Interview

Launch Mediaplayer »

Dia:Beacon might be known for its Rymans and Palermos; for its inventive renovation of the Nabisco plant in the rolling hills of Dutchess County, New York; for its meditative, almost cultish approach to Minimalist art objects. For its youthful appeal, perhaps less so. So it was heartening that the annual Dia benefit, which coincided with the opening of Catalan Abstract Expressionist Antoni Tapies' "The Resources of Rhetoric," was co-chaired not just by Martha Stewart (the symbol of many things promising but none of them youth) but also Brian Phillips, the young director of art/fashion PR firm Black Frame. Phillips brought on a young crop in support of a Dia Foundation perennially in conflict, Phillip Lim, and Opening Ceremony's Humberto Leon and Carol Lim among them. The entire affair was more kid-friendly: Typically the benefit is in the evening, such that when the sun sets guests panic to make the last train back to New York. This year's mid-afternoon scheduling made the benefit less do or die, but also meant that children were the primary entertainment—like Matthew Barney and Bjork's daughter Isadora.

But Stewart clearly had her way with the decor—potted cactus centerpieces that dotted the table, which guests were encouraged to take away at the end. Lunch took place in the Warhol room—all of them shadow screenprints.

In the category of ever-young, the entertainment was a Merce Cunningham performance—Dia Director Phillippe Vergne, whose French-accented speech was otherwise unintelligible, called the artist "perennially young." The piece was "Beacon Events," choreographed specifically for the Beacon in response to Imi Knoebels 24 Colors—For Blinky (1977) with a soundtrack by John Cage. There were 14 dancers, two of whom had emotional finales as it was their last performances with Cunningham. Three dance areas were laid out in front of Knoebel's paintings to create, the press release said, "not so much an afternoon of dances as the experience of dance." And that experience was not to be replicated, as photography was explicitly verboten. Shot from the hip, Interview got the performers in between segments—but that's as close as you're going to get.


Tapies: Resources of rhetoric. is on view through October 19