ColorFields Outdoors Live at NBMAA

Thursday May 13 2021 10:30am & 6:00pm

Artistic Director’s Note

Welcome! It is exhilarating to perform ColorFields Outdoors at NBMAA live and in person for and with all of you. This piece takes the ColorFields process from at-home explorations; to studies in nature at the Hill-Stead grounds and Walnut Hill Park; to wonderful encounters in the gallery at the NBMAA exhibit of Helen Frankenthaler: Late Works, 1990 – 2003; to these past weeks integrating the material into an ensemble, site-specific performance. ColorFields Outdoors at NBMAA is designed so that you can experience it as you might Frankenthaler’s paintings —taking in different parts, digesting the whole, only to see it fresh again each time. We are so glad you are here to join us on this journey of dance, music, and art in the colorful environment of Spring’s outdoors. With deep gratitude to Helen Frankenthaler for the colors and light that she has brought to a very dark time.

~ Judy Dworin~

Section 1: Entrance and the Helen Frankenthaler phrase (an accumulation of movements inspired by photographs of Helen Frankenthaler in the process of creating her paintings)

Section 2: Dance studies inspired at the grounds of the Hill-Stead Museum

Section 3: Solos by Mellissa, Haley and Alexa inspired by Solar Imp, 1995; Flirt, 1995; and Contentment Island, 2002

Section 4: Hill-Stead Phrase generated from the site-specific performance there

Section 5: Solos by Heidi, Raechel and Lisa inspired by Untitled, 2003 & Southern Exposure, 2002; Kiss, 2003; and Beginnings, 1994

Section 6: Solo by Alexa inspired by Cassis,1995

Section 7: Solos by Mellissa, Heidi and Raechel inspired by Untitled, 1996; Lighthouse Series 1, 1999; and Untitled, 1994 & Homage to C.M., 1995

Section 8: Solos by Haley and Lisa inspired by Aerie, 1995; and Untitled, 1991 & Acrobat, 1995

Section 9: ColorFields finale

Helen Frankenthaler working on Untitled (1991) in her studio, Saddle Rock Road, Shippan Point, Stamford, CT, July 1991. Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Archives, New York. Photograph by Vincent Dion.

Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) has long been recognized as one of the great American artists of the twentieth century. She is widely credited for playing a pivotal role in the transition from Abstract Expressionism to Color Field painting. Through her invention of the soak-stain technique, she expanded the possibilities of abstract painting, while at times referencing figuration and landscape in unique ways. She produced a body of work whose impact on contemporary art has been profound and continues to grow.

Meet the Ensemble and the Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) paintings that inspired the dances they created.

Mellissa Craig

Solar Imp, 1995
Acrylic on paper

Untitled, 1996
Acrylic on paper

Haley Fabrycki

Flirt, 1995
Acrylic on paper

Aerie,1995
Acrylic on paper

Alexa Melonopoulos Fleury

Contentment Island, 2002
Acrylic on paper

Cassis, 1995
Acrylic on paper

Heidi Klecak

Southern Exposure, 2002
Acrylic on paper

Lighthouse Series I, 1999
Acrylic on paper

Raechel Manga

Kiss, 2003
Acrylic on paper

Homage to C.M., 1995
Acrylic and collage on paper

Lisa Matias

Beginnings, 1994
Acrylic on paper

Acrobat, 1995
Acrylic on paper

Photos of dancers by Marcela Oteíza

Production Credits

Artistic Director: Judy Dworin
Visual Director and Costume Designer: Marcela Oteíza
Costume Construction: Robin Mazzola
Composer: Daniel Birch
Sound Engineer: Ritz
Filmed and edited by: PJ Brockett Mindspin HD

Music by Daniel Birch in order of appearance:
Dancing in the Color of Light
Glass Bells Dancing with Synthesizer
Music Box and Sunshine
Memories in Color
Spanish Guitar on Microcassette
All Alone Once Again
Existence
Vast Possibilities
Birds Eyes View
Lost at Sea

Special Thanks to the Collaborative Team

New Britain Museum of American Art:
Min Jung Kim Director and CEO
Lisa Williams Associate Curator
Lisa Lappe Director of Marketing
Maura O’Shea Director of Education
Jeffrey Mainville Director of Operations

Helen Frankenthaler Foundation:
Elizabeth Smith Executive Director
Maureen St Onge Director of Collections
Douglas Dreishpoon Director of the Helen Frankenthaler Catalogue Raisonné
Grady O’Connor Image Rights and Digital Assets Manager
Cecelia Barnett Collections Manager
Sarah Haug Archivist
Robert Benson Office Manager

Judy Dworin Performance Project:
Judy Dworin Executive & Artistic Director
Kathy Borteck Gersten Associate Artistic Director
Robyn Genzano Director of Operations and Community Engagement
Jennifer Eifrig Director of Development and Communications
Suzi Jensen Programming Coordinator
Alex Dueben Publicist

And very special thanks to Kathy Borteck Gersten, Tracy Lombardo, Taylor Zappone, Hill-Stead Museum, Walnut Hill Park, Lisa Matias Dance Centre, and the JDPP Board of Directors

ColorFields is supported by (listed alphabetically)

American Savings Foundation
Community Foundation of Greater New Britain
State of Connecticut DECD Office of the Arts
Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
Greater Hartford Arts Council
George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation
New Britain Museum of American Art
Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation
Wesleyan University
... and generous donors like you.
Thank you!