Tribeca Festival 2021 Day 2
The second day of the 20th Tribeca Festival featured films, games, immersive experiences, musical performances, and podcasts. Highlights include:
Emmy/Grammy/Oscar/Tony Award-winner John Legend attended two events at the Festival, including Storytellers: John Legend and Mike Jackson, a panel with his Get Lifted Film Co. co-lead Mike Jackson at Spring Studios. During the conversation, Legend noted that when it comes to filmmaking, “I bring my sensibility and my taste...I have a strong sense of who I am as a person and what I want my brand to represent.” He also revealed that, especially in documentary filmmaking, he likes being able to enter into people’s worlds to humanize them to show that their lives are valuable. Emmy Award-winning producer Jackson spoke to Legend’s hands-on involvement in the production process, and said when choosing projects for Get Lifted, he employs the “mic test,” meaning he needs to be able to imagine John speaking about it during an interview. Later in the evening, Legend introduced the documentary he executive produced, Legend of the Underground (HBO) at the film’s premiere.
Musicians D’Angelo and Rhiannon Giddens performed the Red Dead Redemption 2 soundtrack alongside Daniel Lanois, the original soundtrack producer of the 2018 Game of the Year’s sountrack . This show marks the first live show in New York City to showcase tracks from the Red Dead Redemption 2 soundtrack, along with the first time ever that American soul and R&B artist, D’Angelo joined Lanois and Rhiannon together to perform these songs live.
The screening of the comedy Mark, Mary, and Some Other People was followed by a conversation with producer Peter Williams and cast members Hayley Law, Ben Rosenfield, Odessa A'Zion, and Nik Dodani. The film was recently acquired by Vertical Entertainment.
Jackie Collins’ daughters, Rory Green and Tiffany Lerman, joined director Laurie Fairrie on-stage after the screening of Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story to share their experience creating the documentary about their late mother, which included reading through her old diaries.
Director Pan Nalin watched the screening for Last Film Show for the first time alongside the audience. Since many of his India-based cast couldn’t travel to New York due to COVID restrictions, the film team had life size cutouts created so they could ‘walk’ the red carpet with him today at Pier 76.
At the Go Big screenings of shorts, snowboarder/surfer Jess Kumura and star Lucy Harris of The Queen of Basketball received a standing ovation for pushing boundaries and representing female athletes.
The world premiere of contemporary thriller Poser had cast and crew in attendance, including first-time feature filmmakers and directors, Noah Dixon and Ori Segev, at Hudson Yards.
Tribeca’s first-ever podcast event saw a sneak peak of the Red Frontier podcast, followed by a conversation with the creative team, including Head of Fiction at Gimlet Mimi O’Donnell, writer/director/executive producer Sarah Nolen, and cast member Kara Young.
Ongoing until June 20, Tribeca Immersive at Spring Studios, hosts a hybrid of virtual reality experiences including outdoor & interactive experiences, a virtual arcade, and Storyscapes, an in-person experience where attendees use a VR headset to experience content.
Films premiering in-person at Tribeca events are eligible for U.S. audiences to stream during the Festival via the Tribeca at Home virtual hub: tribecafilm.com/festival/at-home
Photo / Video Credit: Courtesy of Tribeca Festival
Tribeca Festival 2021 Opening Night
The 2021 Tribeca Festival, presented by AT&T, kicked off its 20th anniversary with the world premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated musical celebration In the Heights. The film fittingly premiered at the United Palace theater in Washington Heights with scenery from the film serving as the backdrop on the carpet. For the first time ever, the festival’s opening night was screened simultaneously across all five boroughs in multiple open-air venues.
Jon M. Chu directed the screen adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical, created and produced by New York’s own Lin-Manuel Miranda. The screenplay adapted by Quiara Alegría Hudes, with original songs and lyrics by Miranda, is about a bodega owner Usnavi, played by Anthony Ramos, who hopes, imagines, and sings about a better life. The film also stars Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, and Jimmy Smits. Miranda, Hudes, Scott Sanders, Anthony Bregman, and Mara Jacobs produce.
Tribeca also hosted members of its 2021 jury at the In The Heights screening at The Battery including Sharon Stone, Helen Hunt, Delroy Lindo, Bryan Cranston, John Turturro, Hari Nef, Justin Bartha, Adria Petty, Ana Lily Amirpour, Elegance Bratton, Tig Notaro, Iyabo Boyd, Judith Godreche, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon.
Tribeca 2021 runs June 9-20 and is the first major North American film festival held in person since COVID-19. The 12-day live celebration is the culmination of NY PopsUp, the statewide revitalization initiative to bring back live entertainment and the arts to the community.
Photo / Video Credit: Courtesy of Tribeca Festival
YAGP Gala 2021
Maria Khoreva and Kimin Kim
Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) – the world’s largest ballet scholarship competition – hosted its annual gala on March 31, 2021, featuring the World Premiere of Journey Uptown by American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Soloist and YAGP Alum Gabe Stone Shayer, two exclusive duets from Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet, and highlights from YAGP’s 2021 season. “To all of our supporters and participants of this season, you have astounded us with your resilience, your talent, your passion, and your commitment to the arts”, said YAGP Board Chair Christina Lyon.
The evenings performances kicked off with the World Premiere of Journey Uptown, choreographed and performed by Shayer, alongside ABT Principal Dancer and YAGP alumna Skylar Brandt. Rising sensation, 19-year-old blind pianist and composer Matthew Whitaker created and performed the accompanying music. While collaborating, Shayer and Whitaker envisioned the sound and feeling of New York City. The piece was part of YAGP’s Emerging Choreographer Series, which has previously featured Melanie Hamrick, Justin Peck and Derek Hough.
McRae “You Broke me First”
Popstar Tate McRae (YAGP Alumna) performed her single You Broke Me First.
