Se(a)ns of Art | Screening of Tony Silver's film "Style Wars"

About the event

Se(a)ns of Art 🎥 Screening of Tony Silver's film "Style Wars" 📍 Zachęta | cinema room (entrance from Burschego Street, up the stairs) 💰 5 PLN per person, registration required via the application form 📅 10.09 Wednesday, 6:00 PM Zachęta – National Gallery of Art Director Tony Silver captured the birth of hip-hop culture in the Bronx and Brooklyn neighborhoods of New York City. The film, focusing primarily on graffiti art, showcases young street artists who treat urban spaces – especially subway cars – as their canvas. At the same time, the documentary reveals the connections between graffiti and other pillars of the emerging subculture: breakdancing and rap music. "Style Wars" is not only a portrait of artistic rebellion but also a social story about young people seeking expression in a reality dominated by poverty, violence, and lack of prospects. The film presents both the perspective of the creators (including the legendary graffiti artist Seen) and city authorities, who view graffiti as an act of vandalism. In the background, classic 1980s hip-hop resonates, and the camera documents both the artists' struggles with the system and their passion, determination, and style. Today, "Style Wars" is considered an important testimony to early hip-hop and one of the most influential documentary films about 20th-century urban culture. The film was selected by Daria Kubilisz – coordinator of the Se(a)ns of Art film series. "My choice of this title is a conscious gesture to draw attention to art created outside institutions – on subways, walls, in everyday life spaces. 'Style Wars' captures the moment when grassroots actions began to shape the city's visual identity and became an integral part of contemporary culture. It's a film about rebellion, freedom, and the power of creation that redefines the boundaries between art and social reality." Se(a)ns of Art is an original film series organized by Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in collaboration with the Millennium Bank Foundation. The program consists of films selected by gallery staff that relate to art in various ways: through stories of artists and cultural institutions, as well as reflections on aesthetics, the social role of art, and its place in today's world. Thanks to the support of the Millennium Bank Foundation, tickets cost only 5 PLN. https://zacheta.art.pl/se-a-ns-sztuki-pokaz-filmu-style-wars