Left to right: William "GoodWill" Ellis, Kamau Ware
The Black Gotham Experience is an immersive visual storytelling project founded in 2010 that celebrates the impact of the African Diaspora on New York City. Black Gotham is a real and imagined place, an expansive public experience that includes interactive walking tours through Manhattan’s Financial District, a developing series of photography-based graphic novels, and a web series, weaving together art, research, fashion and entertainment. The heart of this experience are three stories that revisit Manhattan in 1623 and move forward through the next three centuries: Other Side of Wall Street, Caesar’s Rebellion, and Citizen Hope. Black Gotham Experience has won awards and grants from Columbia University’s History in Action Project and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
During this stoop event, Kamau Ware will share the historic and creative process behind the graphic novel, and creative partner William “GoodWill” Ellis will join the conversation during the audience Q&A. RSVP here.
PLEASE NOTE WHEN RSVP'ING:
* Admittance is still first come, first serve (whether you have RSVP'ed or not).
* The Stoop has a limited capacity and seating is NOT guaranteed.
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Bios:
Kamau Ware is a multidimensional creative blending complementary yet disparate disciplines as an Artist/ Historian. He is best known for his flagship storytelling project, Black Gotham Experience (BGX), a visual storytelling project founded in 2010 that celebrates the impact of the African Diaspora on New York City through a series of walking tours and graphic novels. Kamau’s Black Gotham Experience has been recognized by The Atlantic and The New York Times, Columbia University’s History in Action Project Award and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Ware has also received prominent commissions, including a public art display in New York City’s Financial District. Recent engagements include the American Association for State and Local History Annual Meeting in Austin, TX and the New Museum’s Ideas City in New York, NY.
William “GoodWill” Ellis is an experience curator, DJ, digital marketer, event planner, art director and above all else, an artist. He fuses his love of community, music and art to create visceral experiences for his audiences and clients. These events range from curating exhibitions at art galleries, multisensory museum experiences, online campaigns, destination retreats, private functions and live music performances. With deep Caribbean ancestry, William was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York but his creative influences span the globe. A myriad of influences inspire his unique ability to blend various genres of art forms and mediums to cohesively form a universally accessible but eclectic style. GoodWill leverages his twenty five years of experience in multi-disciplined art forms to conceptualize, organize, promote and design marketing elements for events. He has created memories for domestic and international audiences alike including the American Black Film Festival in Miami and the Independence Day Celebration in Portugal. He has founded a number of institutional experiences including Tunnel Vision, a monthly cultural celebration in DUMBO NYC and Brooklyn Magic, a music and arts festival powered by the 46 year running International African Arts Festival in Brooklyn NY. He is also the Founder and Co-CEO of Pure Magic, an event coordination company which produces everything from festivals to corporate gatherings.
BRIC’s Stoop Series welcomes audiences for dynamic conversations that connect art, performance, media, and other creative fields with big ideas that are important to Brooklynites. The Stoop Series highlights voices we don’t hear enough, creative solutions that deserve more attention, artistic endeavors that make you see the world differently, and tools for enhancing your own creativity.
Venue Information:
The Stoop at BRIC House is a public cultural gathering space featuring free, drop-in programming, and offering a place to sit, observe, and participate in multi-disciplinary work.
Beginning Nov. 1, 2022, attendees of any BRIC House programming will no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the building. Masks are encouraged but not required in all BRIC operated spaces. If you have questions regarding this protocol, please email Safety@bricartsmedia.org