BEHIND THE INK DocuSeries Debuting Spring 2021
Local Nonprofit Exposes Students to Filmmaking Process
April 12, 2021
By Sarafina Wright
Charlotte, NC -- BEHIND THE INK is a first-of-its-kind film put together by local Charlotte, NC students and creatives with the mission of exploring untold narratives of those who are inked. This documentary was produced and shot entirely by Creating Exposure Through The Arts [a 501c3 non-profit organization] students and instructors.
Born out of a student-led photo exhibit launched over a decade ago...BEHIND THE INK emerged. This documentary explores tattoos, and what some may call “artistry and body art.” It covers the “whys” of personal canvases straight from the source, while also capturing the journey of a young lady who receives her first tattoo.
There are men and women of all ages, different races, and socioeconomic backgrounds that reveal stories, ideas, joy, and pain behind their ink. From a suicide survivor, former professional athlete, to a tattoo “first-timer,” BEHIND THE INK gets up close and personal with individuals whose body art ranges from playful motifs to deep memorials for lost loved ones — all with a distinct purpose and meaning.
“The impact of having students work on a documentary and have their work showcased in galleries before, during and after the documentary is completed…is an extreme accomplishment,” said Mark Pendergrass, CEA founder and executive director of BEHIND THE INK. “There are artists who’ve been in their fields for years that have never been involved in filmmaking, a documentary or have had their work showcased in a gallery. So I think it's impactful for the students and the instructors and also the participants who probably didn’t think when they got a tattoo it would be showcased in a documentary.”
Pendergrass continued: “It’s amazing to realize that something we’ve been doing for ten years just as a curriculum, taking pictures, learning photography, interviewing people has become a living documentary that will last beyond this spring release. Anybody involved can put this on their resume and say look what I’ve done — the documentary and the book.”
Accompanying the release of the docuseries will be the BEHIND THE INK Coffee Table Book. Subjects from the documentary and other notable faces like Dutchess Lattimore, tattoo artist and owner of Pretty-N-Ink will be featured on the pages of the edition with up-close, detailed photos of their canvases. The book, also shot and conceptualized entirely by CEA instructors and students, contains dozens of photos of diverse subjects, along with expressive descriptions of their body art in their own words.
“In a time where art is not really showcased in schools…I think it's important to show another aspect of it…something that’s really personable like sharing people’s stories,” added Pendergrass. “It’s a diverse group: ethnicity, race, age. We are sharing stories of people who don’t look like each other but have that one thing in common.”
The BEHIND THE INK docuseries and coffee table book will debut this spring virtually and can be seen at local film festivals and activations [TBA]. There will also be an opportunity to purchase BEHIND THE INK merchandise where proceeds will go to CEA to build on almost 20 years of teaching students photography, mentorship and empowerment through the arts.
Stay updated with the release of the film and the book here: www.creatingexposure.com and the students are currently creating two new sites … www.behindtheinkdocumentary.com www.behindtheinkdoc.com.
And follow what CEA students are up to here on Instagram: @creatingexposure, @behindtheinkdocumentary | Twitter: @ceacharlotte
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Sarafina Wright
Mark Pendergrass - CEA