Treasures of New York celebrates Pratt Institute, excelling in 125 years of educating art and design innovators, premiering June 13th on WLIW21 and June 14th on THIRTEEN. Capturing the colleges milestone through its legacy and contributions to the world of art and design, the film creates a visual timeline of one of Brooklyns most-prized institutions.
Located in the heart of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute is recognized worldwide as an influential institution of art and design that has impacted the lives of millions since its founding. In the past decade, the college has grown to become a pillar of Brooklyns cultural renaissance and a vital asset to its surrounding communities. Boasting an impressive roster of graduates and faculty such as Eva Hesse, Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Mapplethorpe, Sylvia Plachy, Annabelle Seldorf, Peter Shelton, Robert Wilson, and Carlos Zapata, among many others, Pratt has indelibly touched many peoples lives through its legacy of artistic endeavors and commercial designs.
Treasures of New York goes inside the prestigious college to discover its vibrant Brooklyn history through the eyes of the two men who built it; industrialist Charles Pratt, who founded the school in 1887, and Dr. Thomas F. Schutte, who has been articulating Pratts vision since he became the schools President in 1993. One of the defining moments in the film shows how Schutte spearheaded the revitalization of Pratts nearby neighborhoods, particularly on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn.
Hosted by former Pratt student and celebrated writer Pete Hamill, Treasures of New York: Pratt Institute premieres Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 7 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21 and Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN. After broadcast, the program will be available to national audiences at thirteen.org/treasures-of-ny. The website offers past episodes and conversations with visionaries behind New Yorks greatest institutions.
excerpted from the WLIW21 Press Release
To read more from WLIW21, visit here.
And to read more about Pratt's involvement in Myrtle Avenue's revitalization, read Channel 13's story online here.
Photo of Pratts Main Building. Courtesy of Pratt Institute Archives
