The Tank Announces Programming for TRASHFEST 2020

The Tank has announced a full slate of programming for TrashFest 2020. For years, The Tank has hosted DarkFest - a week of shows that do not use conventional theatrical lighting in an effort to reexamine how they can make theater more sustainable. This year, they are challenging that idea even further with TrashFest.

It is often difficult to wrestle with the environmental impact our daily lives and our work can have - especially in theater, where so many resources can be put into sets, props and costumes that are only used for a short amount of time. TrashFest will center work that not only produces no waste, but reuses materials discarded as garbage. The festival will take the form of live-streamed performances, art installations and community events throughout NYC. All in-person events will observe appropriate safety and social distancing measures. A more detailed schedule of the day's events is forthcoming.

"This year, our ongoing regularly scheduled eco-focused festival DarkFest has been cancelled due to our theater closure," said Artistic Director Meghan Finn. "However, Tank Staff Member Anthony Sertel Dean has brilliantly re-envisioned the initiative as TrashFest, inviting an exciting group of artists to create new works."

"While environmental discussions are often limited to matters of energy, a major issue exacerbated by COVID-19 is the environmental injustice impacting the physical surroundings of our communities," said TrashFest curator Anthony Sertel Dean. "Hopefully this festival will bring a sense of awareness to how we interact with trash, the factors that lead to unjust environmental impacts, and how we can embrace and transform our surroundings for the betterment of our community."

As a part of the festival process, all TrashFest artists will meet for two virtual group sessions to discuss their ideas and methodologies, collaborate with the larger group, learn ways of creating more sustainable art, and ways to bring that back to their communities. TrashFest is curated by Anthony Sertel Dean and produced by Katie Walenta. More information about TrashFest programming is below and available by visiting TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest.

PANEL DISCUSSION

Participating Artists

Available via TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest

Time TBA

Join TrashFest curator Anthony Sertel Dean, producer Katie Walenta and the participating artists for a panel discussion on the festival and how they developed their pieces.

SCARED IMAGE IN EVERYTHING

By Sequoah Glaster

Online Gallery viewable beginning at 12:00AM ET via TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest

Scared Image in Everything is a hanging art installation with plastic water bottles for indoor semi hydroponic plants and 2D and 3D mandala art pieces. The canvas is made out of Trader Joe's grocery bags, cardboard and other flashy packaging. It also includes bags made out of recycled clothing to be used as grocery bags.

BAG LOVER

By Shaley Howard

Online Gallery viewable beginning at 12:00AM ET via TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest

For Bag Lover, Shaley Howard will create new bags for the reuse of the bags that are used to hold fruit and deliver food over a million times a week in the US. These bags will be showcased online and will be distributed to people in Shaley's community.

CanIbeART

By Gerardo Sustaeta

Brooklyn location to be announced

Online Gallery viewable beginning at 12:00AM ET via TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest

CanIbeART is a textile fabric created & installed using only found aluminum cans that will act as a functional privacy screen.

CHILDHOOD BLANKETS, ADULT CLOTHES

By Melon Wong

Online Gallery viewable beginning at 12:00AM ET via TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest

Childhood Blankets, Adult Clothes is a micro upcycled fashion collection using old blankets from Melon Wong's family home dated from the 80s to 90s. The collection will explore racial and national intersectionality (Asian American culture) and the culture of domestic repair skills. It draws inspiration from prairie homemade clothing and utilizes domestic sewing techniques for finishing. The repurposing of vintage textiles, which have been worn and loved, is perfect for clothing in a landscape of fast fashion. With these fabrics, we know that they will stand the test of time unlike most manmade fabrics used today. Childhood Blankets, Adult Clothes demonstrates that sustainability and repurposing can look "homemade" but skillful and well-crafted at the same time.

THE HANDMADE THEATER

By Mariko Iwasa

Available via CyberTank at 12:00PM ET

The Handmade Theater is a short sketch comedy show made from trash - using trash as costumes, sets and even co-stars or puppets.

ABUNDANCE

By Sarah Neides

Brooklyn location to be announced

Elements of project to be viewable via TheTankNYC.org/TrashFest at 3:00PM ET

Abundance is an installation piece composed of discarded fruits, vegetables and floral waste, arranged to become an Eden of excess - beauty from waste. Related dance performances will occur within the installation featuring costumes created from found compostable/recycled materials.

LANKA IN THE CLOUDS

By Kanishk Pandey

Available via CyberTank at 4:00PM ET

Lanka in the Clouds is a show featuring puppets made from garbage and storytelling inspired by the Panchatantra, adapted to fit an environmental/immigrant storyline.

HOUSE OF TRASH

By Sam Kaseta

Available via CyberTank at 8:00PM ET

House of Trash is a video cabaret show featuring drag and burlesque performers who made their acts out of trash and have acts based on trash.

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