Our new intern Mette Garfield Mortensen just arrived from Copenhagen, Denmark, and got thrown right into the fire working at the 2012-13 Season Launch. We asked her to share a few thoughts on this event and her first couple days at PS122.
The drinks are cool and the roof is hot!
Just arrived from Copenhagen, Denmark, I suddenly find myself on the rooftop of the Gawker Media building in Soho among peers from the New York experimental theater scene. Artists, directors, set designers, actors, critics, possible sponsors and supporters are mingling, drinking, dancing and partying.
PS122 throws a party launching this season’s three very different projects showing the variety of ways to explore the boundaries of performance.
David Levine’s durational installation Habit, investigating aspects of reality and fiction opens the season, followed by Ich Kürbisgeist, juxtaposing performance, dance and text: a collaboration between Big Dance Theater and writer Sibyl Kempson. Fall at PS122 closes with world premiere of acclaimed, poetical and unpredictable playwright Kristen Kosmas’ There There.
Throughout the party, lit up by the sparkling stars of New York’s skyline, performers and dancers wearing weird outfits lead by GMOM (aka Get Modern on Me) amusingly and geekily intermingle with the guests. A silent auction is also going on. You are able to bid on a wide range of items, e.g. one night stay at Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, or screaming yellow Occupy tape.
Francine, a landscape designer tells me, a Danish theater editor and critic, why she is here: “I’m here to show my support. I always come. PS122 has this reputation as a venue, where you can try things out. Certain artists are connected to PS122 – like Laurie Anderson. I like the vision of the artistic program. I have seen puppet shows, all kinds of theater at PS122. When you buy a ticket to PS122, it is usually interesting.”
Thanks Mette! We’ll hear more from her throughout her month as the Branding and Communications intern.
Photo by Kate Hess