Helen

December 4, 2022 Ben Sisto

In 2017, I worked with atmospheric scientist Campbell Watson (IBM Research) to install a small weather station on the roof of Ace Hotel New York. With a great unobstructed view of the Empire State Building, Helen recorded local conditions and took photos of the sky. Helen was named after Helen Hunt, who portrayed Jo in Twister.

In 2018, Watson invited new-media artist Lee Tusman up from Philly for a live event called Live Coding the Weather, in which the duo interpreted atmospheric readings, live data streams and other inputs, sculpting them into a sonic / visual landscape via live coding.

Above: A sample of data saved by Helen

Downstairs Film Club

December 3, 2022 Ben Sisto

A few screenings to beat the heat, summer 2018

Downstairs Film Club featured a dozen free screenings on Sunday nights during the summer of 2018. Presented by Ace Hotel New York in partnership with The Breslin and a quartet of big-picture curators — Nordic International Film Festival, NewFest, POV by PBS and CLOG —the series showcases campy cult classics, science fiction, powerful docs and works by emerging indie talents in Liberty Hall. Two beers and a small popcorn for ten bucks.

Program Schedule

Nordic International Film Fest (NIFF) Shorts, June 3, 2018
NewFest presents: Wigstock: The Movie, June 10, 2018
POV presents Quest, June 17, 2018
CLOG presents Bladerunner, June 24, 2018
NIFF presents Till We Meet Again, July 1, 2018
NewFest presents But I'm a Cheerleader, July 8, 2018
POV Shorts, July 15, 2018
CLOG presents Her, July 22, 2018
NIFF presents The Salton Sea, August 5, 2018
An Evening of Films with NewFest, August 12, 2018
POV presents 93Queen, August 19, 2018
Clog presents Westworld (movie) August 25, 2018

Untouchable Numbers

December 3, 2022 Ben Sisto

I can’t believe they let me…

In 2017 I pulled off one of my all time favorite happenings: Untouchable Numbers. All nine then-existing Ace Hotel locations let me broadcast a 24-hour John Cage playlist in their lobbies, in partnership with Mode Records and the John Cage Trust.

216 total hours of Cage:

Chicago
London
Los Angeles
New Orleans
New York City
Palm Springs
Pittsburgh
Portland
Seattle

Original Promo Copy

“In 1952 a composer called John Cage told us there was music in silence, and the world hasn't been the same since. Today, the gradual wearing away of stone by water, the echoes of gravitational waves, and the caloric metamorphosis of food into energy may all be understood as musical works, a privilege for which we are indebted to Cage.

September 5, 2017 would have been Cage's 105th birthday, and to commemorate and honor our favorite sonic philosopher, Ace Hotel and the John Cage Trust, in partnership with Mode Records, present Untouchable Numbers, a 24-hour listening event beginning at 12am. Cage's sounds, and silences, will play throughout public spaces of all nine Ace Hotels as the earth completes one full rotation, freely and open to the public. In New Orleans, you can hear the tunes playing back in our Lobby.

Learn more about where to hear Cage across our properties here, and consider booking a room with the promo code SILENCE, valid for stays from 9/4-9/6. RSVP suggested but not required. Seating in public spaces is first come, serve.

Listening is a radical act.”

Ace Hotel: Reader

December 3, 2022 Ben Sisto

When I began at Ace Hotel in 2013, the brand had already carved out a unique space for itself in the blogging world, thanks largely to the efforts of Valentine Freeman. Until about 2017, Ace maintained a Tumblr for all interviews, fun posts, and news. Then, I began helping transition away from Tumblr and more towards a stand-alone editorial platform called The Ace Hotel Reader. I left Ace in 2019, and it seems they got Reader up and running a short time later.

My initial pitch was to focus on longer-form editorial, in depth interviews, and to widen the scope of people we were talking to. I developed programs with Justin Strauss (Just/Talk), Sophia Cosmodopolous (Inside Job), and others. Below is a record of some of the subjects; I’m not sure if these are all archived somewhere by Ace.

- Caroline Polachek, January 2016
- Anna Sui, February 2016
- Joakim, April 2016
- Kim Ann Foxman, June 2016
- Imogene Strauss, July 2016
- Wolfgang Tillmans, October 2016
- Johnathan Galkin, November 2016
- Todd Terje, January 2017
- Andrea Anarow, February 2017
- Bethann Hardison, March 2017
- Michel Gaubert, April 2017
- Sparks, May 2017
- Joe Goddard, June 2017
- Trevor Jackson, July 2017
- Nancy Whang, September 2017
- Matthew Higgs, October 2017
- BICEP, November 2017
- Lenny Kaye, January 2018
- Fab 5 Freddy, February 2018
- Honey Dijon, March 2018
- Roisin Murphy, April 2018
- Horse Meat Disco, June 2018
- Jerry Schatzberg, July 2018
- Inflagranti, September 2018
- Kasper Bjorke, October 2018
- Jenny Schlenzka, January 2019
- Raquel Albarran, January 2018
- Michael Pellew, February 2018
- Carlo Daleo, March 2018
- Julia Ross, April 2018
- Mary T Bevlock, May 2018
- Tyrone Davis, June 2018
- Chase Ferguson, July 2018
- Myasia Dowdell, August 2018
- Rudy Bansraj, October 2018
- John Martin, November 2018
- Frownfelter, December 2018
- Hector Jones, January 2019
- Chen Chen, April 2018
- Erika L. Sánchez, May 2018
- William Brewer, June 2018
- Aimee Nezhukumatathil, July 2018
- Geoffrey Hilsabeck, August 2018
- Hafizah Geter, September 2018
- Jenny Xie, October 2018
- Stephanie Burt, November 2018
- Wendy Xu, December 2018
- Jennifer Chang, January 2019
- Ben Burkert, February 2019
- Natalie Shapero, March 2019
- Jose Olivarez, April 2019
- Got a Girl Crush, 2018
- Roundtable Magazine, 2018
- Quoted Magazine, 2018
- Marti Gould Cummings, March 2018
- Peter Dunn, May 2018
- Cory Camperchioli, June 2018
- James Michael, October 2018
- Daniel Avery, April 2018
- Claire Evans, 2018
- Playlab, 2018
- Mason Saltarrelli, 2018
- Camen Winant, 2018

Bound by Chance

December 3, 2022 Ben Sisto

A dice-rolling zine for Ace Hotel, 2014, 2015

Concept and Production: Ben Sisto
Layout and Design: Peter Bowen
Author Curation: Word Bookstores and Book Riot

Dice and Staples

At the invitation of Ace Hotel New York and Word Bookstores, 16 authors crafted short works in the second-person narrative voice. Each begins and ends with the entering and exiting of a room. Where one story ends, the next starts. Quantum Leap-style, sort of. 200 copies of each were printed and assigned a number, 1 – 16. These stacks were positioned neatly down the grand study table in the lobby of Ace Hotel New York.

