Simone Forti, a trailblazing artist in the realms of dance, theater, and conceptual arts, has finally received the recognition she truly deserves. The Watermill Center, nestled in the Hamptons across ten acres of enchanting forest, dedicated its annual gala to honor Forti’s remarkable contributions to the arts. The event featured tribute performances, captivating the 750+ attendees who gathered to celebrate Forti’s achievements, even though she couldn’t be there in person, watching the festivities via live stream.
Throughout her illustrious career, Simone Forti has been a pioneering force in dance, visual art, and conceptual art. Her artistic philosophy centers on the significance of concepts and ideas as the foundation of her work, elevating their importance alongside the art’s execution. Over the years, she has worn many hats, working as a dancer, choreographer, artist, and writer.
Forti’s influence has reached prestigious venues worldwide, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, The Louvre Museum in Paris, and Danspace in New York. Additionally, she has held solo exhibitions at renowned institutions like Centro Pecci in Prato, Galleria Raffaella Cortese in Milan, Kunsthaus Zurich in Zurich, Kunstmuseum in Bonn, and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Notably, her first major retrospective took place at the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg. Forti’s artwork now adorns collections at esteemed institutions like The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Stedelijk Museum, Generali Foundation, and The Whitney Museum of American Art. In recognition of her contributions, she has been honored with various awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in dance, the Yoko Ono Lennon Courage Award for the Arts, and the Biennale Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance in 2023.
Residing in Los Angeles, Forti collaborates with Sarah Swenson, an American modern dance choreographer, dancer, and teacher. Swenson has been the International Project Coordinator and principal stager for Forti’s acclaimed 1960s opus, Dance Constructions. For the Watermill Center’s gala, Swenson restaged four of Forti’s distinguished works, featuring a talented ensemble comprising performers from the New York City Ballet, Broadway, and the performance art realm.
The selected pieces for the event were originally created in the 1960s and 1970s, and over the last five decades, they have been recreated, taught, and studied by performers, choreographers, and scholars. Among the notable works performed were Huddle, Censor, Landscape Partners, and Scramble. The impressive roster of Watermill benefit performers included Eva Alt, Eliza Blutt, Caroline Breton, Bonnie Comley, Mikayla Durham, Savannah Durham, Jonathan Fahoury, Xuetong Feng, Kennard Henson, Marianna Kavallieratos, Sorin Prodea, Ava Sautter, and Demiân White.
Founded in 1992 by theater and visual artist Robert Wilson, the Watermill Center serves as a vibrant hub for arts research and provides emerging artists with a unique environment to explore and create in the realm of theater and its related art forms. The center has developed a strong global network, embracing artists of all ages, experiences, and diverse social, religious, and cultural backgrounds. It actively supports projects that challenge traditional forms of representation, integrating various genres and art forms while fostering democratic and cross-cultural approaches.
For more information on the Watermill Center and its endeavors, visit www.watermillcenter.org.