Mariinsky Ballet’s Maria Khoreva and Kimin Kim (YAGP Alum) performed a duet from Le Corsaire, and May Nagahisa and Victor Caixeta (both YAGP Alumni) gave an exclusive behind-the-scenes look of their duet from Romeo and Juliet.
Whittaker, Brandt and Shayer
Hosts, actress Stuart Brazell and Craig Olsen, presented a dazzling compilation of the best performances from YAGP’s 2021 Season participants worldwide; including from South Korea, Japan and over 15 cities across America. “Last year YAGP was the last dance organization to close down and within a week we were hosting free online master classes with Luca Masala, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky and other professionals from all over the world. It was a very strange year but what stayed the same is our commitment to supporting young talented dancers” said YAGP Founder Larissa Saveliev.
On display throughout the evening were two one-of-a-kind designer couture ballet tutus from Carolina Herrera and The Row. Carolina Herrera and Wes Gordon are noted ballet enthusiasts, and for years The Row’s Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have been YAGP Gala Chairs alongside their friend and YAGP supporter, Marcella Guarino Hymowitz.
If you missed the performance, watch the replay here: https://yagp.org/2021-gala/
Photos by YAGP
Review: Liquidus by Tabula Rasa Dance Theater
At a time when many, certainly myself, may be doubting the possibility of live theatre and dance to adapt to these monumental circumstances, Liquidus by Tabula Rasa Dance Theater proves how live performance can still be stunningly powerful in the virtual format.
Liquidus begins with four NYC performers, who have subsisted without support, unemployment benefits or relief during this lockdown, on screen, each dancing from their own created stage in their respective homes. Although physically separated during the opening sequence, the digital boxes fade as they appear united.
Jonatan Lujan, Argentinian performer who tested positive for COVID-19, begins with his solo “Liquidus Vagus”. His movements juxtapose between gentle fluctuations and mechanical, reminiscent to me of that period of confusion and uncertainty when overwhelmed with media news of the approaching pandemic.
Japanese performer Noriko Naraoka, who also tested positive for COVID-19, performs next. The monotonous music becomes secondary to her gentle, self-comforting dance. She appears to be moving into a despairing embrace of acceptance into being trapped, although longing and reaching for something blocked out by the sound of the relentless machine and persistent beeping.
Winnie Asawakanjanakit, a Thai performer who tested negative for COVID-19, seems to embody being trapped in one’s own mind while in isolation with her eerie, almost ritualistic descent into chaotic powerlessness, her stage becoming a canvas as she brandishes paint on the enclosed box caving in around her.
The piece closes with Mexican performer Felipe Escalante, who tested negative for COVID-19, and is the Founder and Artistic Director of Tabula Dance Theater. Eerie sirening clashing with balletic upbeat tunes sets the tone, as Escalante viscerally explores through patterns of convulsing and stillness the kinds of powerless changes our bodies may go through during this time in confinement, paranoia or illness.
Felipe Escalante
The costumes coordinated by Executive Director Amy Fine Collins, designed by Geoffrey Beene, Noriko Naraoka and Sergio Perez echo the bold bodies and spirits of each dancer's piece.
The music by Felix Huerta creates a haunting soundscape against which the dancers seem forced to fight against, or conform too.
Despite the performance encapsulating an expression of painful feelings during this pandemic, there remains an element of hope. Liquidus seems to ask: can this period of monumental suffering shape change for the future, a positive remodelling of our connection with body and mind to emerge as a more empathetic humankind? Or will we be left in a darker place than before? The performers demonstrate the vitality of art in this time, thriving on the virtual platform, continuing to work our bodies and minds through the unignorable difficulties of these past few months towards a brighter future.
Don’t miss the final performance of Liquidus August 15th at 7pm EST, and visit the Tabula Rasa Dance Theater website for more information about upcoming performances.
2021 Sheikh Zayed Book Award
”In such difficult times, it is more important than ever to focus on books and on cultural values. They alone can provide us with the moral compass we so desperately need to move on with our eyes wide open”
- Amin Maalouf, Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2016 Cultural Personality of the Year
The 15th edition of the annual Sheikh Zayed Book Award, described as “the Arab world’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize” and “One of the most esteemed and lucrative prizes in the Arab world” (Literary Hub) is open to submissions until October 1st. Literary works from writers, translators, academics and publishers from across the world are reviewed by an independent and international jury of cultural experts to be awarded prizes across various categories, with the main prizewinners receiving 750,000 UAE Dirhams (204,000 USD).
This award both recognises exciting and challenging literary achievements in the Arab world while contributing funds and focus for producing and publishing Arab works into other languages to be distributed across the world.
Statistics from the 14th Edition of the Award
Established in 2006 by the Department of Culture and Tourism -- Abu Dhabi, the award continues the legacy and memory of Sheikh Zaeyd Bin Sultan with his progressive worldview that transformed the United Arab Emirates.
The following nine categories encompassing Arab culture are open for submission:
Literature (including both fiction and poetry)
Young Author (for writers under the age of 40)
Children’s Literature
Cultural Personality of the Year
Publishing and Technology
Arabic Culture in Other Languages
Translation – either to or from Arabic
Literary and Art Criticism
Contribution to the Development of Nations
All nominations must be published in Arabic apart from those in the categories of Translation and Arabic Culture in Other Languages.
2020 winner of the Award, UK based Banipal magazine who showcase contemporary Arab authors in English translation, used the prize money to fund their network of writers, translators, editors and printers and on promotion to reach new audiences. Other previous winners include Dame Marina Warner (UK), Amin Maalouf (France), Professor Philip Kennedy (US), and Institut du Monde Arab (France).
“This year, we have learnt that whatever happens, culture endures and adapts to the most difficult of circumstances. As the rich cultural life of the Arab world continues to flourish, I urge writers, publishers and scholars around the world to bring the fruits of their labour to the judges’ attention.”
- Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Authority and Secretary General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award
Visit the Sheikh Zayed Book Award website, Instagram or Twitter to learn more about one of the world’s leading prizes recognising Arab literary and cultural achievements while bridging cultural landscapes.
Láolú's Exhibition at BOCCARA ART
Láolú Senbanjo is a performance artist, singer, songwriter, musician, human rights lawyer, and activist who held an engaging pop-up exhibit at Boccara Art from February 1st to March 7th of 2020. This two-floor gallery displayed all his wondrous works.
The Nigerian bred, but now Brooklyn based artist, used this exhibit to truly showcase that the world is his canvas. His mediums are diverse and range from canvases, musical instruments such as pianos and guitars, sneakers, motorcycles, outwear such as jackets and purses, and the intimate human body.
Láolú has named his technique the Sacred art of the Orí which derives its fundamentals from the Yoruba religious practice. This practice centers itself on becoming one with yourself or awakening the God in you (Orí). His spirituality is evident in his work as only one that has such connections with their being would be able to create such intricate works that are admired by all.
His artistic genius can also be seen in collaborations with renowned celebrities and brands including Beyoncé, Lupita Nyong’o, Alicia Keys, Nike, Starbucks, Facebook, Apple and more.
During his appearance at the exhibit on March 7th attendees were able to experience a live performance of his art in action as he painted guests faces and ones upper torso with white paint, creating beautiful and unique patterns.
The exhibit had lively music which guests engaged in actively, which Láolú himself partook in. It was visible that his art extended far past surfaces but largely included the human body too, as it awoke guests to their own movements.
As his art decorated the walls, the event clearly integrated itself with his creations. Upon first entrance, there was a painted motorcycle along with mannequins clothed in jackets and purses that were graced by his artistic sense. There was a hallway lined with a series of photos including him and his previous works that he's done.
The next two rooms downstairs contained large canvases with acrylic paint atop. A lot of his paintings were heavily focused on females. This method of expression was exuberantly expressed with a variety of colors such as reds, yellows, oranges, and greens. The brilliance of Láolú’s mind was displayed as he often contrasts black and white figures against the colorful background.
His pieces were moving. It was notable how heavily he invested himself in his work as each appeared to be an extension of his mind.
Láolú’s diverse geographical and occupational background is part of what makes his work so special as its contributions to his life experience display themselves in his work.
Photos by Laolu
Friends of The Budapest Festival Orchestra Gala
Joanna Fisher, Mark Morris, Colin Fowler, Ivan Fischer, Credit John Sanderson/Annie Watt Agency
Maestro Iván Fischer led The Budapest Festival Orchestra in a thrilling all-Dvořák program at David Geffen Hall Sunday including an encore of Braham’s Hungarian Dance No. 5. Maestro Fischer announced from his podium, “the arrangement includes some of the original folk melody", which was sung by the members of the Orchestra. It was a memorable performance punctuated by multiple standing ovations. Daisy Soros, chairman emeritus of the Friends of The Budapest Festival Orchestra, sat on an aisle in the front row and clearly enjoyed herself. The New York Times wrote, “Always a highlight of any season, the visit of this exceptional orchestra and its provocative music director, Ivan Fischer.”
A benefit dinner followed chaired by Ambassador Nancy Brinker, Susan Gutfreund, Sylvia Hemingway and Friends of The Budapest Festival Orchestra. Maestro Fisher was greeted following the concert by admirers including Steven Van Zandt before sitting at a table that included Ellen Burstyn, Noreen and Ken Buckfire, Joan Hardy Clark, Andre Fratto, Joanna Fisher, Colin Fowler, Mark Morris, and Barbara and Donald Tober (who were honored with Mark Morris last year as Living Landmarks).
Maureen Van Zandt, Steven Van Zandt, Layla Diba, Credit John Sanderson/Annie Watt Agency
Peter Thomas Roth, Mary McFadden, Credit John Sanderson/Annie Watt Agency
Also there were gala committee members Ambassador and Mrs. Donald Blinken, Beth Jacobs, Heidi Lee Komaromi, Barbara Rogoff, Mr. and Mrs. David M. Tobey, and Stephanie Stokes (the host of a small dinner for the Maestro the evening before at her home). Other guests included board members Andrew Komaromi, Aaron Feinstein, and Peter Thomas Roth, as well as Edgar Batista, Layla Diba, Sedi and Maximo Flugelman, Margo Langenberg, Jean Shafiroff, Judy Francis Zankel, and Gioia Zwack.
During dinner Maestro Fischer spoke movingly about the recent devastating coronavirus “We come to New York often. It feels like home and you are our real friends. We love to be here. We’ve a tour planned for many cities in China planned soon so please if you can find a vaccine. We would hate to cancel our trip…. About the orchestra singing tonight. Why does my orchestra sing on stage? We want to set an example, to overcome the inherent fear of singing out loud. Everyone should be singing more. Mothers to their children, all of us. This morning I conducted another concert, a very special one, for children on the Autism spectrum. Thanks to Lincoln Center and The Friends of the Budapest Festival Orchestra. 150 children and their families came. That was all the room could hold. There was a waiting list twice that length. We try and do a concert like this everywhere we go. Always we do this in New York. It’s important. August 1st, 3rd, and 4th, we return to New York with an opera, Verdi’s Falstaff. There the orchestra is integrated with the singers right on stage and part of the action. It’s part of the Mostly Mozart Festival so please don’t go anywhere else in August.”
