What's Happening?
The Brooklyn-based collective Pageant recently concluded a month-long residency at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, culminating in a day-long showcase titled 'Pageant Presents Pageant.' This event featured twenty-five performances by several
dozen collaborators, including the five founders of Pageant: Sharleen Chidiac, Lili Dekker, Jade Manns, Owen Prum, and Alexa West. The performances, described as 'movement-based,' took place in the Kravis Studio, a space within MoMA dedicated to performance. The residency aimed to provide a platform for Pageant's unique approach to dance, which emphasizes a blend of casualness and rigor, often incorporating elements from various dance styles and pop culture. The event was highly anticipated, with tickets selling out quickly, and drew a significant standby line, indicating strong public interest in the collective's work.
Why It's Important?
This residency is significant as it highlights MoMA's evolving relationship with live performance and its commitment to integrating contemporary dance into its programming. Historically, MoMA's engagement with performance art has been varied, often relegating it to less prominent spaces. The Kravis Studio, established in 2019, was intended to provide a dedicated space for such works. Pageant's residency, by maximizing the studio's use and featuring a large number of collaborators, demonstrates a model for how museums can support and amplify the work of independent performance collectives. It also underscores a broader trend in the art world where institutions are increasingly recognizing the value of ephemeral and collaborative art forms, moving beyond traditional static exhibits. This engagement can introduce new audiences to performance art and provide vital institutional support for artists who often operate outside conventional funding structures.
What's Next?
Following their MoMA residency, Pageant will continue to operate their East Williamsburg studio, which requires them to host at least four shows a month. This ongoing activity suggests a sustained commitment to providing a platform for movement-based performances and fostering a community of artists. The collective's ability to attract significant attention and sell out performances at a major institution like MoMA could lead to further collaborations with other prominent art venues, both in New York and nationally. The success of 'Pageant Presents Pageant' may also encourage MoMA and similar institutions to further invest in and expand their live performance programming, potentially leading to more opportunities for emerging and established performance artists. The collective's emphasis on 'corny' dance, which combines passion with excellence, could also influence contemporary dance trends.
Beyond the Headlines
The Pageant collective's residency at MoMA brings to light the challenges and opportunities faced by performance artists within institutional settings. The collective's founders expressed a desire for a space where they didn't have to navigate the often bureaucratic and permission-based landscape of nonprofit dance. Their own studio serves as a vital independent hub, allowing them to develop their practices freely. The MoMA residency, while offering significant exposure, also presented logistical constraints, such as the size of the Kravis Studio compared to their own space. This dynamic raises questions about how large institutions can genuinely support experimental art without inadvertently imposing their own limitations. The collective's approach, which prioritizes collaboration and a 'free-for-all' spirit, challenges traditional curatorial models and emphasizes the communal aspect of performance creation, potentially inspiring new ways for artists and institutions to interact.
