From top left: Earl Dax photographed by Cyle Suesz, Ladyfag & Leo Gugu photographed by Gerard Garvey
THE FUN Conference on NYC Nightlife
A variety of nightlife personalities break down the art of partying
If there are any two things in this world that fit together flawlessly and are in constant conversation with one another, art and nightlife without a doubt take top honors. Longtime contributors to this collaboration are the FUN Fellowship, a program dedicated to providing artists with the monetary foundation they need to merge fine art and nightlife into fully immersive projects. This weekend, the folks over at FUN are putting together the FUN Conference on Nightlife, a three-day program intended to initiate a dialogue about nightlife as an art form.
Presented alongside the publication of the book THE FUN: The Social Practice of Nightlife in NYC, the conference includes panel discussions, lectures, and projects detailing the fabled relationship nightlife has with New York City and the fine arts. Some events to look forward to this Saturday include ‘The Pleasure Ritual,’ concentrating on the blending of the nightlife environment with radical political possibilities and featuring a panel that includes FCKNLZ, Rob Roth, and Spectrum. Later in the day is the aptly-titled ‘You Deserve a Drink Ticket!‘, in which the legendary CHERYL, Earl Dax, and Ladyfag will discuss the art of hosting a killer party while keeping art and aesthetic sensibilities intact. Finally, there’s ‘Whatever Happened to Flyers?…,’ a panel discussion about party promotion in the post-Internet world moderated by Jenny Schlenzka, Associate Curator of MoMA PS1, and including #TOP 8 Friends, Marie Karlberg, Patrik Sandberg, Frankie Sharp, and Stewart Uoo.
On Sunday, Nov.10, the conference kicks off again with ‘States of Excess and Undress…‘, a panel discussion on the stereotypical perception of nightlife as a seedy, sexy cesspool of hedonism and where the division between taboo and acceptable behavior truly lies, with panelists that include Cameron Cooper, JUDY, Leo GuGu, and WOAHMONE. Another must-see Sunday event is ‘Brooklyn and Beyond…,’ an exploration into the “death of nightlife” and the evolution into what nighttime entertainment means in today’s social climate, featuring Paddy Johnson, Art Fag City, Sophia Lamar, Secret Project Robot, Silent Barn, and Gerry Visco. Last but certainly not least is ‘No Dancing Allowed…,’ a discourse on government policies regulating nightlife in NYC, as discussed by Hattie Hathaway and Aaron J. Solomon, Attorney, Oved & Oved LLP and Michael Musto.
All in all, it looks to be an incredibly informative weekend for those of us invested in our nightlife (aka all of us). If you’re looking to be mentally stimulated by the intersection where art and parties meet, or are simply looking to join in on the conversation yourself, then this is not an event to be missed.