Credit John Sanderson/Annie Watt Agency
Stephen Benko, Chairman of the Friends of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, thanked the board and chairs with a special recognition for, “my old friend Philip Reeker. We met when he was a young Foreign Service Officer in Budapest. Philip is now the U.S. State Department’s Acting Assistant Secretary of European and Eurasian Affairs. He continues to stand up for democratic issues in Hungary as well as our national’s best export, the Budapest Festival Orchestra.“ Reeker dined between former Hungarian Ambassadors Nancy Brinker and Donald Blinken
During dinner Mary McFadden talked about visiting Maestro Fischer’s home in Budapest and her recent trip up the Nile with her daughter, Justine. Maestro Fischer suggested Joanna Fisher “add a “c’ to her last name”. Saying good night the proud Hungarian Susan Gutfreund offered “as we say in Hungarian, this evening was truly elbűvölő --- charming!”
Metrograph Presents: Made in Hong Kong
Ten minutes through Fruit Chan’s Made in Hong Kong, and I’m hit with the impulse to say the film is 60% frame, 40% story. It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen a film so committed to its aesthetic, a film with words and shots and music married so seamlessly I’m aching to believe that the entire thing is a recording, and that Hong Kong is truly a place where grunge meets grain, and twanging strings accompany your every move.
But this version of Hong Kong is solely my own. In another ten minutes, it becomes clear that the Hong Kong Fruit Chan knows is much darker, more obscure. His protagonist, an arrogant, heroic delinquent named Autumn Moon, declares early on that “freedom comes first,”—a philosophy that seems easy in this lush, sunny world—but then spends the entire film fighting for it. Autumn wants the freedom to have sex—but the girl he loves is sick, in dire need of a kidney. Autumn wants the freedom that comes with power—but he’s poor, and hindered by a lack of education. Even at night, when most have the freedom to dream, Autumn is haunted by the bloody, unsent letters of a dead girl. He can hardly make a choice without an opposing force shutting it down, but, as the film goes on, it seems that this is the case for everyone living in Hong Kong. The city is plagued by triads, loan sharks, a convoluted health system—everything is off, soiled, even, and Chan communicates that with dirty underwear, milk-white blood, and a vicious, vengeful maiming. More than anything, it seems as if Hong Kong is broken.
In 1997, when Made in Hong Kong was released, the city was reeling with the aftermath of the Handover, which returned administrative control of Hong Kong from the British to the Mainland Chinese. Today, Hong Kong is embroiled in a series of anti-China protests labelled the Umbrella Movement. It is only fitting, then, that a film that so yearns for freedom is making a comeback. At its heart, Made in Hong Kong is a film that inspires rebellion—a film that decries subjugation. Autumn Moon never quite manages to gain the freedom he so craves. Will Hong Kong?
Made in Hong Kong will see its first U.S Release this Friday, March 6th, at Metrograph NYC.
Paris After Dark Valentine Ball
Since its inception in 2017, Dances of Vice has been the go-to experience for a fetishistic nightlife phenomenon in New York that specializes in fantasy partying and highly styled themed entertainment. Their itinerant parties attract a debauched menagerie of creative mavericks who celebrate art, beauty, human desire, and the freeing powers of imagination and surrealism. Dances of Vice's originator, Shien Lee, has garnered international acclaim as an experienced architect and shrewd organizer of midnight celebrations. Her main goal was to foster the empowerment of artists and strengthen community relationships.
On February 15, illustrious guests flocked to the renowned Capitale for the Paris After Dark - St. Valentine Ball, a Dances of Vice production. Capitale served as the ideal venue for the gathering. The landmark building at 130 Bowery, once occupied by the Bowery Savings Bank, was erected in the late 19th century. The stunning Beaux-Arts building, Corinthian columns, and towering 19th-century skylight of Capitale NY set the stage for a magical evening. The team did an amazing job decorating the inside as well. Gorgeous paintings, crown molding, a winding wooden staircase, amazing lighting and candelabras, wood and marble everywhere, and exquisite rooms like the ballroon, reading room with a massive fireplace, and stage room created an atmosphere reminiscent of a movie set.
The dress code was Parisian decadence, high fashion hedonism, moulin rouge, crazy horse, carnevale, burlesque, fantasy, top hats, rococo, vintage or black tie attire. Everyone was dressed to the nines, those theming experts!
There was something going on all the time. In every room, all senses were being filled every second. In an outrageous combination of Baroque dance, live music, opera, circus, gender-bending burlesque, and realistic immersive theater, the concept of Parisian seduction came to life. The best part of the night was definitely the BDSM Boundior on the club’s second level for VIP guests. In this section were additional provocative, sado-sensual performances and things I can’t even mention here.
This was not a party, but an experience. An experience that everyone needs to try at least once.
Made in Japan: JCAT Presents Japan Anew
On Thursday, February 13th, Noho M55 gallery once again opened its doors in Chelsea for their latest exhibition, Made in Japan. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics approaching, JCAT continues to put Japan center of the map, bringing traditional artists and their work to the heart of art in New York City.
Jiro
While their previous exhibition, Invisible Rules of Japan, was more thematically focused, this exhibition, Made in Japan, dazzled with breadth, in both form and content. Upon entering the exhibition the viewer is confronted by color; Jiro’s dream-like diptych, depicting the circle of life, the connectivity of nature, and the geometric tunnels of human imagination, gleams out from the first wall. The depth of composition and vibrancy of hue lulls me into a cosmic trance, losing perspective in his inverted mountains and pink mushrooms.
Hideaki Miyata
Not all art should make you feel good and I find this is the case with Hideaki Miyata’s surrealist graphics. The electricity of over-saturation unsettles my sight. The sickening yellow moth wings beat against a pastel sky. It is jarring and it has my attention, in a way that is alluringly uncomfortable.
UMI
Continuing through the exhibition, diversity of subject and style abounds. UMI, who traveled from Japan for the exhibition, offered whimsical, muted toned street scenes, completed with curious and curled up cats in the foreground. Hekiun Oda, a premier practitioner of Shodo, presented bold and engaging calligraphy, evoking Spring, Peace, and Dream as dynamic symbols.
