3 The Hard Way Benefit Screening

May, 31, 2011 , by Isaac Weeks

Thursday night, June 2nd, Mission Valley Cinema in Raleigh will host a special one-time screening of the film 3 the Hard Way at 7 pm. The film documents the artistic collaboration between local artists Paul Friedrich, Sean Kernick, and Georges Le Chevallier as they worked in partnership to create 14 canvases and 15 drawings. Each artist started with three to six pieces and the medium and materials were of the artists own choosing. Once all the works have been prepared and painted, there is an exchange and each artist trades his set for one of the other two.

The screening is being held to benefit the film's director, Robert King. King has been diagnosed with a grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma brain tumor. He recently went through chemotherapy and radiation, but it did not shink the tumor. Money is being raised to search for a cure.

I was lucky enough to view 3 the Hard Way and it is well worth the $7 admission. Like all good documentaries, it holds your attention from beginning to end and introduces you to a world that you may not have been totally familiar with beforehand. Friedrich is a local art superstar, beloved for his Onion Head Monster series, but I was not at all familiar with Kernick or Le Chevallier's work. After viewing some of Georges' finished pieces in this film, it's a damn shame Garner celebrates singing bagboys and not the true artists that live within their city limits; and Kernick is a beast.

The screening starts at 7pm followed by a Q & A session with the director and man of the hour, Mr. Robert King, as well as the three artists that appear in the film. If you can't make it, check out UnitedForRobert.com and make a contribution there.

Check out the trailer below: