The worlds of theater, art, fashion, design, and society gathered together on Saturday night for Voluptuous Panic : The 18th Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit. It was a true festival of the arts and performance, all to benefit Watermill and its mission to provide a unique environment for young and emerging artists to explore new ideas and foster their career development. The performance art, sculpture, paintings and even the landscaping all came together under the guidance of the world’s pre-emienent avant garde director, Robert Wilson.
The six acre grounds of the Watermill Center were covered with performance artists and art installations from artists from over 30 countries. After walking up a mirrored staircase, the guests were greeted by by hair master, Charlie Le Mindu’s, three giggling performers in the stone floored entrance chamber. A steam roller turned into a giant music box circled performers in a nest of silver foil covered in glitter. A huge paper spinal column with a balloon brain floating at the top circled through the party guests. The massive collection of art and unique performances happens only one night for the benefit making the event one of the most sought after party tickets of the summer.
The Watermill Center is a laboratory for performance founded by Robert Wilson. The New York Times has described Robert Wilson as “ a towering figure in the world of experiemental theater…” His work has appeared on Broadway and across the globe. His production of Three Penny Opera will be at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in September to commemorate his 70th birthday. Wilson will also be one of the artists in BAM’s 150 anniversary Iconic Art Talk series this fall moderated by BAM Executive Producer, Joseph V. Melillo.
This year’s silent and live auction included over 75 lots from emerging and established artists including Marina Abramovic, Mary Heilmann, Arturo Herrera, Christian Marclay, Adam McEwen, Malcolm Morley, Olivier Mosset, Robert Lazzarini, Yoko Ono, Neo Rauch, Tim Rollins + K.O.S., David Salle, Kenny Scharf, Andres Serrano, Taryn Simon, Philippe Starck, Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, and Robert Wilson, with special lots created in celebration of Robert Wilson’s 70th Birthday. The live auction was run by auctioneer Simon de Pury.
For more information on Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center see:
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