BEYOND THE FILM
Greaves saw his life’s work as consciousness raising on a societal scale; his mission was to “contribute to the redesign of the American psyche thru the social engineering agency of film and television.” By elevating the works and experiences of the artistic and intellectual luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM asks audiences to re-examine the complex and constantly changing ways our society holds African American art and culture in our nation’s collective memory.
The Installation
An immersive museum installation is being developed that will allow audiences to experience Greaves’ cocktail party at scale – from the point-of-view of a guest. Projected footage will surround visitors as they move through the rooms as if a ‘fly on a wall’ – listening in on conversations, viewing clips of Greaves’ interviews, and seeing images of works by the artists present.
The Archive
A digital audiovisual archive will preserve the entirety of Greaves’ historic 1971 Harlem footage for future generations, making it accessible to the public for study and research. While the focus is on Harlem and African American culture, the issues raised (identity, artistic development, socio-economic) are of equal importance and concern to the community at large.