Local artists Dhemerae Ford & Sarah Awad designed a custom 3D-printed, large format dice which was placed on one side of the table. At the other, a stapler and some stamps. Event guests — a mix of people who came specifically for Bound by Chance and general passers-by — were asked to roll the dice 8 times. With each roll, they received a corresponding page. Those 8 pages got stapled together with some cover stock and, there you have it.

Since you are wondering, if a participant rolled the same number twice, that page was given twice. A return to a previously-visited location of the labyrinth. Possibly, one remain stuck in the same room forever.

If a “W” was rolled, then the participant won all 16 pages. If, over the course of their turn the letters A, C, and E were all rolled, we gave that guest a delicious coffee.

Live events took place on March 8, 2014 and August 29, 2015

2014 Photos

Participating Authors

- Bill Cheng
- Myke Cole
- Nick Douglas
- Chad Felix
- Rachel Fershleiser
- Roxane Gay
- Chelsea Hodson
- Kat Howard
- Edan Lepucki
- Thomas Page McBee
- Sarah McCarry
- Dolan Morgan
- Travis J Nichols
- Raj Paremeswaran
- Danniel Schoonebeek
- Emma Straub
- Emily Asher-Perrin
- Justina Ireland
- Alaya Dawn Johnson
- Liam Lowery
- Nina MacLaughlin
- Jenn Northington
- Diana Pho
- Stephanie Saulter
- Bijan Stephen
- Charles Yu

... (dot, dot, dot)

March 12, 2022 Ben Sisto

A digital artwork produced in response to the Media Archeology Lab at the University of Colorado, Boulder’s open call for works produced with Kid Pix software. By Ben Sisto, 2022.

24/7 Jellies

December 15, 2021 Ben Sisto

A project with Luiza Dale for ‘BOOK FELL INTO OCEAN” by TXTbooks as part of their collaboration with Printed Matter and NADA (Miami) in 2021.

Now Dance (for Capri by Night)

August 16, 2021 Ben Sisto

A movement-video mixtape for Capri by Night, projected at Schauspiel Köln / Offenbachplatz in Cologne, Germany.

Seekonk Museum

August 12, 2021 Ben Sisto

Some ephemera related to the town of Seekonk, Massachusetts.

Rhode Island QSL Archive

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

The Rhode Island QSL Archive preserves and celebrates the visual culture of Ocean State ham / CB radio enthusiasts from decades past.

Interaction of Interaction of Color

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

A survey of used books over time.

As Is: Signs

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

June 2-4, 2017
Reception and zine release June 2, 7pm
Good Work Gallery, 1100 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY
goodworkgallery.com

As Is (Signs) is my tribute to Jia Hua Trading Inc, importers and exporters of wholesale gifts and home goods. I purchased several LED storefront signs from Jia Hua just prior to their leaving their 15 West 28th St. location in 2016. The exhibition is accompanied a zine by the same title, with images produced by placing the aforementioned LED signs either directly on a scanner, or in close-proximity to the camera on a mobile phone.

Installation and Reception:

Zine Images:

PACS Gallery

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

PACS Gallery, a DIY project space named for having existed between Public Assembly and Cubana Social, existed for a short time in a loft space at 70 North 6th St. in Williamsburg. The room typically held rather wild parties on Saturday evenings and on Sunday AM I’d go in, literally shovel-out beer cans, give the room a quick repaint and by about 3pm, was installing that-evening’s one-night-only exhibition. PACS hosted about 25 events in all; the PACS logo was created by Cody Hoyt.

PACS at Paloma South
95 South 4th Street, Brooklyn NY
May 12, 2013

Sunday afternoon. Mothers Day. Paintings. Collections. Drawings. Ceramics. Artists handle their own sales. Paloma South is an apartment. Stop by on your way to Journal. Come after you visit Southfirst. Take a boat. Take a train. Ride a bike. Works on display by Scott Calhoun, Ariel Dill, Ryan Garvey, C.F., Maya Hayuk, Cody Hoyt, E.E. Ikeler, Denise Kupferschmidt, Helmut Smits, Ben Sisto, and Kim Westfall.

Shadow Pests
116 Bushwick Ave, Floor 2, Brooklyn NY
March 20, 2013

With the pairing of Suzy Coady and Yusuke Okada, viewers will meet a cast of playful, sometimes awkward and occasionally crass characters who, like those found in the early adult-themed drawings of Shel Silverstein, deal with sex, love, and life with a childlike humor and playfulness.

Apacsment Show
116 Bushwick Ave, Floor 2, Brooklyn
December 12, 2012

Works on display by Leah Beeferman and Pierre Le Hors, Phillip Birch, Reade Bryan, Elizabeth Ebright, Amanda B. Friedman, Garrol Gayden, Kenya Hanley, Cody Hoyt, E.E. Ikeler, Denise Kupferschmidt, Michael Pellew, Ben Sisto, Joshua Smith, Jeffrey Tranchell, and Joshua Caleb Weibley.

