The 23rd Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit & Auction FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS

The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation celebrated its 23rd Annual Summer Benefit & Auction, a one-of-a-kind evening bringing together over 1,000 guests from the worlds of theater, art, performance, fashion, design, and society at The Watermill Center on Saturday, July 30. The event, entitled FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS, featured new works by Watermill's International Summer Program participants that came from over 25 countries to create installations and performances throughout the eight and-a-half acre grounds. This year, The Watermill Center honored Madame Giancarla Berti.

The Watermill Center Founded in 1992 by avant-garde visionary Robert Wilson is an interdisciplinary laboratory for the arts supporting young and emerging artists through its year-round Artist Residency Program, International Summer Program, Education Programs, and open rehearsals. The Center also presents exhibitions and public programs and offers tours of its 20,000-square-foot building and eight-and-a-half acre grounds and sculpture gardens throughout the year.

The Watermill Center's Annual Summer Benefit & Auction is one of the Hampton's most highly-anticipated philanthropic events and largest fundraisers of the year. Proceeds support the year-round Artist Residency and Education Programs, which provide artists with unique opportunities to explore and develop new work.

For FADA: HOUSE OF MADNESS, The Watermill Center collaborated for the first time with The Bruce High Quality Foundation (BHQF) to present As We Lay Dying - a variety of works and performances interspersed throughout The Center's grounds that are a reflection on coming to terms with the contemporary world through personal, political and aesthetic perspectives. Sound installations by the internationally renowned singer and songwriter, ANOHNI, were adapted from her most recent recordings and played throughout the grounds.

The evening included performance and installations, a seated dinner and live auction, followed by a post-event party featuring a special performance piece, dessert and dancing. The live auction was hosted by veteran auctioneer Simon de Pury with over 125 lots donated by world-renowned and emerging artists, including: Marina Abramovi?, Francesco Clemente, Max Gimblett, Nan Goldin, Nir Hod, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov and Henry Taylor.

Benefit Chairs for the event include: Shaikha Paula Al-Sabah, Sonja Bebber & Martin Brand, Kelly Behun & Jay Sugarman, Giancarla & Luciano Berti, Bonnie Comley & Stewart F. Lane, Lisa & Sanford Ehrenkranz, Wendy & Roger Ferris, Anke & Jürgen Friedrich, Claude Grunitzky, Anne Hearst & Jay McInerney, Josefin & Paul Hilal, Phil Hilal, Carola & Bob Jain, Calvin Klein, Bayley Ledes, Dorothy Lichtenstein, Joanne Ooi, Inga Maren Otto, Katharina

Otto-Bernstein & Nathan Bernstein, Tatiana & Campion Platt, Katharine & William Rayner, Louisa Stude Sarofim, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Susan Shin, Barbara Slifka, Alexander Soros and Christine Wächter-Campbell & William I. Campbell.

Honorary Chairs for the event include: Marina Abramovi?, Jane Adams, Pedro Almodóvar, Laurie Anderson, ANOHNI, Giorgio Armani, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Steve Buscemi. Kim Cattrall, Lucinda Childs, Alba & Francesco Clemente, Bob Colacello, Alan Cumming, Willem Dafoe, Christophe de Menil, Marianne Faithfull, Renée Fleming, Lady Gaga, Frank Gehry, Philip Glass, Nan Goldin, H.R.H., Princess Caroline Von Hanover, Jenny Holzer, Isabelle Huppert, Anjelica Huston, Bianca Jagger, Jim Jarmusch, Emilia & Ilya Kabakov, Harvey Keitel, Lang Lang, Annie Leibovitz, Edward Mapplethorpe, Jessye Norman, Paola Prestini, Charlotte Rampling, Charles Renfro, Tim Robbins, Isabella Rossellini, Salman Rushdie, Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Richard Serra, Cindy Sherman, Sharon Stone, Ivo van Hove, Dita Von Teese, Rufus Wainwright & Jörn Weisbrodt, Tom Waits and Christoph Waltz.

The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation proudly acknowledges Plukka for sponsoring The 23rd Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit & Auction. The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation would like to thank the following supporters for their contributions to The 23rd Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit & Auction, including: Deepwells Gin by Long Island Spirits, Maestro Dobel ® Tequila, illy caffè, Mouton Rothschild, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Sag Harbor Rum, Tito's Handmade Vodka, and Voss Artesian Water from Norway.

About For more information about The Watermill Center, please visit www.watermillcenter.org