While crowds gather around the stage at PS1 in New York this summer, the colossal monument dubbed “Wendy” cools the atmosphere for the 15th annual Warm Up series hosted by the Museum of Modern Art. The air under her spiked blue arms is pleasantly refreshing, as the titania nanoparticle-coated fabric clean the surrounding area of exhaust and pollution, an equivalent of removing 260 cars from the road. In as much as the music brings the younger music-conscious generation and the older art-sensitive crowd together, Wendy has quickly been recognized as the centerpiece for the 10-week event.
“Lets meet for a drink under Wendy” was the commonplace idiom heard amongst the socialites moving about the various architectural features she has to offer. While spraying cool mist into the air and spouting a stream of water onto the people below, Wendy takes on an almost human personality. Water running down the blue fabric collects in small pools underneath the installation, providing an atmosphere to relax and unwind on a hot Saturday afternoon. Hollwich Kushner (HWKN), winners of the Young Architects Program, successfully blend environmentally conscious motifs, and describe Wendy as “a storm pushing the boundaries of architecture”.
Just past the massive urban sculpture, musicians and DJ’s such as Matthew Dear, MJ Cole, and Jamie XX keep a constant high-energy vibe going. The musical lineup is one of the most exciting to grace the decks of PS1, all curated and organized by the likes of Dean Bein (True Panther Sounds), Kris Chen (XL Recordings), and Jonathan Galkin (DFA Records) as well as many other big names in the indie and underground music scenes. August 4th saw record breaking attendance as UK Bass producer Pearson Sound warmed up the crowd for the headlining Jamie XX who shook the foundations with a magnificently spellbinding set. Mixing new-age funk and disco with more contemporary house music provides a little something for everyone. All who attend can expect a fantastic experience.
Photography and coverage by Charlie Golonkiewicz for The Untitled Magazine