Sightings, Zs, Drainolith, Regression
September 29, 2012

LQQK & Bunce Present:

+ Regression (12:00)
+ Zs (11:00)
+ Sightings (10:00)
+ Drainolith (9:00)

8:30 PM, 21+ w ID
No BYOB, $10

Presentation Party Night
September 16, 2012

Presentations From:
+ Shannon Coffey - Mystery
+ Ryder Ripps - How to Design an e-Commerce Website
+ Erik Bergstrom - The French
+ Melissa J Frost - Architecture Out of Order

Presentation Party Night is a monthly lecture series combining a love of community and education with a taste for beer. Based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, they meet on the 3rd Sunday of each month to share and discuss various topics spanning history, pop culture, current events, and the utterly indescribable. Aesthetically, PPN is a bit closer to a DIY loft party than it is say, Ignite or TED talks. Presenters range from local pro’s to first-timers and there’s a healthy mix of laughing, factoids, and open-ended Q&A. Limited complimentary beers from our good friends at Asahi.

Sean Micka's Christine
September 17, 2012

Christine is a character based in New York City. She sets up situations that invite viewers to contemplate, interrogate and/or negotiate various ways in which art and finance function within a political economy. For better or for worse, her work focuses its attention on auctions, examining artworks, antiques and precious jewels i.e., as objects of financial speculation. She also is frequently concerned with the phenomena of “the contemporary” as an ambiguously defined idea in modern art, i.e., periodization of the present. Christine is frequent collaborator with artist Sean Micka.

E.E. Ikeler: KISS/KIZZ
September 18, 2012

Drawing on the history of abstraction within Western Modernism, Brooklyn-based artist E.E. Ikeler’s work, as exemplified with KISS/KIZZ, inserts feminist and queer content through nontraditional materials while maintaining a level abstraction. It’s a task that the artist feels has often been assumed to lack legibility in mainstream art criticism. In response, various experimental strategies assert that form and content are not discrete characteristics of art works, but rather, like our minds and bodies, are one in the same.

Permanent Collection
September 19, 2012

Artists come to own work by other artists in a myriad of ways. Sometimes it’s bought, often it’s in trade, as payment for general labor, and here and there it’s rescued from a trash can. Sometimes it’s a piece that’s been long-desired, other times a bit of a white elephant. Since we’re all struggling for space to store all this stuff, not all works “make the cut” as they say, when artists move between studios and dwellings. But for this one-night exhibition, 10 artists reach into our personal collections and display works that have made the cut. Curated by Ben Sisto (PACS) and Denise Kupferschmidt (Apartment Show).

Artypes Salon 3: “Portrait”
September 20, 2012

Artypes is a series of Art Salons. For each Salon, a variety of contemporary artists are asked to make work prompted by a type of art. Salon No. 3 will include “Portraits” by well over 60 artists, which will be Artypes’ largest Art Salon to date. Art Salons are free to the public. Art can be purchased from the Artists, and Drinks from the Bar.

The Next 50 presents: Long Distance Poison
June 11, 2012

Long Distance Poison, with the help of Matthew Caron and ESP TV, produced a new work in Brooklyn at PACS Gallery that was simultaneously transmitted via HAM radio into outer space, projected before a live audience at the PLAYHOUSE/INTIMAN Theater in the Seattle Center, and broadcast live on the internet. The work is called A Third Signal to A Habitable Zone.

Phillip Birch: Worldless on a Wire Part 1
May 21, 2012

What is authentic? How do we experience a thing? What is thingness versus thinghood?Can a thing be in itself? What makes one a radical? How do you define yourself as a radical? Can we place ourselves in the role of the other? Is there an other? What is necessary and what is enough? Is there enough? Is there a difference between transcendent and pedestrian? Is there a crisis? Are there infinite Earths? Who is your service provider? Is this relatable?

Phillip Birch lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. He has exhibited at Cleopatra’s, Clifton Benevento, Artists Space, Envoy and Apartment Show. He is currently attempting to learn to juggle. He has been attempting this for years now.

Sto Len and Man Forever: Video
June 2012

Our buddy Sto of Cinders Gallery was here recently, painting away. PACS hosted a music video shoot for Man Forever, who recently signed to Thrill Jockey. MF is the brainchild of John Kid Millions Collpits, who’s best known as the drummer for Brooklyn’s own Oneida. The live lineup is always in a state of flux, but members of Vampire Weekend, Blues, Yo La Tango, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more have stopped in on previous engagements. Here’s some photos from the shoot, and you can see the video / read more via Impose TV.

Cody Hoyt, Greeting Disorder
March 27, 2012

Greeting Disorder is a one night exhibition of recent works by Cody Hoyt. A limited edition publication will accompany the show.

Get Rich or Die Mayan 3 aka The Maze Benefit
March 18, 2012

Amanda B. Friedman: Thought-forms
March 26, 2012

Amanda B. Friedman explores cognition, perception, and the distance between self, others, and the world. Her paintings, paper constructions, and drawings are informed by research on mental space - both inside and outside of the head.

Friedman has participated in residencies at Vermont Studio Center, VT; Millay Colony for the Arts, NY, and at Virginia Commonwealth University, VA. Selected group exhibitions include Backyard Projects, NYC; Clifton Benevento, NYC; St. Cecilia’s Convent, Brooklyn; and with Apartment Show, Brooklyn. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Also, this show marks the 1-year anniversary of PACS. Thanks so much to everyone who’s come out and supported!

Joshua Smith: Here is a Hand and Here is Another
February 27, 2012

Joshua Smith is an internationally exhibited painter. He was cofounder, with Denise Kupferschmidt, of the itinerant group-show Apartment Show. He was born in Texas, raised in Michigan, and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Get Rich or Die Mayan 2:
Sunday, February 19th 2012

Sam from Z’s and Duncan from Bunce put this together as part of a series of parties benefiting the You Are Here Festival, aka THE MAZE, which took in July 2012 at Secret Project Robot in Brooklyn, as well as in October 2012 in Berlin, DE.

Live sets from:

+ Hubble
+ Diamond Terrifier
+ White Suns
+ GDFX
+ DJ Marty McSorely
+ Projections by TROUBLE
$10 | 9pm | 21+

Jeffery Tranchell
January 30, 2012

Born in Owosso Michigan, Jeffrey Tranchell lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He earned his BFA in 2005 at College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. An art-handler by day, Tranchell is exposed to a lot of waste - from bubble wrap & foam being tossed into dumpsters to hydrochloric acid poured down drains. A fan of Maciunas’ use of “waste”, all that pure-tossing doesn’t sit well with him.

