this week in lectures, signings, panel discussions, workshops, and Q&As

ROB PRUITT: THE ANDY MONUMENT

Andy Warhol looks over Union Square in Rob Pruitt’s sparkling sculpture (photo by twi-ny/mdr)

A TRIBUTE TO A NEW YORKER
Union Square, 17th St. & Broadway
Through October 2, free
Artist Talk: Wednesday, April 20, the New School, 66 West 12th St., $10, 6:30
Guide by Cell: 646-862-0945
www.publicartfund.org/robpruitt
the andy monument slideshow

In 1968, Andy Warhol moved the Silver Factory from East 47th St. downtown to the Decker Building overlooking Union Square Park, where he and his many superstars and artisans would remain until 1974. New York City visual artist Rob Pruitt pays tribute to Andy and those years with “The Andy Monument,” a glittering chrome statue of Drella standing on a modest pedestal in the pedestrian plaza near the northwest entrance to the park. Warhol, his ever-present Polaroid camera around his neck and carrying a Macy’s shopping bag in his right hand, is scanning over the swirl of life rushing in and out of the park, right where he used to give out signed copies of Interview magazine. Commissioned by the Public Art Fund, the silver statue recalls the aluminum foil Billy Name wrapped the inside of the original Factory in as well as the Mylar balloons Warhol called “Silver Clouds.” Pruitt, who was born in Washington, DC, in 1964, explains in the press release, “Like so many other artists and performers and people who don’t fit in because they’re gay or otherwise different, Andy moved here to become who he was, to fulfill his dreams and make it big. He still represents that courage and that possibility. That’s why I came to New York, and that’s what my ‘Andy Monument’ is about.” The second Factory was also where Warhol was shot by Valerie Solanas on June 3, 1968, but Warhol survived, soon able to get back to partying at the nearby Max’s Kansas City and hanging around with Lou Reed, Holly Woodlawn, Joe Dallesandro, Candy Darling, Joe Campbell, and Jackie Curtis, all referenced in Reed’s 1972 downtown anthem, “Walk on the Wild Side,” as well as so many others. It’s a beautifully crafted statue honoring the revolutionary American Pop artist and iconic figure whose work is as beloved as ever these days. On April 20, Pruitt will participate in the Public Art Fund Talk “Andy Touched Me” at the New School with PAF director and chief curator Nicholas Baume, cultural critic Wayne Koestenbaum, and artist and writer Rhonda Lieberman.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2011: FREE EVENTS

Elton John will perform at the Tribeca Film Festival following free screening of THE UNION, Cameron Crowe’s documentary about his collaboration with Leon Russell

