Punks + Poets: An Audio Walk with the Washington Square Park Conservancy
Washington Square Park Conservancy and Gesso are pleased to present a kinetic documentary tracing the birth of punk in Lower Manhattan.
When we listen to songs of the past, they open a window into the world those songwriters inhabited. We like to think of this walk as a kinetic documentary, where the music maps a through-line from the past to the present. We’ll peer into the shuttered storefronts, and reminisce on an intense period of artistic expression.
In the 1970s, Lower Manhattan was sliding into decay. Within this negative space emerged a new subculture. We’ll call them punks, even if they didn’t at first. Many of the original punk hangouts no longer exist, but their impact on the broader cultural landscape is permanent and profound. Join us to retrace the steps of poets, photographers, painters and performers who defined punk.
Walking Route: We'll meet in front of the Washington Square Arch, where the walk begins. We'll listen and walk at our own pace and end at Tompkins Square Park.
Distance : 3.2 mi
Duration: ~70 mins
What to bring:
While you're waiting for Saturday to arrive, explore with us @gesso.app and @wspconservancy on Instagram!
Punks + Poets was written and produced by Sarah Holtz.
Special thanks to Roberta Bayley, David Godlis, Alice Sparberg Alexiou, David Hershkovits, and Kembrew McLeod for sharing their stories with us.
Washington Square Park Conservancy and Gesso are pleased to present a kinetic documentary tracing the birth of punk in Lower Manhattan.
When we listen to songs of the past, they open a window into the world those songwriters inhabited. We like to think of this walk as a kinetic documentary, where the music maps a through-line from the past to the present. We’ll peer into the shuttered storefronts, and reminisce on an intense period of artistic expression.
In the 1970s, Lower Manhattan was sliding into decay. Within this negative space emerged a new subculture. We’ll call them punks, even if they didn’t at first. Many of the original punk hangouts no longer exist, but their impact on the broader cultural landscape is permanent and profound. Join us to retrace the steps of poets, photographers, painters and performers who defined punk.
Walking Route: We'll meet in front of the Washington Square Arch, where the walk begins. We'll listen and walk at our own pace and end at Tompkins Square Park.
Distance : 3.2 mi
Duration: ~70 mins
What to bring:
While you're waiting for Saturday to arrive, explore with us @gesso.app and @wspconservancy on Instagram!
Punks + Poets was written and produced by Sarah Holtz.
Special thanks to Roberta Bayley, David Godlis, Alice Sparberg Alexiou, David Hershkovits, and Kembrew McLeod for sharing their stories with us.