In his solo show at PACS, Tranchell displays about a dozen paintings which repurposes materials such as torn coat linings, plastics, and broken canvas stretchers to suggest that all objects have potential, some purpose that consumes objects apart from their intended use or despite their “broken” state. Most artistic activity unavoidably generates a little trash, and Tranchell’s intent is not to condemn artists who fail to use every part of the buffalo….he’s just trying to find a place for all this stuff.

Denise Kupferschmidt: various murals
January 16, 2012

At the invitation of PACS Gallery, Denise Kupferschmidt has installed a permanent mural in the front room of Public Assembly. Occupying approximately 5 x 17 feet of estate above the venue’s front interior window, Kill Your Crude Idols references Kupferschmidt’s own Crude Idols drawing series, while serving as a nod to the NYC rock & no-wave documentary Kill Your Idols. The mural’s footer text was generated by the artist’s friend Ben Sisto, who did so by processing a cappella versions of popular songs with an Apple iPhone S4’s voice-to-text translator.

Based on the success of this project, Denise came back to do a mural on the building's exterior as well. Photos avail on request.

Reade Bryan, Oomph
December 20, 2011

Houstonian turned Brooklynite Reade Bryan received a BFA in FIne Arts from the New School for Design in 2006. Over the past four years he’s toured the local woodshop & construction circuit, helping bring the city gems like Brooklyn Fireproof. In terms of form & fabrication his works draw upon those methods and materials associated with said day-jobs. Tile, brick, plywood, foam an in this show’s case, fiberglass insulation.

The works on display were created on site from about 12pm-6pm, just prior to opening. Bryan’s spontaneity evokes a Guston-like humor, presenting the viewer with two clear options: take the works seriously, or laugh along.

Skeleton$, Black Crown Ceremony, Loud Objects
December 19, 2011
9pm, 21+, $7.00

Live Sets:
Skeleton$
Black Crown Ceremony
Loud Objects

DJ Sets:
The Oracle
Marty McSorely (WFMU)
Dutch E. Germ

Joshua Caleb Weibley: Solid Surface
November 28, 2011

From Joshua:

I profess a kind of connectedness with every material I use, at least in as far as I am implicitly saying “this is something which I may use” by using it. Use is a way to establish ownership, though my saying so alone doesn’t make it true. I don’t own everything and some things I would be wrong to claim ownership of. Others I can fairly call my own and do as I please with according to my relationship with them...

Images above courtesy of the artist; from a series of hand-drawn ASCII-style pieces.

Ben Sisto: Two Dogs in the Same Space at the Same Time
October 24, 2011

Six works in progress, reflective of Sisto's suspicious attitude towards the copyright, a feeling that’s somewhat based on an aesthetic affection for multiverse theory. The show title is a mishearing a line from K.M.D.’s song “Mr. Hood” which reminds us that two atoms can’t occupy the same space at the same time. A mix of wall-paintings, framed photocopies, and Ebay’d records on display including: 144 Darwins (Final Dozen) Amateur Portal (Version), Who Let ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ Out? (Evidence), Sometimes (Die Trying), Of Bits, plus Guest DJ Pappa Wheelie (live all vinyl Miami Bass set, 60 min)

Leah Beeferman & Pierre Le Hors
September 19, 2011

1. ITEMS AND DISPLAY
2. SURFACES AND SUPPORTS
3. STILL LIVES OF DISPLAY
4. EVENTS / AS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS
5. EVENTS / AS IN ANY ACTION
6. MINIATURE MODELS OF THE UNIVERSE / GRAPHS
7. SURFACES:
a) permeable surfaces (description)
b) semipermeable surfaces (two-way mirror)
c) impermeable surfaces (obfuscation)
8. ILLUSORY SURFACES

Photos courtesy of Pierre Le Hors

Gina Beavers: Tapestry Embrace
August 22, 2011

Gina Beavers is an artist in New York City. She studied at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and has been in group shows with Apartment Show, the Journal Gallery, Printed Matter, Envoy Gallery, Kidd Yellin, Sara Meltzer Projects and Clifton Benevento in New York, among others. She has also shown at Cave in Detroit and Pepin Moore in Los Angeles. Most recently, she showed paintings, created a shop installation with Denise Kupfershmidt, and presented a zine-making performance at the ‘Art Book Club Presents:’ show at St. Cecilia’s in Brooklyn.

Denise Kupferschmidt: Spektr
July 7, 2011

PACS Gallery is pleased to present Spektr, a show of new drawings by Denise Kupferschmidt. Spektr combines selections from several open series within Kupferschmidt’s work, and highlights formal currents running through her studies on various subjects and topics.

The drawing of Denise Kupferschmidt employ an unmistakable vocabulary of form and texture; they speak to dualities inherent in nature and humanity: light and dark, empty and full, bad and good. Between these opposites is the exact moment of death; and in Kupferschmidt’s work that spirituality is materially represented through bold, primitive yet elegant forms that evoke notions of universally understood symbol sets and iconic figures.

Grady Gerbracht's Repercussions
2011

re:percussions is a series of events featuring drummers and drummer led projects that expand the parameters of the percussive medium curated by Grady Gerbracht and sponsored by the Nomadic Museum of Sonic Arts.

Performers included Christine Bard, Jim Pugliese, Grady Gerbracht, John Loggia, Margaret Schedel, Valerie Opielski, and Ravish Momin.

MICROFORTNIGHT
March 30, 2011

Featuring works by Leah Beeferman, Kevin Driscoll, Kerry Gaertner, Joshua Weibley, Daniel Lopatin, Benjamin Sisto, James Corrigan, Twos and Fours, Jeanette Mundt, S.E. Schoemann, A.K.A. SR PALM, Pierre Le Hors, Bennett4senate, & Bryce Hackford. More on this project here.

is Upstairs

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

A venue I used to run called Public Assembly was built at the site of a former mayonnaise factory on North 6th St. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Above the room’s main hall were two large metal tanks –once home to vinegar and egg whites, I believe. I want to say they were about 35’ long and 9’ in diameter. On the front of one tank was a small porthole just large enough for a person to crawl through. It did not feel particularly safe, but once inside you heard an amazing natural reverb we dubbed the “mayoverb”.

is Upstairs was a short-lived series where musicians performed live in the tanks, footage of which was projected live down in the main room. Super-short lived. Just twice … people felt really uneasy in there. I called it this because before someone would start their set I’d say something like “Ladies and gentleman, Jason Sanford is upstairs..”. If you looked up, you could see the curve of the tanks dimly lit through some metal grate flooring. In addition to the nights I organized, I worked with La Blogoteque to have Colin Stetson perform a work in there for video.

