Somehow the chessboard with opposing pieces, white against non-confrontational white does not add up to a recipe for world peace. It does, however, make a cerebral platform for dance, as conceived by Yoko Ono for Jack Lenor Larson's birthday celebration at the Long House Reserve Benefit the night of July 21. Looking much like a wedding cake in large brimmed white hat and layered white dress, she showed a sample reel of the documentary she is making about her life. Yoko Ono's parents are shown, a modest couple. The film segues to their flamboyant daughter in fox, in her John Lennon days, seated, a table between them. They could be playing chess but instead as the ill-fated Beatle looks on, Yoko gets up and provocatively spreads her leg, putting her foot on the chair.
“I'm supposed to loosen up your inhibitions at opening your wallets,” she said to the tony Hamptonites at the outset of the auction where a $30 bottle of Grey Goose sold for $150. “Do you want to see me do a sex act?” she asked coquettishly and then quickly modified her query to include a key word. “Do you want to see me do a sex change act?” she asked. The crowd did not go wild, except for a few admirers at the front tables. Then she peeled off the layers of skirt to reveal slacks, her jacket exposing a vest and tie, and threw off the froufrou hat donning a fedora. Given that she is now well into her '60's, this seemed prudent.
Playwright Edward Albee donated a Henry Moore etching, providing its provenance: he had seen it at Elizabeth Taylor's; she then gave it to her good friend Roddy McDowell who left it to Albee in his will. “It goes to a good cause,” said Albee, pleased to support the unique sculpture garden, currently featuring the work of Miguel Barcelo.
Meanwhile, in another part of East Hampton, some truly beautiful bodies glided across a silver stage designed by David Salle in an apt setting for a new piece choreographed by Karole Armitage to the music of Gyorgy Ligeti. The occasion was an art auction to benefit Guild Hall in Tony Ingrao and Randy Kempner's sumptuous sculpture garden. Calvin Klein, Richard Price, Judy Hudson, Russell Simmons and family were among the crowd watching the performers in black leotards by Peter Speliopoulos in a modern dance evocative of Robert Wilson's work. The stage, bare save for a silver tree, could serve as well for the staging of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. And befitting Beckett, the auction was silent.