Issue No. 117: A Schedule of Live Art

Benjamin Fredrickson, Self Portrait, 2011. Courtesy of the artist.

Museum of Arts and Design Risk + Reward: Performance in Untraditional Spaces 2 Columbus Circle New York, NY 10019  madmuseum.org

This Fall MAD presents Risk + Reward: Performance in Untraditional Spaces  Continuing the Museum of Arts and Design's dedication to expanding the integration of art and culture in everyday life, this fall MAD will present the inaugural edition of its series on performance in untraditional spaces, Risk + Reward.  From a world premiere performance by enfant terrible Jack Ferver, to museum-wide, all-day investigation in improvisational structures by Sarah Maxfield, and new works by Carlos Motta and Benjamin Fredrickson, Risk + Reward gives performance-based artists the opportunity to take new risks with their practice. Risk + Reward is organized by Jake Yuzna, Manager of Public Programs. Knowing the Score:An Investigation of Improvisational StructuresBy Sarah Maxfield Saturday, September 24, 2011 11:00 am–5:00 pm Free with Museum admission Theater, Lobby and 7th Floor  A score is a plan.  A score is a preparation.  A score is a map, a topography, a terrain.  A score is something to explore. During this one-day, museum-wide event, Sarah Maxfield offers an improvisational score through which to investigate the use of scoring in dance and performance.  Maxfield has invited a number of consummate improvisers to participate in the investigation, and visitors to the museum are invited to participate in certain elements of the event as well.  The score will be available before the event, so that visitors may choose when and how to join in.  Participating artists include Ishmael Houston-Jones, Yvonne Meier, Ursula Eagly, Jen Rosenblit, and more. Find My Way HomeBy John Kelly September 30, 2011 7:00 pm 18 USD General, 15 USD MAD Members and Students with Valid ID Theater  Revisiting his 1988 work "Find My Way Home," the renowned performance artist will take part in a special week-long, work-in-progress residency at MAD. "Find My Way Home" resets the Greek myth of Orpheus during the Great Depression.  The tragic story of the fabled god of music's decent into the underworld to save his true love is told in part by employing sections from Gluck's Baroque opera "Orfeo Ed Eurydice," originally written for a male castrato but performed by Kelly in his signature countertenor voice, along with Depression-era Noel Coward songs and French cabaret tunes. This highly original interpretation garnered Kelly a 2010 NEA American Masterpieces Dance Award. In partnership with New York Live Arts, MAD presents John Kelly's "Find My Way Home" as a series of open and closed rehearsals, culminating in a work-in-progress concert version on September 30.  This residency and performance will provide a rare glimpse into the process of re-examining and reinterpreting a work before its final staging at New York Live Arts in October. Schedule of free open rehearsals of "Find My Way Home" in MAD's Theater: Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 3:00–6:00 pm Thursday, September 29, 2011, 7:00–9:00 pm  Seats for open rehearsals are limited. First come, first serve. Open rehearsals are free with museum admission. Presented through a partnership with New York Live Arts. A New Discovery: Queer Immigration in PerspectiveBy QUEEROCRACY & Carlos Motta (and many more allies) Monday, October 10, 2011 3pm Free Central Park  To highlight the issues faced by queer immigrants, the grassroots organization QUEEROCRACY in collaboration with artist Carlos Motta and several other individuals and organizations will hold a social intervention-based performance this October. Taking place on Columbus Day and in the shadow of Columbus Circle, QUEEROCRACY and Motta utilize this symbol of immigration and the new world to tackle the very real issues and discrimination facing queer immigrants. Inviting a number of speakers on the topic, this event will create a free and positive dialogue open to the public. Through this collaboration, activists/artists will bring attention to the way immigrant and queer politics intersect in the public sphere in ways that both confront, challenge and transform the state mechanisms that police borders and bodies in the United States and in other receiving states. This dialogue strives to generate new ideas on how to better make a difference in the lives of queer people around the world. Me, MichelleBy Jack FerverNovember 10–12, 2011 8:00 pm 18 USD General, 15 USD MAD Members and Students with Valid ID Theater World Premiere  MAD is proud to present the world premiere of "Me, Michelle," a new work from the choreographer Jack Ferver.  A duet by Ferver and fellow dancer-chorographer Michelle Mola, "Me, Michelle" takes the mysteries and myths of the life of Queen Cleopatra as a vehicle for two performers to uncover truths about this historical icon—and ultimately themselves. Presented as part of Performa 11. Benjamin Fredrickson, ArtistBy Benjamin Fredrickson Thursday, December 8, 2011 8:00 pm 15 USD General, 12 USD MAD Members and Students with Valid ID Theater World Premiere  What does it take to be an art star in New York City?  That is precisely what Benjamin Fredrickson wants to know.  The Midwest born photographer marks his very first foray into live performance this winter at MAD. Examining the reception of his body of photography work by certain NYC galleries, that he would "fit nicely into the cannon of Robert Mapplethorpe" being an HIV positive gay man who works in portrait photography, Benjamin Fredrickson weaves together an unforgettable night that challenges the professionalized artist tract, history of NYC photography, and preconceived notions of "the artist". Searingly personal, completely honest, and devastatingly humorous Fredrickson's "Benjamin Fredrickson, Artist" reminds us of the risks and reward inherent in pursuing a life in the arts.