Night Two: Feb 19, 2013
(with Norther Spy Records)
Jason Sanford (Neptune)
Patrick Higgins (Zs)
Eli Keszler and Ashley Paul (duo)

Night One: November 12th, 2012
Tristan Perich
Lesley Flanigan
Pat Noecker (as RAFT)
Ben Sisto

Audio Recordings:

Video:

Ranges from full sets to short clips. Apologies there’s not more of Tristan’s set –we had a lot of issues with the cameras and dust.

Bonus Material: Here’s La Blogoteque’s video of Colin Stetson in the tank:

Light Asylum’s video for Heart of Dust (Mexican Summer), directed by Grant Worth and David Riley, had scenes shot in the tanks:

2s and 4s (Julio Monterrey, Matt Parker, Mikkel Hess and David Mason) performed in the tank, too. This video was produced by m ss ng p cesL

Honeypump

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

Tinsel Teeth (RI) at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston

After college I started a DIY events project in Boston called Honeypump (2002). Named after Joseph Beuys’ work Honeypump at the Workplace, my goal was to bring the energy and fun I found at Mass Art to the wider Boston music and arts scene. This idea was also heavily informed by shows I saw (Thrones, Deerhoof, Lightningbolt) in my friend Pete’s basement on Ashford St. I tried a lot of different things –organizing flea markets, boat parties, issuing grants, NYE parties, making posters for other peoples’ events, starting a record label, co-operating a message board (with Matt Sisto) and more.

Most people likely remember Honeypump for “doing shows” … low ticket price concerts in nightclubs, basements, squash courts, YWCAs, church halls, etc. Some of this worked out great and in some cases, hard lessons were learned. I wrapped it up (2006) when I began a full time gig w/ The Milky Way, Jamaica Plain’s classic venue for concerts, queer parties, pizza and at the time, candlepin bowling. While not a perfect list, if you go over here … most of what I did between 2002-2006 fell under the Honeypump moniker.

In 2023, Honeypump was rebooted for a one-night only show at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA. There Were Wires, who played many MassArt shows twenty years prior, had the idea to perform a reunion gig. I booked it out with Have a Nice Life, Sinaloa, and DJ Joan Donovan. The show sold out (525 tickets) in four hours! It was a great night—a bit of a high school reunion. That’s it. No more Honeypump!

Highlights

Messageboard became a go-to resource for DIY music in Boston
Helped restart the venue Great Scott w/ Carl Lavin which ended up doing very well
Organized 10 flea markets, attended by huge crowds; kind of set up a new trend for Boston.
Produced Love During Wartime, a party where profits became local arts grants (2x)
Founded Dynasty, a semi-popular local DIY dance party that hosted bands from Noxagt to Chromeo
Co-produced N.E.S.T. twice, a week of 35+ events across the city
Donated $ to organizations like The Red Cross; scholarship funds at Mass Art
2023 “reunion” show with There Were Wires at The Sinclair sold out; 525 tickets in a few hours

Shows

Honeypump was mostly known for putting on local concerts, making posters, throwing parties and other live events. I can take partial credit for all that but it was really a super wide network of people in the city making music, graphics, decorations, etc. Posters and flyers below are a sampling of the general vibe. Audio below is from a mix of places; a basement show, some legit clubs and one sketchy restaurant/venue called All Asia Cafe. Quality varies but is nice for the archives.

Screen Shot 2019-04-02 at 11.22.37 AM.png

02.06.04-BOSTON-1ST_CHURCH-CHINESE_STARS-GUNSHO.jpg

11.18.04-BOSTON-GREAT-SCOTT-DYNASTY-BOYSCOUT.jpg

09.24.05-BOSTON-GREAT_SCOTT-NEST-NIGHT_RALLY.jpg

06.08.06-BOSTON-GREAT_SCOTT-FINAL_HP_SHOW.jpg

04.30.03-BOSTON-BERWICK-DUB_NARCOTIC.jpg

00.00.03-BOSTON-HONEYPUMP-GENERAL-04.jpg

Some Photos:

Video

On my YouTube channel there are a lot of videos similar to the two below. Shot with either an old Sony Handicam or a Flip camera, they are somewhat lo-res but document what I was up to with DIY show booking around the early 2000s. Videos of Xiu Xiu, Gang Gang Dance, American Nightmare, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Chromeo, etc.

Honeypump Records

Honeypump Records put out three releases: A split 12” from the bands Clickers and Night Rally, a LP for The Faux and the vinyl version of U.V. Protection’s self-released CD. The label barely got off the ground — I believe both Clickers and Night Rally broke up shortly after the 12” got pressed; U.V. got offered a national tour opening for The Gossip but had timing conflicts and The Faux LP was released only after co-founding member Kirsten Malone had sadly passed away. All this, and I’d made the decision to release all the MP3s online for free under a Creative Commons license. I thought this would help promote actual vinyl sales but all the shops in Boston —remember, this is 2004 or so— told me they wouldn’t carry the record since I’d already given the music away. The unsold LPs were given to Dan Shea of Bodies of Water / Brain Arts when I moved to NYC.

Messageboard

Left is a screen grab from the final night the board was up. Right is a scene seen at a lot of parties, shows, colleges etc - a bunch of kids grouped around a PC looking for into on shows, making fake accounts and having lolz.