Hekiun Oda’s Calligraphy
Other featured artists included: Muhyojo Ekakist JUNYA / Yutaka Fujimori / naomaria / Takaaki MANO / URANOGAKI / Mariko Takeo. The Japanese Contemporary Artists Team (JCAT) is a unique, creative collective based in New York, which represents over 200 Japanese artists across the world. Their mission is to forge connections, created through extensive artist databases and throughout the year exhibitions, in order to set artists best up for success.
The Made in Japan exhibition was curated by JCAT founder Arisa Itami. From her base in New York, Arisa is engaged in promoting the theme Peace on Earth through the Japanese identity of harmony. A first step towards harmony? Attending Made in Japan at Noho M55.
New York Fashion Week Powered by Art Hearts Fashion
From February th toFebruary 9th, 2020, Art Hearts Fashion hosted the New York Fashion Week at the Angel Orensanz Foundation, including a variety of outstanding designers and artists, as well as marvelous guests.
The 2020 New York Fashion Week powered by Art Hearts Fashion started on Friday 6, when the doors opened at 6pm for a fashion and art exhibition. The opening night and the following three days were filled with unique fashion runway shows and breaks to enjoy the art exhibitions and delicious cocktails.
The venue of this year's Art Hearts Fashion shows was the Angel Orensanz Foundation in Bowery, Manhattan, which contributed an exclusive atmosphere to the events. With the ambience of an old majestic church, the location framed the runway and art shows perfectly.
Participating designers included Glaudi, Raul Penaranda, Willet Designs, Grayling Pernell Merlin Castell, as well as Alexandra Popescu-York and Willfredo Gerardo.
The great variety of designers is another factor that devotes to the exceptional experience of the Art Hearts Fashion Week in New York.
After the shows, guests had the chance to meet the models and designers while taking pictures for a personal memory or asking questions about the newest collections.
Art Hearts Fashion is a platform for designers and artists, that gives them the possibility to showcase their collections in a contemporary fashion week surrounding. The national platform helds events from coast to coast in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and beyond.
Since it was founded in 2011, Art Hearts Fashion has established into a leading platform in the art & fashion community.
Chinese New Year Spectacular VI!
On Friday, February 7th, for its sixth running, Carnegie Hall opened its doors to the annual Chinese New Year Spectacular, to ring in the Lunar New Year.
Jiehua Shi & Min Cheng perform Kunqu Opera. Photo: Jill Nelson
A spirit of celebration surrounded Zankel Hall, as a diverse and multicultural crowd gathered to listen to music from Kunqu Opera to classical piano. “This year’s Spectacular VI Concert is a diverse blend of cultures and musical sounds. We’re thrilled to have such a strong and energetic group of new and returning talent,” said Charles W. Sullivan, Spectacular VI Concert co-producer and president of Premier Event Management, Inc.
The evening opened with Kunqu Opera, performed by Jiehua Shi, Min Cheng and Qinglin Cai, with accompanying traditional Chinese music, including instruments such as the Kunqu flute, played by Ming Zhou. Kunqu Opera, one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera, incorporates poetry, dance, and acting, to create dramatic narrative and engaging aesthetics and sounds. It is certainly a multi-sensory experience; the majesty of their resplendent robes, dazzling headpieces, and intricately elaborate make-up, clash and confront the delicacy of the flute and the exciting tonal ranges of the singing, in a striking and occasionally startling manner.
Qinglin Cai masters Kunqu. Photo: Jill Nelson
To follow the acclaimed classical pianist, Cong Bi, offered two masterful and hauntingly beautiful Beethoven renditions. I felt enchanted and entranced by the spectral reflection of Bi’s hands mirrored against the obsidian grand piano lid. The dance between his hands and their reflection further emphasised the drama and precise urgency of Beethoven’s ‘Appassionata’. The speed at which Bi applied his skill guided me into a delectable fever dream; a monochromatic blur juxtaposed by clean, sharp notes to tickle the brain.
Pianist Cong Bi. Photo: Jill Nelson
Soprano Quan Cheng. Photo: Jill Nelson
I had the great pleasure to talk with two of the evening’s standout performers; Quan Chen and Deni Bonet. Quan Chen, an established and expressive soprano, returning to Carnegie Hall, stunned the audience with both her solo performance and in her accompaniment with The Athenians, a dynamic group of virtuoso opera singers. A Puccini aficionado to her core, the passion and emotion of Chen reverberated magnificently around the hall. Maestro Wroe, the conductor of New York City Opera, who knows Chen well said, ‘Ms. Chen is attracted to music that speaks to the soul… She demands your attention, she draws you into her performances and she wraps you in an intensely musical sound-world that is irresistible.’ He went onto to discuss her creative process as a, ‘combination of firstly building a technique and a beauty of sound to then support her vision of the music, and secondly listening to the great masters to understand why they were revered so much. There is no shame in mirroring genius.’
The Athenians, photo: Jill Nelson.
To complete the evening, Deni Bonet, an American singer/songwriter/violinist, upped the tempo and performed energetic numbers of her own creation, including ‘Last Girl on Earth’ and ‘Primal Dream’. Her exquisite and dynamic violin playing was truly exemplified in a dizzying solo, in which her strings laughed, screamed, rejoiced and bellowed, in swings between compelling crescendo and its delicate opposite. Bonet has always been musically inclined and was even accepted into the Prep School of Juilliard at the impressive age of six. She playfully describes her music as, ‘quirky, melodic and fun folk-rock’, which, in its delightful contradiction, complimented the classical music of the evening.
Deni Bonet performs. Photo: Jill Nelson
Three hours on and the sixth Chinese New Year Spectacular was drawing to a close. “This one-of-a-kind concert will be unique in its history, and we are extremely honored to continue to host this tradition at Carnegie Hall for six consecutive years,” said Lily Li, Spectacular VI Concert co-producer and chief executive. “Our mission and passion for this event is to showcase a multicultural blend of music and art for our multicultural audience.”
