muse: CLAYTON PATTERSON – Photographer and NYC Legend!

dude has been photographing and videotaping the downtown scene before it became plagued with chain stores and high rise condominiums. before it was safe to have lunch or walk your doggy in THOMPKINS SQUARE PARK, because the homeless and junkies lived there in tents.

the NYC we all know and love wasn’t always so clean and safe as we know it today (although, due to the economy, i have a feeling things are about to get ugly all over again). there was something so pure and beautiful about that time, i’m addicted.

anyways, check out the trailer for the documentary about him: CAPTURED. done by my friends BEN and DAN. the film is brilliant.

“Since 1979 Clayton Patterson has dedicated his life to documenting the final era of raw creativity and lawlessness in New York City’s Lower East Side, a neighborhood famed for art, music and revolutionary minds. Traversing the outside edge he’s recorded a dark and colorful society, from drag to hardcore, heroin, homelessness, political chaos and ultimately gentrification. His odyssey from voyeur to provocateur reveals that it can take losing everything you love to find your own significance.”

February 26, 2009 • Tags: , , • Posted in: BLOG

7 Responses to “muse: CLAYTON PATTERSON – Photographer and NYC Legend!”

  1. JazzamatazzLDN - February 26th, 2009

    wow!

  2. Jenn - February 27th, 2009

    He’s a ledge!

    Thanks for putting me on.

    As lawless as the video depcits old skool L.E.S to be, looks like it would have been a great time to be a creative in the area. So much inspiration.

    Thank goodness for people like Mr Clayton.

    As late as it may be, its kinda inspiring me to do the same for my neighbourhood here in London.

    Nice post :)

  3. dave - February 27th, 2009

    its unfortunate that you werent around to actually live in nyc and experience this time.. nyc used to be so raw.. its kinda funny that your suppose to represent downtown nyc scene yet your not even from here LOL.. atleast your trying to revive it unlike all the ppl who destroyed it :)

  4. J.scott?! - March 1st, 2009

    LOL @ me lurking behind clayton on the left ahahaha

    we screened this back at the wreck center
    such an awesome film

  5. YOUNG KING SOLOMON - March 3rd, 2009

    GOOD LOOKS V!
    CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE
    http://WWW.CAPTUREDMOVIE.COM

  6. Attorney Street: Looking Forward To Cats Sharkin' Our Steez Since A Really Long Time Ago - March 12th, 2009

    [...] snatchies! [...]

  7. clayton - March 17th, 2009

    Captured one time screening @ Hardware Collective 169 Bowery
    Monday March 30th 8 o’clock $5.00

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