On July 30, 2011 – “Voluptuous Panic,” the 18th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit, raised close to $1.5 million for the Center’s year-round artist residency and education programs. The event also kicked off the 70th birthday celebration of Robert Wilson.
Highlights of the live auction included: Dennis Oppenheim's sculpture Architectural Cactus #6 (2008) was sold during the live auction after Robert Wilson's moving tribute to the late artist. Auctioneer Simon de Pury negotiated a fierce bidding war over Marina Abramovic's striking self portrait. In celebration of Robert Wilson's 70th Birthday a special live auction lot of 7 commissioned portraits inspired by the artist by Laurie Anderson, Ross Bleckner, Frank Gehry, Peter Hujar, Christopher Knowles, Yoko Ono, David Salle, and 1 song written for him by Rufus Wainwright. This limited edition print portfolio raised $150,000 for The Watermill Center.
Highlights of this year's silent auction included works by: David Adamo, Joe Andoe, Tauba Auerbach, Alice Aycock, Davide Balliano, Katherine Bernhardt, Tom Burr, Scott Campbell, Talia Chetrit, Martin Soto Climent, Anne Collier, Michael Combs, E.V. Day, Francesca Dimattio, Michael Dweck, Debo Eilers, Jeff Elrod, Ryan Foerster, Nicholas Forker, Erik Foss, David Gamble, Anton Ginzburg, Evan Gruzis, Dmitry Gutov, Mary Heilmann, Arturo Herrera, Alfredo Jaar, Ray Johnson, Andrew Kuo, Kristin Lamb, Laurie Lambrecht, Alexis Laurent, Thomas Lawson, Robert Lazzarini, Miltos Manetas, Megan Marrin, Maximilian Eicke, Adam Mcewen, Jane Moseley, Carter Mull, Matt Mullican, Laurel Nakadate, Shahryar Nashat, Olaf Nicolai, Yoko Ono, Rachel Owens, Gordon Parks, José Parlá, Walter Pfeiffer, Michael Phelan, Neo Rauch, Tim Rollins & K.O.S., Anri Sala, Matthew Satz, Kenny Scharf, Mark Seliger, Andres Serrano, Cindy Sherman, Dasha Shishkin, Taryn Simon, Mickey Smith, Caroline Snow, Sabina Streeter, Vibeke Tandberg, Storm Tharp, Barry Underwood, Inez Van Lamsweerde And Vinoodh Matadin, Bettina Werner, Robert Wilson, Aaron Young, and Thomas Zipp.
25 site specific Installations and performances interpreted the theme of Voluptuous Panic created by artists such as Atopos Contemporary Visual Culture (Greece) + Charlie Le Mindu (France), Celine Barel (France), Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean (US), Peter Coffin (US), Patricia Domínguez (Chile), Nazanin Fakoor (Iran), Clo’e Floirat (France), Andressa Furletti, Andy Gilchrist (US), Katya Grokhovsky (Ukraine/Australia), Annick Lavalle-Benny (Canada), Adrian Madlener (Belgium), Alejandro Moreno Jashés (Chile), Christopher Knowles (US), Alexander Lyle (US), Carrie McGrath (Australia), Ryan Mcnamara (US), Jakob Oredsson (Sweden), Zach Simonson (US), Carlos Soto (US), Santiago Taccetti (Argentina), Vladimir Von Arx (Switzerland), Megan Whitmarsh & Matthew Salata (US).
All of these works were produced by the 70 artists and participants from over 2 dozen nations on site in the weeks leading up to the benefit and will be on view again to the community on August 14 for Watermill’s annual Discover Watermill day which is free and open to the public.
Guests for cocktails (over 1,100) were greeted by an installation by Atopos CVC and Charlie Le Mindu called Milk the Cow and Bacardi specialty cocktails. The west terrace featured a musical steamroller by artist Peter Coffin that circled Charlie Le Mindu's Glitterpool in which almost naked girls bathed themselves in oil and glitter. Atop the steamroller were musicians from People Get Ready. The west terrace featured a musical steamroller by artist Peter Coffin that circled Charlie Le Mindu's Glitterpool.
During dinner, People Get Ready, performed by Steven Reker, Luke Fasano, James Rickman, Jen Goma, and Eddy Crichton entertained the more than 650 dinner guests. The piece was developed as part of the Fall and Spring Residency Program at The Watermill in March of 2011 and was performed subsequently at The Kitchen in New York City. Rufus Wainwright premiered his birthday song for Robert Wilson in front of an enthusiastic audience. Master of Ceremonies was again Watermill’s director Jorn Weisbrodt. Nancy Whang of LCD Sound System and Nicole Bachelor DJ'ed in the Auction Tent after dinner, where guests also mingled at the 20” bar, compliments of Bacardi.
Guests at the event included Robert Wilson, Rufus Wainwright, Ross Bleckner, Simon de Pury, Roger Waters, Alan Cumming, Klaus Biesenbach, Charles Renfro, Cindy Sherman, Stefano Tonchi, Richard Philips, Katie Lee, Stacy Engman, Hamish Bowles, Katharina Otto-Bernstein & Nathan Bernstein, Jamee & Peter Gregory, Francis Hayward, Lisa Anastos, Josephine Meckseper, Zaldy, Mike Furey, Peter Coffin, Andrey Bartenev, May Andersen, Bob Colacello, Dorothy Lichtenstein, Tatiana & Campion Platt, Beth Rudin de Woody, Anne Hearst McInerney & Jay McInerney, Monique Pean, Somers Farkas, Fabiola Beracasa, Lisa Perry, Arden Wohl, Stella Schnabel, Lesley Schulhof, Kyle de Woody, Nicole Miller, Chloe Malle, Dalia Oberlander.
Tent decor was designed and created by Megan Whitmarsh and Matthew Salata.
The Byrd Hoffman Watermill Foundation thanks LVMH: Moët Hennesy.Louis Vuitton. Beverages generously provided by Bacardi USA, Mouton Rothschild, Stella Artois, Izze Sparkling Juice, S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. Olivier Cheng Catering and Events catered the event. Aesop, Inc. USA provided the gift bags in collaboration with The Watermill Center.
Watermill director Jorn Weisbrodt, Watermill founder Robert Wilson, Rufus Wainwright .
Michaela de Pury, Simon de Pury.
Rufus Wainwright, Roselee Goldberg, Dakota Jackson, Cindy Sherman, Jorn Weisbrodt, Klaus Biesenbach.
Alan Cumming.
Blair Voltz Clarke.
Ross Bleckner.
Caroline Snow, Christophe de Menil, Michael Halsband, Nikki Zeichener.
