Pavilion

Due to the process-based nature of the Session program, this project will undergo constant modifications; the features of this page provide accruing information on the project’s developments.

On January 10th, John Miserendino will begin work on his project, Pavilion, as part of Recess’s signature program, Session. Session invites artists to use its public space as studio, exhibition venue and grounds for experimentation.

For Pavilion, Miserendino will reinterpret Dan Graham’s original plans for his architectural structures. The artist, who sees himself as a collaborator with Graham and other prominent players—who may remain unaware of the joint venture—will stage a series of three reenactments inside his Pavilion to translate existing artworks into personal terms.

Using discarded studio materials from several well-known artists, Miserendino will use Pavilion as a recording studio to make an audio facsimile of Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation, an album he has never heard personally. He will rely on visitors’ descriptions of the band and their memories of the music to approximate the album.

Pavilion will also become the set for a third version of Michael Haneke’s film, Funny Games. Miserendino worked as a PA for Haneke’s shot-by-shot 2008 American remake of his own movie, originally shot in 1997 in Austria. Using the original film as his guide and sourcing trashed costumes from the 2007 version, Miserendino will serve as actor, director, production designer, and editor for his 2012 iteration.

Finally, Pavilion will be used a stage for the artist to learn discarded choreography from the Broadway show Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Miserendino will work with a dancer from the cast to learn dance sequences that have been cut from the present version of the musical.

In each case, Miserendino hopes to capture a discarnate likeness of the existing artworks, providing an additional layer of commentary to the original productions through new collaborations.

Session invites artists to use Recess’s public platform to combine productive studio space with dynamic exhibition opportunities. Sessions remain open to the public from the first day of the artist’s project through the last, encouraging sustained dialogue between artists and audiences. Due to the process-based nature of Session, projects undergo constant revision and the above proposal is subject to change.