Kind Words

making-a-scene-part-1-the-weekly-dig-022205_2055845043_o.jpg

Bye-bye, Ben (Boston.com, 2008)l Sisto Act 2 (Boston Phoenix, 2008); Bostonian of the Week (Bostonist, 2008); Guide to Boston (Nylon Magazine, 2006); R.I.P. Honeypump (Weekly Dig, 2006); Hanging with Ben Sisto (Boston Globe, 2006); Let's Stick Together (Boston Metro, 2006), ; Working for a Song (Boston Herald, 2006); It Came from the Basement (Boston Phoenix, 2004); Punk Presenter is Making a Splash (Boston Globe, 2003)

Public Assembly

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

Public Assembly was a 3-room performance and arts venue located at 70 North 6th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Some remember this address as the site of the original Galapagos Art Space, too. I ran the place for about two years starting in 2011 overseeing all booking, promotions, staffing and a lot of the upkeep and repair. There were many great folks in the mix – Eric Sheppard, Duncan Rich, Pop, Tammy Hart … who all kept it running on duct tape and sweat. The main murals inside and out were painted by Denise Kupferschmidt.

Some photos my dad took around the venue, and during a Northern Spy Records showcase:

Banner ads from the venue’s website:

Some of the many, many event flyers PA’s partners and artists made:

Audio:

Here are some full sets from a show in October 2012 headlined by Silver Apples. Some other audio recordings can be found under the is Upstairs and Et cetera project pages.

At some point after leaving I made this list –it looks like maybe a list of “things I am most happy happened at Public Assembly” or, most in-line with my vision for the place. This is far from a complete list of all acts though:

Action Bronson, Alcest, Alias Pail, Allison Weiss, Arca, Arthur Baker, Assemble, Babycastles, Badussy, Ballistic Missile (showcase), Behavior, Big Freedia, Bklyn Boihood, Blanc Mass, Brooklyn Bodega, Brooklyn Brainery, Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival, Brooklyn Ladies Arm Wrestling, Brooklyn Vegan, Brooklyn Zine Fest, Bunce Booking, Bunker, Car Park / Paw Tracks (showcase), Cat Face, Communion, Craig Murphy Memorial Benefit, Crappy Cinema Council, Dead Prez, Death & Taxes, Diamond Terrifer, Dutty Artz, Dyke March, Electric Punanny, Eric Andre Show, Et cetera Festival, Fixed, Fixed, Forma, Gang Gang Dance, Gatekeeper, Glenn Branca, Goldie, Hatchet Job Poetry, Hey Queen, Houston, Atlanta, Memphis (HAM), How to Dress Well, Industrial Strength Records, Is Upstairs, Kim Ann Foxman, Laurel Halo, Lexi Mountain, Major Stars, Martyrdoom, Masters of Social Gastronomy, Mayhem Lauren, MC Ice Rod, Mexican Summer (showcase), Midnight Magic, Miho Hatori, Mixpack Extended Play, MNDR, Mute Records, Neon Marshmallow Festival, Oneohtrix Point Never, Original Plumbing, Oval, PACS Gallery, Panache Booking, Parallels, Permanent Wave, Pop Fest NYC, POP Montreal (showcase), Pussy Faggot, QxBxRx, Raft, Rebel Bingo, Red Bull Music Academy, Reggay, Regression, Rhys Chatham, Rinsed, Robert Hood, Sal P, Sightings, Silver Apples, Society for the Advancement of Social Studies, Strictly Hits, Suckers, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, The Babies, The Magician, The Psyched, The Rumpus, Tim Hecker, Tim Sweeny, Todd Pendu, Trouble & Bass, Tumblr / Eat Sleep Draw, Turntables on the Hudson, Wax Poetics, WORD Presents, Wrecked, Xanadude, Xeno and Oaklander, Yacht, Yo! Majesty.

Ace AIR

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

354+ Nights of Artists Making Art in Hotel Rooms

I founded Ace AIR—Ace Hotel’s Artists in Residence program—in 2014 and oversaw the curation, documentation and promotion of the program until leaving in January of 2019. In that time there were 354 stays. Went “On Tour” with Printed Matter to host 40 artists nation-wide and in London, and with zero marketing, cecame 4th organic search result for “Artists in Residence” (Google, 2018).

Pictured above is Riley, who participated during Opening Ceremony’s residency.

The program was very straight forward and had few rules:

Artists got a small stipend and food
Artists stayed one night at the hotel
Artists were asked to do whatever they wanted so long as it didn’t harm guests or damage property.

Artists took that looseness and filled rooms with mylar balloons, broadcasted psychedelic videos, painted oyster shells, collected beach glass, slept, hired 3rd parties to produce work on their behalf, wrote poems, collected recipes, wrote and recording music, drafted short stories, and played solitaire.

Pictured above is Ace Hotel’s website in 2023; on the heels of the program being around for a decade it’s prominently featured up top. Cool to see it growing!