This year’s Chinese New Year Spectacular was nothing short of spectacular. A dazzling showcase of dance and music, honoring ancient traditions and celebrating new collaborations; the perfect start to a New Year!
The Sound and The Future - Alex Schweder
As an artist, Alex Schweder formed the term “Performance Architecture”. The New Yorker developed a unique handwriting in his work, when transforming the understanding of architecture as an instructions providing but also identity (per-) forming element.
One of his artworks, The Sound and The Future is on display at the Design Gallery, Pratt Studio 200 at Pratt Institute from February 3 until February 9, 2020.
The Sound and The Future
On Monday invited Schweder, who is also a Professor of Design at Pratt Institute, students as well as art enthusiasts to an exclusive lecture, where the artist discussed his inflatable artworks, including The Sound and The Future.
Alex Schweder himself describes this work as “an air-powered architectural robot that reconfigures the spaces around it with hairy and metallic arms flopping and stiffening.” He once again proved in his lecture, which was open for the public, that he is not only an outstanding artist, but also succeeds in transferring his knowledge and enthusiasm to the audience.
The Sound and The Future
The artist gave a unique insight of his creative process and his individual approach to art. After the lecture Schweder himself showed his artwork The Sound and The Future and was open to questions and thoughts on his work.
The work of the performance architecture artist has been already exhibited internationally in the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Britain, Perform 17, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Alex Schweder is also a fellow of the American Academy in Rome.
Cubitts Glasses Set their Sights on NYC
On Wednesday February 5th, as part of a sponsored pop-up from Santander, ‘From Across the Pond’, Cubitts showcased their revolution in spectacles. Cubitts, founded in London in 2012, aims to elevate glasses, modernise eyewear and place spectacles alongside other adorned and adored accessories.
Cubitts pop-up, 306 Bowey
Having achieved success in London for the past few years, Cubitts is looking to move stateside, setting their sights on NYC. One of the most interesting features of Cubitts is the extent to which they are technologically driven. Thea, aptly named after the goddess of sight, is an app developed by Cubitts that uses depth cameras to scan client’s faces, in order to produce digital mock-ups of how different glasses, be it color, shape or design, suit different people. The idea is to democratise optical options, once the app is downloaded clients across the world can effectively try on different pairs on glasses and order the right ones for them. Thus, app, face and product is the Cubitt golden triad of progressive and accessible eyewear.
Complimentary lens cloth designed by David Shrigley
Other interesting bonus features that also catches the eye; a lens cleaning cloth designed by the artist David Shrigley, complete with his quirky and striking style; a monthly newspaper appropriately called The Spectacle, documenting recent projects, from remodelling famous glasses, from the likes of Sir Elton John to John Lennon, to producing glasses from the waste material of potatoes.
Glasses crafted from plastic milk cartons
This lean towards sustainability and recycling waste products is emblematic of Cubitts philosophy. Glasses made of plastic bags look out proudly next to human hair spectacles and wool woven eyewear. Cubitts works to the ideal that, ‘patients are for life, not just for eye examinations.’ Continuity of clients rather than one off customers is paramount. That certainly sounds like something New Yorkers can get behind.
Cubitts aims to be modern, sustainable and bespoke. A campaign against fast fashion eyewear but by no means against style or precision. It certainly looks like it’s working.
Invisible Rules of Japan Exhibition
On Thursday, the Invisible rules of Japan exhibition celebrated its opening at the Noho M55 Gallery in Chelsea.
The founder of the Japanese Contemporary Artist Team, Arisa Itami, invited guests to take a glance at the exhibition, that turned out to be a real must-see, not only for fans of Japanese art, but also for everyone who is interested in exploring cultural differences.
The newest curated JCAT exhibition is on display in Chelsea from Jan. 28th to the 1st of February. But no reason to be too sad if you can’t make it, Itami plans to compile the pieces into an art book.
Itami curated a unique selection of pieces from artists that are members of the JCAT. After a warm welcome, the curator explained the process she went through selecting the artworks. The more than 200 Japanese Artists in the JCAT have the opportunity to contribute a piece to the exhibitions and the curator carefully chooses which artworks fit the best.
The Invisible rules of Japan curation is a matter that is very close to Arisa Itami’s heart, explained the curator, while showing us her one-of-a-kind exhibition. Each artwork illustrates one “invisible rule” of the Japanese culture and intends to explain these unspoken concepts that Japanese people consider as common sense.
Invisible Rule of no elbows on the table. (Artist: yaya hills)
The Japanese Kimonos are always wrapped left over right. If you don’t follow this rule, it will bring bad luck, said the curator Arisa Itami. She wants to introduce foreigners to the Japanese culture and make visitor’s stays in Japan as comfortable as possible. Due to the long isolation from the rest of the world, many of these rules are specific to the Japanese culture.
Every artwork is created on a B4 sketchbook paper and the pieces range from illustrations, pictures to pictures and other forms of art.
Itami furter emphases that all participating artists have their unique story, that is always displayed next to their artwork. This diversity is another factor that contributes to the greatness of the JACT exhibitions.
MAYU, one of the participating artists came to welcome visitors at the opening party all the way from Japan. MAYU shared not only her artwork, but also her culture and opened up that New York actually reminds her a lot of her hometown in Japan.
Based in New York City, the mission of the Japanese Contemporary Art Team is to represent talented Japanese artists from around the world and to assist these artists with their careers. JACT believes that every artist deserves to create a career from what they love to do.
The Invisible rules of Japan exhibition was a full success and we highly recommend checking JCAT’s website for their upcoming events.
Official Flyer designed by Artist MAYU.
Invisible Rules of Japan Unveiled
On Thursday January 30th 2020, The Japanese Contemporary Artists Team (JCAT) showcased their exhibition, Invisible Rules of Japan at Noho M55 Gallery in Chelsea.
