Although the popular phrase is "life imitates art," at Robert Wilson's annual Watermill Center benefit parties, it's the event that imitates the art. Wilson, the stage director, artist and founder of the Watermill Center, oversees the event each year on the grounds of the international art facility, and to celebrate the benefit's 10-year anniversary, this year Cuban art took center stage. Dubbed Molino Cubano, which means "cuban mill," the event featured food and decor that took its inspiration from the island's festive culture.
Guests including Sarah Jessica Parker, Annie Leibovitz and Calvin Klein entered the event through a 10-foot gate and were led past various art installations created by visiting Cuban artists. The installations, ranging from political slogans on columns and caged white chickens to a documentary projected onto a screen in the woods, put guests in a reflective mood until they reached the dining tent. To counteract the serious tone of the art, event designer Susan Miller Smith collaborated with Wilson and the artists-in-residence at the Watermill Center to create an explosion of color and a light, festive atmosphere.
To create the mood, Smith used colorful decorations made primarily of plastic, wood and paper. Plastic parrots were stretched across the ceiling and twinkly lights were attached to almost everything. The artists-in-residence played an integral part in building and painting a maze of oversized cityscapes, bright pineapples made of plywood, painted tablecloths and a pineapple-accented dance floor. For centerpieces, Smith combined giant paper tissue flowers, colorful vintage toy cars and mannequin heads topped off with Carmen Miranda-type headdresses.
Caterwaiters served hors d'oeuvres like mini Cuban sandwiches and black bass ceviche in tortilla cups on cuban cigar boxes and trays accented with toy cars and rustic chicken wire. Dinner included grilled leg of lamb and shrimp on a sugarcane, and as part of the dessert buffet, Olivier Cheng Catering and Events featured a snow cone bar with tropical flavors and watermelon wedges.
-Amanda Trimble
Read about another Cuban-themed benefit...
Guests including Sarah Jessica Parker, Annie Leibovitz and Calvin Klein entered the event through a 10-foot gate and were led past various art installations created by visiting Cuban artists. The installations, ranging from political slogans on columns and caged white chickens to a documentary projected onto a screen in the woods, put guests in a reflective mood until they reached the dining tent. To counteract the serious tone of the art, event designer Susan Miller Smith collaborated with Wilson and the artists-in-residence at the Watermill Center to create an explosion of color and a light, festive atmosphere.
To create the mood, Smith used colorful decorations made primarily of plastic, wood and paper. Plastic parrots were stretched across the ceiling and twinkly lights were attached to almost everything. The artists-in-residence played an integral part in building and painting a maze of oversized cityscapes, bright pineapples made of plywood, painted tablecloths and a pineapple-accented dance floor. For centerpieces, Smith combined giant paper tissue flowers, colorful vintage toy cars and mannequin heads topped off with Carmen Miranda-type headdresses.
Caterwaiters served hors d'oeuvres like mini Cuban sandwiches and black bass ceviche in tortilla cups on cuban cigar boxes and trays accented with toy cars and rustic chicken wire. Dinner included grilled leg of lamb and shrimp on a sugarcane, and as part of the dessert buffet, Olivier Cheng Catering and Events featured a snow cone bar with tropical flavors and watermelon wedges.
-Amanda Trimble
Read about another Cuban-themed benefit...
Robert Wilson and designer Susan Miller Smith created a festive Cuban atmosphere with twinkly lights, painted plywood pineapples and plastic parrots for the Watermill Center's Molino Cubano benefit.
Brightly colored vintage toy cars accented a tray filled with seared steak on potato cakes. Catering was provided by Olivier Cheng Catering and Events.
Artists-in-residence at the Watermill Center painted the dance floor with bright, multi-colored pineapples.
A tray of hors d'oeuvres was accented with chicken wire, a touch inspired by one of the art installations incorporating a caged chicken.
