Aspen's AIR Festival Delves into Strife, Artistry, and Matthew Barney's Enthralling rodeo Visions
The Aspen Art Museum played host to the inaugural AIR Festival during Aspen Art Week in 2023, a ten-day celebration of art, science, technology, and cultural leadership. The festival, part of a larger $20 million, 10-year initiative, aimed to provoke new ways of thinking about life, selfhood, and the environment through experimental and collaborative works.
The festival kicked off with a musical incantation by Rafiq Bhatia and a film by Apichatpok Weerasethakul. The performance, a unique spectacle, featured a cowboy-hat-wearing Barney making a chalk drawing, a dog sled, a marching band, a hoop dancer, animals, football players, and referees. Okwui Okpokwasili, a noted performance artist, played a musically minded master of ceremonies character in the performance.
One of the highlights of the festival was the live performance by artist and filmmaker Matthew Barney. Titled TACTICAL parallax, the performance incorporated elements from his 2019 film Redoubt and his 2023 installation Secondary. The theatrical production was set in a historic riding arena at McCabe Ranch.
Another notable event was Jota Mombaça's "site-responsive opera" performed at a 25-acre nature preserve, Hallam Lake Nature Preserve. The three-act opera, The Muted Saints, guided viewers through the natural setting, offering a unique and immersive experience.
The festival also featured a large starburst-like floor painting by South Korean interdisciplinary artist Mimi Park at the Aspen Center for Physics. The piece, adorned with glitter, rhinestones, and found objects, added a vibrant and thought-provoking element to the scientific institution.
Werner Herzog delivered one of the three keynote talks at the festival, advising audience members to spend time with Francisco Goya's "Black Paintings" for insight into human nature. Other talks included discussions on psychoanalysis and death, art and AI, and the enduring impact of creative acts.
Caroline Polachek performed a concert on the Aspen Art Museum's rooftop under a bright crescent moon, providing a memorable musical experience for festival-goers. The festival also included a three-day closed-door retreat for artists and others, offering a chance for introspection and collaboration.
The AIR Festival was a new addition to Aspen Art Week, offering a diverse range of talks, performances, and installations that linked private creative exploration to public engagement. The festival culminated in a free public festival, further reinforcing its commitment to making art accessible to all.
In conclusion, the AIR Festival during Aspen Art Week in 2023 was a resounding success, showcasing the power of radical imagination, art, and interdisciplinary exchange in shaping our understanding of life, selfhood, and the environment.
[1] Artforum [2] The Aspen Times [3] Artnet News [4] Hyperallergic
- The Aspen Art Museum's AIR Festival, part of a $20 million, 10-year initiative, offered a vibrant mix of experimental and collaborative works, including performance art, contemporary painting, and installation art.
- Notable performers at the festival included Okwui Okpokwasili, Rafiq Bhatia, Matthew Barney, and Caroline Polachek, who provided music and entertainment.
- The festival also showcased Jota Mombaça's "site-responsive opera" at a nature preserve and Mimi Park's large, glittering floor painting at the Aspen Center for Physics.
- Werner Herzog offered insightful keynote talks on human nature, while other talks delved into topics like psychoanalysis, art and AI, and the enduring impact of creative acts.
- The festival highlighted the importance of linking private creative exploration to public engagement, and culminated in a free public festival, reaffirming its commitment to making art accessible to all.
- Art publications like Artforum, The Aspen Times, Artnet News, and Hyperallergic covered the festival's success, emphasizing its role in shaping our understanding of life, selfhood, and the environment through radical imagination, interdisciplinary exchange, and artistic expression.
