HOLY HELL

Film by Carlos Trujillo

Audio mixing by Sarah Dahlinger w/sound by Red Fog

Flux Factory, NYC

March, 2020

Holy Hell was set to open on March 12, 2020, the day a state of emergency was declared in NYC due to COVID-19. Participants entered hell in an orchestrated experience teasing out humor and tension in the midst of a global crisis. The program of events was cancelled, including performances, a mechanical bull and comedy night.

The installation plays on concepts of hell such as limbo, inferno and “fire and brimstone” in both subtle and explicit physical representations. The moody and somewhat serene environment is a fully blacked out space including sculptures of fire, a stage, sauna and a waiting room. The waiting room offers a place for people to rest and contemplate their impending damnation. Entrants to hell basked in the mesmerizing flames and released angsty energy. The “open-concept sauna” was a seating area and sauna heater without an enclosed room, quietly embodying eternal desperation by continuously attempting to heat the entire space.

$1,000 Competition

Gallery 5, Richmond, VA

August, 2019

$1,000 Competition was a single elimination Rock Paper Scissors tournament where one lucky winner took home $1,000.00 cash. The first two elimination rounds were official head-to-head rock paper scissors games. Qualifiers went on to compete in physical challenges. The Sweet Sixteen challenge was to cut paper with scissors in a head-to-head race. For the Elite Eight round, the contestants covered rocks with slime. In the epic battle of the Final Four, the contestants smashed plaster-cast scissors with bricks. Our finale was a timed obstacle course through the entire space, with the fastest time taking home the cash.

Rinkworm

Flux Factory, NYC

February, 2019

Rinkworm, a week-long pop-up roller rink installation at Flux Factory. The program included daily open skating with in-house DJ’s, a ‘skate-in’ movie screening of Rollerball (1975), Flux Thursday potluck and couples skate with MC Vinyl Richie, Valentine candy lollipop casting, a night of performance art featuring Seth Timothy Larson and Abigail Entsminger, MOM, and Joseph Keckler, a late-night roller disco with DJ’s PlayPlay and Sponsored Lynx, live music with Ben Seretan, Karaoke on Ice, and themed skates and raffles.

Collaborators: Danny Crump, Sarah Dahlinger, Micah Snyder, Matt Roche, Jevijoe Vitug

Special Thanks: Cayla Lockwood, Jonathan Sims, Nova Scott James, Jess Dilday, Richard Nathaniel, Will Owen, Dew Igworia

Documentation: Jaime Iglehart and Fiona McCormac

Trivial Pursuits: Medieval Edition

Institut for (X), Aarhus, Denmark, September 2018

Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party is an interactive performance dinner party serving six courses of pie to color-coded teams of dinner guests. The Medieval Edition of Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party at Institut for (X) was part of Flux Factory’s collective residency at ARoS Museum in Aarhus, Denmark. 

Organized by Sarah Dahlinger in collaboration with Danny Crump, Kalon Hayward, Muse Dodd, illesha Khandelwal, Cayla Lockwood, Stephen McLeod, Amir Badawi, Will Owen, Jevijoe Vitug, and Verena Meyer. Special thanks to Nat Roe, Mads Peter, and Institut for (X).

Menu: Creamsicle Custard w/Cookie Crust, Zucchini Quiche w/Arugula Salad, Cheddar-crusted Apple Pie, Shepards Pie, Chocolate Mousse Pie w/Praline Crunch, Fresh Watermelon & Raspberries

Documentation by Eleni Zaharopoulos, illesha Khandelwal & Sarah Dahlinger

Trivial Pursuits: Project FLUX Edition

Flux Factory, NYC, April 2018

Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party is an interactive performance dinner party serving six courses of pie to color-coded teams of dinner guests. The Project FLUX Edition of Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party was part of Flux Factory’s biannual artist-in-residence exhibition.

Organized by Sarah Dahlinger in collaboration with Danny Crump, Kalon Hayward, Cayla Lockwood, Ashley Yang Thompson, Amir Badawi, illesha Khandelwal, Jonathan Sims, Seth Timothy Larson, Jaimie Idea, Gil Lopez and Jevijoe Vitug.

Documentation by Poyen Wang & Christina Freeman

Concession

Little Berlin, Philadelphia

October, 2017

Concessioninvited participants to batter and deep fry any object and display it on stainless steel grills installed in the elevator shaft in Little Berlin’s courtyard.

Collaborators: Danny Crump and Sarah Dahlinger

Curated by: Will Owen, Cayla Lockwood, and Alex Schechter

Documentation: Sarah Dahlinger

Field Day

Knockdown Center, NYC

July, 2017

As part of the Knockdown Center’s Field Day, participants were invited to create their own plaster ice cream sculptures. Participants mixed up their own ice cream flavors and tasty toppings to complete their own melting masterpiece to last the ages.

Collaborators: Danny Crump and Sarah Dahlinger

Curated by: Alexis Wilkinson

Documentation: Danny Crump and Sarah Dahlinger

Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party: The Classic Edition

Flux Factory, NYC

May, 2017

Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party is an interactive performance dinner party serving six courses of pie to color-coded teams of dinner guests. The Classic Edition of Trivial Pursuits Dinner Party culminated in a surprise food fight finale. 

Organized by Sarah Dahlinger in collaboration with Danny Crump, Danielle Freakley, Jonathan Sims, Seth Timothy Larson, Will Owen, Jason Eppink, Larissa Hayden and Aliya Bonar

Documentation: Christina Freeman