EXPERIENCES
A selection of experiential work co-directed and/or produced by Tyler Rabinowitz.
"FORGOTTEN NEWS, FORGOTTEN NAMES"
EXPERIENCE | CLIENT: NATIONAL YOUNGARTS FOUNDATION | CO-DIRECTOR & CO-PRODUCER
A Multimedia Message of Justice, Resistance, and Community Healing
Forgotten News, Forgotten Names is an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of art, activism, and social memory, conceived by Denzel Boyd, Tyler Rabinowitz, and Joseph Webb when brought together by the National YoungArts Foundation and prompted to create a work of art together through the 2017 Transformations Film Grant. At its core lies a short film—co-directed by Boyd, Rabinowitz, and Webb—featuring a visceral spoken word performance and a tap dance number choreographed by Shakiah Danielson and performed by the students of The Northwest Tap Connection, set to “Hell You Talmbout” by Wondaland Records and Janelle Monáe. The film transforms movement and rhythm into protest and mourning, honoring the lives lost to systemic injustice and police violence while amplifying the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement.
This project extended beyond the screen to activate public spaces and engage communities in ongoing dialogue. Following the film's premiere, the creative team hosted a series of participatory events, including a screen-printing session and a social dance workshop, designed to deepen public engagement with its central themes of racial justice, liberation, and collective healing.
In August 2017, the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, marked a pivotal moment in the United States’ reckoning with its legacy of systemic racism. In its wake, the Forgotten News, Forgotten Names team created an immersive, site-specific activation in Emancipation Park, the location of the rally and adjacent to the Robert E. Lee memorial statue—a contested monument covered in trash bags and awaiting removal.
The team transformed The Garage—a one-car garage turned micro-music venue along the park’s perimeter—into an evocative space for remembrance and reflection. Through multimedia installations, live performances, and community-driven workshops, this activation invited the passersby to confront the weight of historical injustice while offering movement as a medium for protest, liberation, and healing.
This dynamic, site-specific intervention challenged audiences to bear witness to the lives lost to systemic racism and to engage with the urgent need for change. By merging art and activism, Forgotten News, Forgotten Names serves as both a memorial and a call to action—a powerful reminder of the role art plays in shaping our collective memory and inspiring transformative justice.
Forgotten News, Forgotten Names continues to resonate as a testament to the resilience of those fighting for equity and the enduring power of art to awaken, provoke, and heal.
Role: Co-Director, Co-Producer, and Editor
Awards & Recognition:
🏆 2017 NFFTY Audience Award – Closing Night
🎥 2017 Adobe Design Achievement Award - Social Impact: Video Editing / Post-production / Animation / Motion graphics
Go behind the scenes of “Forgotten News, Forgotten Names” in this short documentary.
Charlottesville didn't disappear when the headlines did. In the wake of tragedy, a group of young artists wrestles with a universal question: How can we make sense of the senseless? Through their craft, they attempt to bridge the gap between pain and purpose, offering their creativity as a small but heartfelt contribution to a grieving community.
Key Credits:
• Featuring: Denzel Boyd, Tyler Rabinowitz, Joseph Webb, and the Northwest Tap Connection
• Director: Patrick Weishampel
• Produced By: Laundry Service
• Made Possible By: Adobe Project 1432
• Special Thanks To: Shakiah Danielson, The Northwest Tap Connection, The Garage, Sam Bush, and the Charlottesville community
