity and community to build the future they want to see. Through unconditional love, around-the-clock support and wraparound programming, they make space for Black and Latinx young people to examine their roots, define their stories and awaken their agency.
Through their comprehensive educational programs, they’re helping young people develop a critical understanding of their history, identity and role in society. Together with their members, alumni, and partners, they’re building on a legacy of youth-led activism to realize a more just and equitable future. Through their innovative training models, they’re empowering educators and organizers to spark young agents of change across the nation. Founded and headquartered in Harlem, BroSis offers far-reaching opportunities for young people across the country to transform their lives and communities.