Black White + Gray

Legendary curator Sam Wagstaff, famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and punk rock’s “poet laureate” Patti Smith depict New York’s grand collision of art, fashion, music and clublife in the 70s and 80s.

Yale-educated and born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Sam Wagstaff was a world away from the mean streets of Queens that spawned Robert Mapplethorpe.  But the pair collided in the heady sex-drenched days of 70s New York - a place where the rich and fabulous danced and drugged their way through the rancid heart of the city.

Black White and Gray is a thoughtful, acid-tinged account of an extraordinary couple whose collective work continues to influence present-day art and culture. Narrated by Joan Juliet Buck, the documentary features a who's who of the 1970s New York art world including Dominick Dunne, Patti Smith and Philippe Garner. 

Official Selection Seattle International Film Festival 2007
Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2008

Director James Crump
USA, 2007, 72 min

Short film, Tommy directed by Tora Mårtens will open this screening.