(I mean, unless you’re into that sort of thing.) For nearly two decades, the DUMBO Arts Festival has been at the forefront of bringing new and exciting artistic work to the shores of Brooklyn from all over the world. This weekend, from September 26–28, the festival will do it all again.
Terrifying though the heads may be, they’re pretty cool. The artist collective responsible for them is known as the Big Head Brigade (not to be confused with the Bigheads), and is composed of six artists: Erin Bernard, Jessica Hallman, Danielle Loleng, Amy Marlatt, Megan Marlatt, and Ben Parish. The festival site warns reads, “The characters will be free roaming, strolling either solo, in small thematic groups or as the entire brigade,” so no cobblestone street is safe. Art world power couple Jerry Saltz and Roberta Smith will also be in attendance—either as metaphorical “big heads” or as actual ones, I can’t tell.
Remember the gay weddings at the Wythe Hotel this summer? Artist Tom Fruin is back, this time with Reflection/Kolonihavehus, an “poetic performance installation” meant to question our notions of decision-making and discrimination in day-to-day life. (Fruin is also the creator of the glass water tower in DUMBO, visible from the Manhattan Bridge if you’re watching.) Other works not to be missed include Sabrina Barrios’ Degrees of Freedom, a 3-D maze of geometric structures that the audience must navigate through, as well as dozens of artists’ open studio hours throughout the area.
The full DUMBO Arts Festival schedule is available as a PDF online, and more information on the three-day festivities can be found on the DAF site. B.Y.O. Big Head.
Follow John Sherman on Twitter @_john_sherman.
