September, 20th, 2024. Fractal Tech Hub, Brooklyn, NY.
Press Release

When we play, we are engaged in the purest expression of our humanity, the truest expression of our individuality.” - Stuart Brown

Featuring: Ace Perrone, Adeline Moore Gerety, Aleksander Benecki, Charlotte Giddings, Chiemeka Offor, Chloe Xiang, Elinor Kry, Grace Miskovsky, Jak, Luke Boyer, Maximilian Zschiesche, Nicholas Cordeiro, Paria Ahmadi, Rebecca Lipsitch, Sara Azzaki, Sofia Macdonald, Wesley Ware, Zack Sanyour.
Opening Night Performers: Tilted Axes: Music for Mobile Electric Guitars, Cameron Lipp, Rola Jafri, Rohil Chada, Oona Landgrebe, Sadie Shea.

When we play, we are engaged in the purest expression of our humanity, the truest expression of our individuality.” - Stuart Brown

Rebecca Lipsitch and Grace Miskovsky are pleased to present How Do We Play?, a diverse group show comprising eighteen local, national, and international artists. How Do We Play? explores adult perspectives on what it means to play, using imagination and nostalgia to re-contextualize this neglected aspect of our lives. The exhibition opens on September 20th and will remain on view until September 30th at 111 Conselyea Street, Williamsburg, New York.

An opening interactive activation featuring games, swings, trampolines, live performances and more will be held from 6:30-10:30 pm. How Do We Play? is a response to the societal neglect of play as an essential part of our existence. As Dutch historian Johan Huizinga writes, “Play is free, is in fact freedom.” Play is liberating. It allows us to imagine multiple realities, transforming the mundane into new, exciting worlds.

“Imaginative play deepens our connections through trust and co-creation,” curator Rebecca Lipsitch explains. “From playgrounds to adult intimacies, mutual trust is required in order to unveil something beautiful and imaginative.” The exhibit focuses on the idea that play is experimental. As we embody new roles or characters, we cultivate empathy and intimacy, constantly learning and expanding our understanding of ourselves and others. “Play is also political,” co-curator Grace Miskovsky notes. “We invite artists to explore how personal liberation from oppressive structures can be a form of healing.”

Play is free. It can’t be bought or sold. It can happen in any setting. It provides us something that is becoming harder and harder to find under labor focused societies; opportunities for free, organic enjoyment. Play teaches us to be resourceful. Taking inspiration from Belgian artist Francis Alys, we see the ways in which children transform car tires, coins, marbles, chairs and sticks into hours-long entertainment. As we grow up, some of us are lucky enough to find our own spaces for play that help us form communities. Climbing gyms, theater camps, skateparks, and art classes help us stay connected with others who play in the same ways we do. Unfortunately, it’s a rarity for many of us given the seeming inability to find time during our working lives.

To continue reading the press release & see the catalouge click HERE

Play Festival Opening Night