Curators & Artists by Year

- WORD Bookstores, December 2014
  John Keene, Deji Olukotun, Sarah McCarry, Rahawa Haile
- PlayLab, November 2014
  Lunifred Benjamin, Ryder Ripps, Matthew Giordano, Nightcoregirl, Zut Alors!
- Flux Factory, October 2014
  Michael DiPietro and Lena Hawkins, Gil Lopez, Ayden Grout, Will Owen
- Printed Matter, September 2014
  Jason Polan, Heather Benjamin, Stefan Marx, Cali Thornhill DeWitt
- Tumblr, August 2014
  Ashley Ford, Kate Gavino, Chelsea Hodson and May-Lan Tan, Kristina Wilson
- Eyebeam Art + Technology Center, July 2014
  Queer Art + Technology Collective, Joon Oluchi Lee and Roddy Schrock
  Tomorrow Lab, June 2014
  Katie Shima, Confection, Ltd., Ekene Ijeoma, Karen Mackay, Jenni Hensler
- The Museum of Art and Design, May 2014
  Stephanie Lin, Alissia Melka-Teichroew and Jan Habraken, Michael Rees, Francis Bitonti
- 24 BY 36 (Ace Hotel), January 2014
  Sto Len & Asha Man, Daren Ho & Antonia Kuo, JD Samson, Colby Bird, Denise Kupferschmitdt, Mikael Kennedy, Ariel Dill, Morgan Blair + Nick Kuszyk, Miho Hatori, Phillip Birch, Danniel Schoonebeek, Patrick Higgins, Amanda B. Friedman & William McMillin, Archie Lee Coates IV & Jeff Franklin, Adam Dugas, Kunal Gupta / Thu Tran, Alexis Georgopoulos & Frank Lyon, Ashok Kondabolu (Dapwell), NOWORK / Pierre Le Hors, FCKNLZ (Grant Worth), Garrett Morrin, Lesley Flanigan & Steven Reker, Colin Self, Lizzi Bougatsos
- Opening Ceremony, December 2015
  Riley Gallagher, James Evans, James Parker Riley Gallagher, Surprise Guests
- Residencies Unlimited, November 2015
  Ivan Gaete, Beto Shwafaty, David Helbich, Christiaan Bastiaans, Manuela Viera-Gallo
- Lady Boss, October 2015
  Sue Smith, Kate Gardiner, Tracy Candido, Julie Sygiel
- Printed Matter / NY Art Book Fair, September 2015
  Christopher Schulz, Tamara Santibañez, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Jason Evans
- AUNTS, September 2015
  Ann Lewis (gilf!) / Sylvia Dean Ventiko / Tara Aisha Willis / Karl Scholz / Adams Stark; Christen Clifford / Amy Khoshbin and Michael Clemow / Sophie Sotsky and Greta Hartenstein, Chris Blue / Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste / Daria Faïn / niv Acosta / Shantelle Jackson; Michael DiPietro and Lena Hawkins / Felicia Ballos and Jean Brennan (Collective Settlement) / Kirsten Schnittker /
- Oyster Books, August 2015
  Haley Mlotek, Kashana Cauley, Morgan Parker, Durga Chew-Bose, Hannah Giorgis
- bitforms gallery, July 2015
  Marina Zurkow, R. Luke DuBois, Rashaad Newsome, Yael Kanarek
- BHQFU, June 2015
  Zulu Padilla, Alva Calymayor, Nicole Reber, Sophia Le Fraga
- Materials for the Arts, May 2015
  Carolina Penafiel, Christian Joy, Ryan Humphrey, Carrie Morrissey, William Powhida
- n+1, April 2015
  Dayna Tortorici, Doreen St. Felix, Kaitlin Phillips, Erin Sheehy
- Plus 81, March 2015
  ikumi, Kenzo Minami, Meguru Yamaguchi, Masashi Kawamura
- Chihiro Shimizu
- Northern Spy Records, February 2015
  Shilpa Ray, Justin Frye (PC Worship), John Moloney (Caught on Tape, Sunburned), Stephen Cooper (Cloud Becomes Your Hand)
- Deer Dana, January 2015
  Matt Sukkar, Luisa Opalesky, Josh Bartky, Jojo Samuels & Sean Ryan Pierce
- 24 BY 36 (Ace Hotel), January 2015
  Kevin Driscoll, Jamilla Okubo, Joshua Caleb Weibley & Masha Vlasova, Food Core Klub (Thu Tran and Sandra Chi), E.E. Ikeler, Jenn Schiffer, Bryan Kasenic and Seze Devres, Laina Dawes, Leah Beeferman & Carey Denniston, Sister Sister (Trevor Powers and Annie Sollinger), Dennis RedMoon Darkeem, Ditko! Zine Library, Allyson Paty, Allen Riley & Matthew Underwood, Colene Blanchet, Rob Corradetti, Julia Kaganskiy, Amirtha Kidambi & Peter Evans, Lazy Mom, Ted McGrath, Dana Veraldi, A&C Supply Brooklyn: Meghan Wicks & Jason Roy, Lydia Cambron, Halmos
- One Offs
  Lissa Rivera and BJ, Kevin Driscoll and Lana Swartz (Lonely Old Bitcoin Miner)
- Faust, December 2016
  Sabekst, Caroline Caldwell, Victoria Siemer
- Printed Matter, November 2016
  Caroline Paquita, Jordan Nassar, Kyle Quinn, Dawn Kim
- Friends Records, October 2016
  Lexie Mountain, Chris Day, Shaun Flynn, Carabella Sands, April Camlin
- Printed Matter, September 2016
  Stuart Matz, Melinda Melmoth, Masanao Hirayama. Emma Kohlmann
- Puppy Teeth Records, August 2016
  Lætitia Tamko, Catherine Cohen, Phyllis Ophelia, Mallory Heyer
- Undo Magazine, July 2016
  Taste: Jaquy Yngvason, Sound: Jarrett Wetherell, Sight: Tomás Whitmore, Touch: Jérôme LaMaar, Smell: Amaris Modesto
- Filipino American Museum, June 2016
  Gina Apostol, Stephen Miguel Decker, Patrick Rosal, Paul Pfeiffer, Michelle Lopez
- LAND Gallery, May 2016
  Myasia Dowdell, Carlo Daleo, Matt Murphy, Margot Werner, Cynthia Alberto
- McSweeney's, April 2016
  Leanne Shapton, Chelsea Hogue, Paul La Farge, Shelly Oria, James Hannaham
- Joshua Caleb Weibley, March 2016
  Alli Miller, Sun You, PK Worryshop (Porter & Kaila), Zack Davis, Rebecca Simon
- BuzzFeed, February 2016
  Tomi Obaro, Chaya Babu, Esther Wang, Niela Orr
- Topical Cream, January 2016
  Lyndsy Welgos, Julika Rudelius, Keren Cytter, Lyndsy Welgos, Sara Hornbacher
Curated with Printed Matter
- New Orleans
  Kyle Bravo, Marta Maleck, Skylar Fein, Ashley Teamer, Tom O'Brien
- Pittsburgh
  Melissa Cantanese, Ed Panar, Stephen Grebinski, Christina Lee
- Los Angeles
  Seth Bogart, Kandis Williams, Blackmama Whitemama, Eve Fowler, Adam Villacin
- New York City
  Stuart Matz, Melinda Melmoth, Masanao Hirayama, Emma Kohlmann
- London
  Paul Knight, John Booth, Lillian Wilkie, BOYS FOREVER, Setsuko
- Seattle
  Martine Workman, Steven Miller, Corianton Hale, Sarah Galvin
- New York City (2)
  Caroline Paquita, Jordan Nassar, Kyle Quinn, Dawn Kim
- Palm Springs
  Sonya Cohen, Paul, Mpagi Sepuya, Patrick Lee, Edie Fake
- One-offs
  Dewey Saunders, Aaron Clark, Johanna Boccardo,
- GMHC, December 2017
  Shungaboy (Michi Yamaguchi), Chuck Hettinger, Michael Russnak
- Rashaad Newsome, November 2017
  Emmanuel Iduma, Paul Anthony Smith, Kiyan Williams, Alexandra Bell
- SI Maker Space, October 2017
  DB Lampman, Nancy Quin, Emily Perina, Eustace Pilgrim, Scott Van Campen
- Printed Matter, September 2017
  Jen Shear, Linda Hang, Jeffrey Cheung, Alexis Taylor
- Ashley Robicheaux, August 2017
  Rosana Caban, Rahm Silverglade, Sam Himself, Ashley Robicheaux
- Kimberly Klark Gallery, July 2017
  Robert Grand, Sophie Jennis, Dennis Witkin, Colleen O’Connor, Emma Hazen
- Teen Art Salon, June 2017
  Quinn Wilke, Danielle Cohen, Luna Doherty-Ryoke, Devon Ma
- Discwoman, May 2017
  Bearcat (Kerrie Ann Murphy), Yulan Grant, DJ Abby, DJ Haram (Zubeyda Akil)
- Trax Records, April 2017
  Tyler Stone + VA
- ITP (NYU), March 2017
  Chang Liu, Rebecca Lieberman, Matt Romein
- Penumbra Foundation, February 2017
  Molly Rapp, Olivia Perez, Jolene Lupo, Lisa Elmaleh
- Bronx Art Space, January 2017
  Glendalys Medina, Esperanza Cortés, Jonathan Gardenhire, Sophie Barrett-Kahn (use "Sophie Kahn" for press), Alexis Mendoza
- One-offs
  LydIa Ricci
- Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste, December, 2018
- Nordic International Film Fest, November, 2018
  Brandon Brown, Haley Rice, Corey Camperchioli, Samantha Quick
- Refinery 29, October, 2018
  Eva Lee & Evelyn Zhang, Abbie Winters, Louisa Cannell & Elsa Jenna, Janet Sung & Seeta Kanhai, Elliot Salazar & Isabel Castillo Guijarro
- Brad Troemel, September, 2018
- Artiphon, August, 2018
  Rodney Hazard, Caleb Hawley, Jachary, Suzi Analogue
- Distributed Web of Care, July, 2018
  Ari Melenciano, Mindy Seu, Jessica Lynne, Stephanie Gray, Shannon Finnegan
- D’hana Perry, June, 2018
- Giphy, May, 2018
  Julia Sinelnikova, Matthew Keff, Maximillian Piras, Mengxin Li
- Children's' Museum of Art, April, 2018
  Mira Moore, Christopher Lineberry, Georgina Arroyo, Kirsten McNally, Naima Freitas / Alan Young
- VOLTA, March, 2018
  Tug Rice
- Sea Dog Theatre, February, 2018
  Various Artists from Sea Dog Theater
- National Sawdust, January, 2018
  BISHI, Natti Vogel, Vince Peterson, Zach Fredman
- Children's Museum of the Arts, April 2019
  Brandon Lee Harris, Deepti Menon, Rachelle Hall, Ian Tousius
- Bushwick Community Darkroom, March 2019
  Elizabeth LoPiccolo, Sheridan Telford, Max Taylor, Chris Voss, Lucia Rollow
- Shani Jamilla, February 2019
- Fountain House Gallery, January 2019
  Roger Jones, Alyson Vega, Laura Anne Walker, Angela Rogers