Don’t Eat While Walking, Mito Nishikura
JCAT artists create art based around a theme, before compiling the pieces into an artbook. One of the aims for this exhibition was to be accessible, for both participants and audience. Each piece consists of a single piece of paper, displayed solely by a clip of the wall, allowing for portable, lightweight art. On this B4 sketchbook paper, artists express the hidden, implicit rules within Japanese culture, in a variety of mediums from illustrations and painting to collage and calligraphy.
Tegatana, Makoto Ambo
Due to Japan’s historical isolationism from the world, many customs, traditions and social cues are unknown to visiting tourists. This can result in unintended embarrassing or offensive faux pas. Invisible Rules of Japan hopes to peel back the cultural curtain and connect the world to Japanese customs, especially ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Invisible Rules of Japan, Noho M55 Gallery.
Having previously travelled to Japan myself, I saw many of the implicit rules I encountered but also some that were new to me. I learnt that when walking through crowds, it is encouraged to make eye contact with strangers and to slightly bow as a sign of respect and acknowledgment of the other person. Living in New York City this was an alien concept to me. I was also reminded about the deep rooted significance of rice, and how every single grain is precious and should never be wasted.
The store clerk will not come unless you say “Sumimasen”, youme
The advantage to using B4 paper is that the message is immediate and concise; the information required to be a respectful and conscientious tourist is easy to digest. This is further emphasised by the use of bright colors, comic style characters and bold, effective lettering. I am engaged, I am listening.
As this exhibition showed, bringing life to the culturally unspoken is powerful. It informs in a way that is non-judgmental and cordial. It builds bridges over potential misunderstandings. It breathes color and texture into the invisible.
@giselle Masters the Dance Between Ballet and the Digital World
Romance has always been thought of as a dance. @giselle works to preserve the classic traditions of ballet with the ever-evolving jive of social media and online dating, to create the ultimate experience of dance and love in 2020.
Performance of @giselle. Photo Credit: David Cooper
On January 14, a new imagining of the beloved ballet classic Giselle, was screened at The Bruno Walter Auditorium in Lincoln Center, New York City. Created by Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY, @giselle updates the 1800’s tragic romance for modern audiences, as dating apps, selfies and emojis reinterpret love, sex and relationships in the 21st century. With the talented cast of ABT's Catherine Hurlin in the title role and Betsy McBride as Bathilde, Pennsylvania Ballet's Sterling Baca as Hilarion, and National Ballet of Canada's Harrison James as Albrecht, @giselle dazzles in both its bold intention and skilful execution.
What makes @giselle so unique is the use of motion-captured digital projections and other visual effects utilised to reflect and critique the digital world we live in. On stage, what is physically a solo dance, morphs into a digital duet, as the projections overlie and pair dancers in body and spirit. This reflects the solitary nature of online dating; the dater alone swipes through the plethora of potential lovers, who exist merely as digital representations rather than living, feeling persons.
@giselle in action. Photo Credit: David Cooper
As Joshua Beamish stated as he introduced the show: “I want the original work to exist within our production as its own ghost - a ghost from another time.” Indeed, Giselle herself embodies this ghost, as her suicide is live streamed; everyone is watching but no one is there to stop her incorporeal transformation. In the second act Giselle dances on as a mere projection, a wisp of a memory, a ghostly hologram for Instagram. Incredibly, using only a single projector, the audience watches this intentionally uncomfortable yet oddly complementary duet; the elegance of ballet paired with the glibness of social media; a dual visual experience of reading between the lines of both dance and online dating.
Catherine Herlin and Joshua Beamish.
After the screening Hurlin, McBride, and Baca joined Beamish on stage to share the creative process. As Hurlin notes dancing with a projector was challenging and distracting. Is this a metaphor for our phones and the digital life they submerge us in? Are we too distanced from the physical, distracted from reality?Additionally, as Baca comments, classical ballet incorporates much pantomime. Social media does too, with all its over emphasis and drama, its insistence on the curated image to over exaggerate reality. Life imitates art after all.
@giselle brings together many opposing forces into complementary harmony; digital and dance, tragedy and comedy, studio and stage, to create a unique and magical encounter. It is a modern ballet imbued with an important cultural commentary. A must see on both screen and stage. Commissioned by TO Live, Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY premiered @giselle at the Vancouver Playhouse in September 2019.
PHOTOS BY SEAN ZANNI/PMC and DAVID COOPER
@giselle Screening at Lincoln Center
On January 14, 2020 a screening of @giselle by Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY was hosted at The Bruno Walter Auditorium in New York City’s Lincoln Center.
Beamish created a new take on the beloved classic ballet Giselle, where dating apps and social media platforms reinterpret love, sex and relationships.
Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY premiered @giselle at the Vancouver Playhouse in September 2019, commissioned by TO Live.
Performance of @giselle by David Cooper
@giselle stars American Ballet Theater’s Catherine Hurlin in the title role of Giselle and Betsy McBride as Bathilde, Pennsylvania Ballet’s Sterling Baca as Hilarion as well as National Ballet of Canada’s Harrison James as Albrecht.
What makes Beamish’s production so unique is the use of motion-captured digital projections and visual effects, that the director applied to reflect the digital world we live in.
"The ballet Giselle is one of the most profound constructions of the classical canon.” said Joshua Beamish, when introducing his show.
Catherine Hurlin and Joshua Beamish
He added: “I want the original work to exist within our production as its own ghost - a ghost from another time. Traditional romance is evaporating. The internet is threatening our ability to value individuals. @giselle shows the evolved hysteria born from unanswered texts, likes, and story views. In today's media saturated environment, is Giselle's descent into "madness" really so shocking? I hope audiences will relate to Giselle's journey and see themselves in the plights, struggles, and joys of the varying characters and their social interactions."
