UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS: PERFORMING FRANKLIN FURNACE

MARTHA WILSON | Photograph: Christopher Milne

There is an exciting series of performance events scheduled for the last week of February entitled "PERFORMING FRANKLIN FURNACE" organized by a true performance art pioneer, Martha Wilson. Please find details about the event below. 

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Performing Franklin Furnace
Participant Inc.
253 East Houston Street 
New York City, NY
February 26 – March 1, 2015

In conjuntion with the final presentation of the exhibition Martha Wilson in New York, Martha Wilson and ICI have organized a series of performances, which capture the spirit of Franklin Furnace as a physical space. The program will take place at Participant Inc. in lower Manhattan from February 26 – March 1, 2015. It includes live works by Michael Smith (who will re-create a version of Baby Ikki he presented at Franklin Furnace in 1978), Coco Fusco (a Franklin Furnace alum presenting a recent work), a day of screenings of Franklin Furnace alumni from each decade, and a day of improvisational / in-progress performances hosted by Clifford Owens inspired by typical Sunday events at Franklin Furnace.

Franklin Furnace has served the local, national and international community of activist artists—artists who have addressed urgent subjects such as war, poverty, disease, racism, sexism, and homophobia. In 1976, artist Martha Wilson founded Franklin Furnace in Lower Manhattan as a primary source for producing and mediating works vulnerable to neglect due to lack of institutional support, ephemeral nature, or politically unpopular content. Until 1996, when it moved online to its current digital platform, Franklin Furnace occupied a Tribeca storefront space presenting historical and contemporary exhibitions of artists’ books as well as temporary installation and performance art to the public.

In 2011, Independent Curators International (ICI) organized the international touring exhibition Martha Wilson, which took Wilson out of New York and paired her with hosting curators to further explore the ideas behind her work and the history of Franklin Furnace. This exhibition returns to New York City for a grand finale in 2015 at NYU Fales Library and Pratt Manhattan Gallery.

Michael Smith 
Thursday, February 26 
7PM

Coco Fusco 
Friday, February 27
7PM

Franklin Furnace Screenings
Featuring Julia Heyward, Ericka Beckman, Deborah Edmeades, and Zachary Drucker
(videos on rotation throughout the day)
Saturday, February 28
1-6PM

Performances hosted by Clifford Owens
Featuring Amanda Alfieri, Wilmer Wilson IV, Kris Grey  + Rafael Sanchez
Sunday, March 1
7PM

Related events:
Pratt Manhattan Gallery and NYU Fales Library exhibition
February 20 - April 30, 2015

Exhibition Openings
Thursday, February 19, 2015
NYU Fales Library 5-7PM
Pratt Manhattan Gallery 6-8PM

Knowledge Carnival
Karen Finley, professor, Art & Public Policy, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU, leads her students in an evening of performance, video and installation. 
Thursday, March 12
Pratt Manhattan Gallery, 6:30-9PM

Pratt Manhattan Panel
Wednesday, April 22 6:30PM

curatorsintl.org/events/performing-franklin-furnace