Tickets are now on sale for American Express cardholders only (downtown residents can buy tickets on April 17 and the rest of us April 18) for the tenth annual Tribeca Film Festival (April 20 – May 1), a more streamlined, manageable version of the festival that initially tried to be all things to all people, but there are a host of events that you don’t need tickets — or any money at all — for. On April 20 at 8:15, Cameron Crowe’s The Union, a documentary about the recent collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell, will have its world premiere, screening for free at the World Financial Center, followed by a live performance by the former Reginald Kenneth Dwight; the only way in is by getting a wristband (two per person) beginning at 4:00 that day at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. The Tribeca Drive-In, also held at the World Financial Center, will show four films, all preceded by special activities and programming, beginning with Fame (Alan Parker, 1980) on April 21 and continuing with When the Drum Is Beating (Whitney Dow, 2011) on April 22, followed by a live performance by documentary subjects Septentrional, and The Muppets Take Manhattan (Frank Oz, 1984) on April 23, with face-painting, sing-alongs, trivia, and surprise guests. The free series of Tribeca Talks: Industry panel discussions, which take place at 2:30 at the SVA Theater on West 23rd St., consists of “Amplify the Message: Social Media,” moderated by the Wooster Collective’s Marc Schiller, on April 22; “Meet the Documentary Broadcasters” on April 23; “Are Documentary Films Changing the World?,” moderated by Sandi DuBowski, on April 24; “Digital by Design” with Edward Burns on April 26; “The Business of Entertainment,” with Charlie Rose interviewing Jeff Bewkes and Joe Roth, on April 27; “Shooting Film on a Budget” with Michael Cuesta on April 28; and “Shooting Anamorphic” with cinematographer Frederick Elmes on April 29. Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, at the Union Square Barnes & Noble, will examine “Based on True Events” on April 23 and “Writing the Documentary” on April 25, while Peter Bart will be in conversation with Geoffrey Gilmore on April 24, all at 1:00. On April 29 at 5:30 at the SVA Theater, Jared Cohen will moderate “Youth Radicalization Redefined,” speaking with six former extremists who are now dedicating their lives to community and youth education. The annual Family Festival Street Fair is scheduled for April 30 on Greenwich St. between Hubert and Chambers Sts., including a free family screening at 3:00 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, while Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day will feature sports activities and personalities on North Moore St. between Greenwich and West Sts. the same day. In addition, the Apple Stores on Prince St. and West 14th St. will be hosting free workshops and Meet the Filmmakers programs April 22-30; among those participating at the SoHo location are Will Ferrell (April 26, 6:00), Ed Burns (April 27, 6:00), Zach Braff (April 28, 5:00), Eva Mendes (April 28, 6:00), Michael Rapaport (April 29, 6:00).

WALLS AND BRIDGES 2: FREEDOM AND RIGHTS

Artist Laurel Nakadate will talk about her work at UnionDocs with philosopher Ruwen Ogien as part of Walls and Bridges festival

Multiple locations
April 11-21, most events free
www.wallsandbridges.net

Earlier this year, the inaugural Walls and Bridges festival, organized by the Villa Gillet and the Conseil de la Création artistique, held a series of special thought-provoking programs all over the city. Now it’s back for the second part, focusing on personal and artistic freedom and rights, beginning tonight with a free round-table at the Aperture Gallery in Chelsea at 6:30, “What Is Engagement Today?,” with Miguel Benasayag, Nina Berman, Didier Fassin, and George Packer, hosted by Mark Greif, and continuing tomorrow at 6:00 at NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge with “What Does the Brain Do? Questioning Perception, Consciousness, and Free Will,” with Susan Barry, Howard Engel, Rodolfo Llinas, Pascal Mamassian, Israel Rosenfield, Luc Steels, and Edward Ziff. On Thursday night at 6:30, the New School hosts the free discussion “(Self) Censorship: Art, Morality, and Decency,” with Nan Goldin, Ruwen Ogien, Carole Talon-Hugon, and Lynne Tillman, hosted by Robert Polito and Benjamen Walker. On Saturday afternoon, “Fair for Knowledge: Clouds” will take place at Jo’s Restaurant, where diners (reservations required) can eat while listening to Deborah Coen, Pierre Pachet, Lytle Shaw, Luc Steels, Ginger Strand, Carole Talon-Hugon, and Sina Najafi talk about various aspects of clouds. The festival has quite a lineup scheduled for Saturday night’s free “Overboard! An Evening of Music and Storytelling” at Brooklyn’s Invisible Dog Center, with performances by Wally Cardona, Francisco Goldman, Arnon Grunberg, Trajal Harrell, Virginia Heffernan, Romain Huret, Annie-B Parson, Julia Preston, Ned Rothenberg, and many others. Since January 23, Laurel Nakadate’s “Only the Lonely” exhibition has been knocking out visitors at PS1 in Queens; on April 18, Nakadate will show some of her recent work at UnionDocs and talk about it with philosopher Ogien in “Get What You Want: An Artist and an Ethicist Discuss Manipulation and Desire,” hosted by Christopher Allen and Steve Holmgren (suggested donation $9). There will also be intellectual events at the Austrian Cultural Forum, the Cooper Union, the Heyman Center for the Humanities, and the French Institute Alliance Française; look for season three of Walls and Bridges this fall.