Gordin's View

Watermill Center Summer Gala

FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS

The Byrd Hoffman Watermill Foundation celebrated their 23rd Annual Summer Benefit & Auction, FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS, after Le Corbusier’s building La Maison du Fada (The Nutter’s house), where Philanthropist Madame Giancarla Berti was honored for her support of The Watermill Center as a laboratory for the arts. The event held in Watermill, NY on Saturday, July 30 is one of the most sought after social gatherings of the Hampton’s season bringing together more than a thousand quests form the worlds of art, performance, theater, fashion, design, and society. This year’s gathering appeared to be the biggest ever, and the threat of rain did not dampen attendance or spirits.

FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS

Ten years ago the center began a year-round artist in residency program inviting individual artists to spend two to four weeks developing works. FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS featured new works by 100 artists in this Summer Program with participants coming from 28 countries to create installations and performances throughout the eight-and-a-half acre grounds. Proceeds from this one of kind happening support The Center’s Year-Round residency and education programs.

Kanye West was announced last week as one of the performers at this year’s Gala and Robert Wilson, Watermill’s artistic director, was set to design the set and lighting for his performance, but Mr. West was a no show canceling his anticipated appearance at the annual summer benefit. Other performers included Pussy Riot, the Russian punk protest group, the songwriter and singer Anohni, formerly known as Antony Hegarty, and The Bruce High Quality Foundation (BHQF), an artists’ collective.

Celebrations began at 6:00 PM with cocktails and a silent auction while guests toured installations throughout the grounds, including Constellation in Red, Yellow and Blue – a monumental light sculpture installation located in the Knee Building that was created for The Watermill Center by Inga Maren Otto Fellow G.T. Pellizzi. Collaborations with BHQF presented As We Lay Dying – a variety of works and performances interspersed throughout The Center’s eight-and-a-half acres of grounds. Each instalation reflected a unique vision of our contemporary world through personal, political and aesthetic perspectives. There were also stunning sound installations by the internationally renowned singer and songwriter, ANOHNI, that were adapted from her most recent recordings and played throughout the grounds setting the tone for the evening.

The evening continued with a seated dinner and live auction, where guests experienced skateboard performances and installations adapted by Shaun Gladwell from his famed film Skateboarders vs. Minimalism, which originally premiered at the Sydney Festival in January 2016. As part of the dinner there was a live auctions hosted by veteran auctioneer Simon de Pury. The silent auction, which continued throughout dinner, boasted more than 125 lots donated by world-renowned and emerging artists. An after dinner post-event party from 10:00PM until midnight featuring Shaun Gladwell’s installation, dessert and dancing.

To mark the 10th Anniversary of The Center’s year-round Artist Residency Program, William Wagner, Managing Director of The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation. announced announce that they will begin breaking ground on the construction of a new, 10,000 square-foot residence facility.