Dear Reader

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

Rowan Hisayo Buchanan by Seze Devres for Ace Hotel New York

After starting Ace Hotel’s AIR program in 2014, I thought to do one specifically for authors. I got introduced to Alexander Chee who, fresh off a residency with a train company, was having similar ideas. We created Dear Reader, a program that would come to last for at least 4 years and host some truly great talents. Kelly from Ace described it to Fast Company this way:

“Each month this year, a writer will spend a night at Ace Hotel exploring its edges and insides,” explains Kelly Sawdon, partner and chief brand officer of Ace Hotel. “During their stay, they’ll craft an open letter to an imagined audience of hotel guests. On a surprise date the following month, the letters will be laid bedside in each room–hand-stamped and numbered.” … a cross between a Dear John letter and a limited edition object that 300 lucky guests will receive each month.”

Letters existed in-print only and, only in the hotel rooms. There was also an annual Dear Reader, Live event where authors (or special guests) read their letters and other works in person. These were always packed.

There were a bunch of short 5-questions style interviews with authors up on the blog but Ace seems to have taken their old Tumblr down; not sure where/if they got archived.

Guest Curators:

Year One: Alexander Chee
Year Two: Alexander Chee
Year Three: Tin House Magazine
Year Four: Tin House Magazine

Authors:

Atticus Lish
Saeed Jones
Chelsea Hodson
Dale Peck
Sigrid Nunez
Lucas Mann
Kiese Laymon
Catherine Chung
Chinelo Okparanta
DarkMatter
Daniel José Older
Elif Batuman
Morgan Parker
Alexander Chee
Kaitlyn Greenidge
Tommy Pico
Wo Chan
Natalie Diaz
Alice Sola Kim
Ioannis Pappos
Jami Attenberg
Tyehimba Jess
Tracy O'Neill
Porochista Khakpour
Garnette Cadogan
Jenny Zhang
Claire Fuller
Jia Tolentino
Christopher Soto
Claire Vaye Watkins
Alexandra Kleeman
Leslie Jamison
Mia Alvar
Carmen Machado
Danez Smith
Kaveh Akbar
Morgan Jerkins
Joshua Jelly-Shapiro
Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
Naomi Jackson
Rosalie Knecht
Michelle Tea
Ocean Vuong
Tayari Jones
Jamel Brinkley
Fatimah Asghar
Michael Arceneaux
Hieu Minh Nguyen

Rock Collection Collection

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

A collection of rock collections.

Earthrise Museum

May 23, 2021 Ben Sisto

Apollo 8 ephemera, collected in celebration of its 50th anniversary.