An open-air art installation is set to illuminate Brookfield Properties’ Manhattan West Thursday through Sunday. Body / Light I features performances from three dancers from the New York Theatre Ballet who will move to a score performed live by composer and multi-instrumental musician Lester St. Louis. Viewers are invited to take part in the exhibition by drawing with their bodies while their movements are temporarily traced in light. Three performances will take place between 6:30 and 8:30pm and at other times (4-9pm on Thursday and Friday; and 1 to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday), there will be pre-recorded music playing by St. Louis. Manhattan West’s inaugural public art experience, the exhibition is part of Random International’s Body / Light series, which draws inspiration from Pablo Picasso’s famed light drawings for LIFE magazine in 1949.
"The integration of immersive artworks and stellar curatorial experiences into our destinations is a key pillar for our development projects in New York and beyond," says Elysa Marden, Senior Vice President, Arts Brookfield for Brookfield Properties. "We are honored to partner with renowned artists on Body / Light I, Manhattan West’s first foray into public contemporary art experiences. As the neighborhood comes to life, we look forward to establishing Manhattan West as a pivotal creative hub for neighbors, art enthusiasts and visitors. Manhattan West will be the canvas for New York’s leading public works of art, cultural moments and theatrical presentations, such as Theatre for One in August, and much more in the seasons to come."