Recently The Avant/Garde Diaries and Mercedes-Benz threw a block party to celebrate the opening of their New York office in the downtown district of Nolita. The Avant/Garde Diaries is a year-old digital interview magazine. The publication also hosts festivals in cities around the world, curated by various artists and experts within the creative industry, showcasing his or her personal view on avant-garde. So far Beastie Boy Mike D, fashion icon Raf Simons and artist Andreas Emenius have lent their curatorial hands to the project, organising events in LA, Berlin and Copenhagen respectively, all consisting of concerts, performances and installations.
The office block party was a very crowded and glamorous affair, with male-model-type waiters carrying golden poles with hooks that dangled exotic slices of pizza. Very chic. The event featured musical performances by hip-hop legend Pete Rock, DJ and house producer Tim Sweeney, as well as the undisputed king of Bubu music, Janka Nabay. Bubu is a frantically-paced dance music with ancient, mystical origins in Sierra Leone, and Nabay’s band, the Bubu Gang, features members of Gang Gang Dance and Skeletons. All the performances took place within a breathtaking, sound reactive light installation by the New York based light artists and organizers of the annual art festival Bring to Light: Nuit Blanche New York, Ken Farmer and Ethan Vogt. Check out Dazed’s video coverage of the event and see for yourself!