Performance of @giselle by David Cooper
After the screening of @giselle, the performing artists Hurlin, McBride and Baca joined Joshua Beamish on the stage to discuss and share the creative process of @giselle.
Baca emphasized Beamish’s ability to bring the old classic into the present time, by creating a version of Giselle we all know, yet never seen before.
Hurlin, McBride and Baca all agreed on the director’s distinctive characteristic of describing the detailed choreography with his broad vocabulary.
Joshua Beamish, Catherine Hurlin, Betsy McBride and Sterling Baca
The screening of the new interpretation of the ballet classic Giselle wasn’t only a unique chance to get a glimpse of the stunning production, but also to get an insight of the artistic process involved in the new must-see ballet and therefore made a special night for all guests.
Joanna and Brian Fisher underwrote the screening and served as hosts with Ben Rodriguez-Cubenas, Roger Kluge and Denise Roberts Hurlin.
Photos of the evening were taken by Sean Zanni PMC.
Bebe Neuwirth and Chris Calkins, Hank and Gerry Alpert and Jonah Boaker were some of the numerous guests that enjoyed the evening at the Lincoln Center.
@giselle honours the memory of every young life lost to Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) complications.
Catherine Hurlin and Joshua Beamish
Brian and Joanna Fisher
PHOTOS BY SEAN ZANNI/PMC and DAVID COOPER
A Night in Mexico Gala
On Saturday, December 7th, Pildora hosted an A Night in Mexico, a fundraiser supporting the Vida Digna Foundation of Chihuahua, Mexico. For almost 25 years, Vida Digna has sustained the Rarámuri communities of Chihuahua, Mexico. The heart of the foundation is to help these communities gain their basic necessities, such as healthcare, education, and clean drinking water.
The event was created and organized by none other than Pildora’s CEO and founder, Christina Almeida. Growing up in Chihuahua, Christina experienced the Rarámuri people firsthand and was always intrigued by their lifestyle and their love and respect for the planet. Bringing them to light in the New York City community was a dream come true. Not only did she want to raise funds for them, but she wanted guests to have the opportunity to learn from their communities’ respectful and sustainable culture.
The Rarámuri people’s appreciation for nature, love for our earth, and absolute respect for human life are basic fundamentals of the Rarámuri culture. The Rarámuri have been around for centuries and have endured disease and famine, but their ideologies have not changed. Today’s modern world must learn from the Rarámuri if we are to prosper together.
Hosted by Eglantina Zingg and Christina Almeida, the sustainable event began with a cocktail hour, where guests were transported to the streets of Mexico City to the beat of a live band in a space reminiscent of Frida Kahlo’s back yard, filled with plants, candles, and rich blues, yellows, and hints of pink. Greenery wrapped in twinkle lights cascaded from the ceiling and bright floral arrangements filled the corners of the room and adorned each table. A traditional Mexican gourmet meal was served while guests enjoyed an opening performance by Aztec calpulli dancers, dressed in beautifully colored dresses and Mariachi hats, performing a traditional Aztec dance.
A silent auction followed, featuring donated pieces from artists from the United States and Mexico, including purses from the Canna Project, a custom jacket from AndAgain, and paintings from Chrystal Rae, JD Miller, and Mateo Nava. A raffle was also held and one lucky guest took home a commissioned piece by artist Chrystal Rae.
Pildora presented its first-ever Positive Impact Award. This award was created to recognize those who have spent multiple years devoting their lives to sustainability, welfare, and the betterment of the world, something Pildora strives to do every day.
Christina presented the award to Victor Almeida and Alfredo Harp Helu for establishing the Vida Digna Foundation and for their devotion to the welfare of humanity and support for the Rarámuri over the last 20 years. The award and awardees represent Pildora’s values as a company and organization. Sustainable communities are at the forefront of everything we do, and so is our appreciation for them.
The night concluded with another performance by the Calpulli dancers in the Mexican Jalisco tradition. Guests were absolutely enchanted and so moved by the beauty and passion of the dancers that many jumped on stage after the performance and danced in absolute joy and celebration of Mexican culture and the Rarámuri.
If you would like to help Vida Digna Foundation, you can donate HERE.
Hello Panda – Sneak Peak to North America’s Largest Lantern Installation
On Thursday, December 5th, selected press representatives and affiliates were invited to the opening of the first-ever Hello Panda Festival in New York City. The installation covers almost the entire New York Citi Field which makes it the largest lantern arts event in North America.
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
Over 120 lantern displays handcrafted by more than 60 world-renowned lantern artisans have been arranged to stunning settings across Citi Field. The little islands of lantern-based Christmas trees, princess castles and magic forests completely transformed the usually plain parking lot into a Winter Wonderland. Credit for this extraordinary transformation can be given to the Chinese Performing Arts of America Association (CPAA) which has co-produced various events at the Lincoln and Kennedy Center since 2013.
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
Winston Wang, General Manager of CPAA North America, traces the current popularity of lantern festivals back to the growing “role of social media in today’s world”. Accordingly, many guests were excited by the numerous ‘instagrammable’ settings that qualified for some great Social Media posts. Unfortunately, the weather situation didn’t allow for too many photo sessions.
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
But spectators weren’t left in the cold. Prepared for the freezing temperatures, the considerable event management team set up igloo-like tents where attendees were invited to warm up while enjoying the complimentary open bar. The selection of beer, wine and cocktails was complemented by authentic dishes from around the world such as miniature burgers or waffle crepes.
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
The main tent also hosted one of the main events, an elaborate DJ Pult with supporting live violin players. Here, guests could dance the cold away to soothing beats and lively Christmas classics or simply sit down and relax while soaking in the stunning exterior.
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
All in all, the Hello Panda Festival truly makes up for an extraordinary experience that can be visited and revisited anytime from now until January 26, 2020.
Photo Credit: CPAA North America
For more information or ticket sales, visit http://www.hellopandafest.com.