Commissions
The centerpiece of the biennial are the Performa Commissions, where visual artists take a step into the performance world, many of them for the first time in their careers. These artists receive significant support to experiment and make their work. To date, Performa has awarded 41 Commissions with several consequently touring internationally after their New York premieres. Beginning with the first Performa 05 Commissions by artists Jesper Just and Francis Alÿs, Performa has gone on to present Commissions by a wide range of artists including Isaac Julien (Performa 07); Adam Pendleton (Performa 07); Yvonne Rainer (Performa 07); Francesco Vezzoli (Performa 07); Mike Kelley (Performa 09); Arto Lindsay (Performa 09); Wangechi Mutu (Performa 09); Ragnar Kjartansson (Performa 11); Liz Magic Laser (Performa 11); Shirin Neshat (Performa 11); and Elmgreen and Dragset (Performa 11), among others.
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Paweł AlthamerBiba Performa
- Saturday, November 2, 12:00 pm
Althamer builds connections between Williamsburg's many residents as all are invited to join in his conviviality and revelry at the Biba bar.
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Rashid JohnsonDutchman
- Monday, November 4, 10:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 6, 10:00 pm
- Thursday, November 7, 10:00 pm
- Friday, November 8, 10:00 pm
- Monday, November 18, 10:00 pm
- Tuesday, November 19, 10:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 20, 10:00 pm
- Thursday, November 21, 10:00 pm
LeRoi Jones's Dutchman is restaged in the steamy confines of the unique Russian & Turkish baths.
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Paweł AlthamerQueen Mother of Reality Inauguration
- Thursday, November 7, 5:00 pm
A barbecue to celebrate the inauguration of Queen Mother of Reality
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Ryan McNamaraMEƎM: A Story Ballet about the Internet
- Friday, November 8, 8:00 pm
- Saturday, November 9, 8:00 pm
- Sunday, November 10, 8:00 pm
- Monday, November 11, 8:00 pm
- Tuesday, November 12, 8:00 pm
An immersive performance experience pairs dance and explorations of Internet culture.
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Subodh Gupta Celebration
- Saturday, November 9, 6:00 pm
- Sunday, November 10, 6:00 pm
- Monday, November 11, 6:00 pm
- Tuesday, November 12, 6:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 13, 6:00 pm
- Thursday, November 14, 6:00 pm
- Friday, November 15, 6:00 pm
- Saturday, November 16, 6:00 pm
A series of intimate dinners cooked by the artist. Each night, he serves a decadent feast of hand selected dishes from across India, mixing traditions to create his own sort of Indian fusion.
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Florian HeckerC.D. - A Script for Synthesis
- Saturday, November 9, 7:30 pm
- Sunday, November 10, 3:00 pm
- Sunday, November 10, 7:30 pm
Sound piece, experimental drama, and a model for abstracting voice, text, sonic and olfactory experience. $20 Supported by Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, Sadie Coles HQ, Galerie Neu, Kvadrat, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, IFF, and Meyer Sound. Curated by Mark Beasley.
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Alexandre SinghThe Humans
- Wednesday, November 13, 7:30 pm
- Thursday, November 14, 7:30 pm
- Friday, November 15, 7:30 pm
- Saturday, November 16, 7:30 pm
- Sunday, November 17, 3:00 pm
Shakespearean stylings and Molière's antics meet Greek storytelling in a operatic and comedic retelling of the origin myth.
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Paweł Althamer Biba Performa Performance Evening
- Thursday, November 14, 5:00 pm
A special evening of dinner, talks, and performances at Biba Performa featuring artists who work with light, fire, projections and sound.
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Rosa Barba Subconscious Society - Live
- Thursday, November 14, 7:30 pm
- Friday, November 15, 7:30 pm
- Saturday, November 16, 7:30 pm
Film projectors and live voiceover artists act as a splintered ensemble in a performance that seeks to archive the last century.
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Eddie PeakeEndymion
- Thursday, November 14, 9:00 pm
A series of evocative tableaux vivants and choreographed gestures explore the politics of the displayed body.
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RESCHEDULED
Nicholas HloboZinintsi izinto ezimayela nam endingazaziyo- Friday, November 15, 8:30 pm
- Saturday, November 16, 8:30 pm
Due to a health emergency, we will be rescheduling this performance. New dates will be announced after the biennial.
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Paweł Althamer Ceremony in Honor of Queen Mother to Protect Mothers Against Eviction
- Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 pm
Paweł Althamer and his collaborators will be dedicating their monumental sculpture Queen Mother of Reality to all mothers displaced from their homes. Join them for a ceremonial evening of feasting, dancing and performance.
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Shana LutkerThe Nose, The Cane, The Broken Left Arm
- Tuesday, November 19, 8:30 pm
- Wednesday, November 20, 8:30 pm
A fistfight between Surrealists and Dadaists is revisited and re-imagined by this LA-based artist.
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Marianne VitaleThe Missing Book of Spurs
- Wednesday, November 20, 8:00 pm
- Thursday, November 21, 8:00 pm
- Friday, November 22, 8:00 pm
- Saturday, November 23, 8:00 pm
Vitale transforms her studio in Long Island City into a mythical saloon-weather station-brothel, populated by a cast of tap-dancing astrologers, rattlesnake-bitten cowboys and dart throwing Indians.
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Raqs Media CollectiveThe Last International
- Thursday, November 21, 8:30 pm
- Friday, November 22, 8:30 pm
- Saturday, November 23, 8:30 pm
A performed installation with sculpture, archival documents, auctions, newly filmed footage, and music.
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Tori WrånesYes Nix
- Friday, November 22, 7:30 pm
- Saturday, November 23, 7:30 pm
A stunning visual concert featuring the Norwegian chanteuse and a host of New York City musicians.