Creator House Cultural Space Opens Alongside Frieze New York
A dinner for artist and poet Precious Okoyomon introduces a new arts destination
To celebrate the poet and artist Precious Okoyomon—the 2021 recipient of the annual Frieze Artist Award—official Frieze partner Ruinart Champagne hosted a dinner for artists, writers and members of the fashion community at a brand new cultural center, Creator House. Known for their immersive, organic installations, Okoyomon’s solo exhibition, Fragmented Body Perceptions as Higher Vibration Frequencies to God, on view a few blocks south of Creator House at Performance Space New York enveloped onlookers from 20 March to 9 May. The large-scale, deeply poetic installation, which teased several senses at once, will remain a highlight of the city’s artistic happenings throughout the year.
Creator House, too, will be at the forefront of the cultural dialogue moving forward. Occupying the ground floor of The Space at Flatiron by WeWork, and complete with a sprawling roof deck that includes a living wall and landscaping by The Manscapers, the multi-functional venue will host talks, activations, dinners and an array of immersive events for and from NYC’s creative communities. In fact, creators who are interested in utilizing the space can also apply online now.
“Creator House is a for-creators-by-creators experience,” Leigh Lezark, who co-directs programming with fellow Misshape Geordon Nicol, tells us. “Think WeWork meets Soho House for artists and creators. With a weekly programming calendar, curated by us, from May through September, connecting various artists to projects, spaces and opportunities.”
“We’re creating a space that supports artists of all kinds,” Nicol says. “From bartenders and DJs to visual artists and designers, utilizing Creator House as a launch pad or event space for people’s artistic projects and helping foster talent is really our goal.” Both want to offer artists the freedom to develop experiences without spatial concern, which has long been a blockade in NYC. Further, Creator House requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter; they also temperature check on site—so safety is integral to the experience.
Right now, people can “expect daily wellness classes from Fit For Us and The Limit Fit creative seminars and a variety of artistic presentations like film screenings, panel discussions and photographic exhibitions,” says Nicol. Soon, DJs will be performing on the roof, as well.
“We’re also launching a weekly mixology program where every Sunday from 12PM to sunset, a mixologist from an iconic venue in New York City will do a pop-up bar experience on the roof, highlighting their home venue and a specialty cocktail menu,” Lezark adds.
As for why Creator House opened during Frieze, Lezark says that it’s “one of the most creative times in the New York. Having all of these talents returning for the art fair with renewed energy at the same time the city is reopening and waking back up.” Those in attendance to support Okoyomon—including Telfar Clemens, Ella Emhoff, Raul de Nieves, Miles Greenberg and Vaquera designer Patric DiCaprio—were in agreement.
Cosme (Creator House’s neighbor) catered the Okoyomon event and De Ella Mezcal poured on site, too. Ultimately, it was an extraordinary (and flavorful) experience for one of the most exciting artists working today.
Images courtesy of BFA
