get out | HOWL! Festival Returns « Urban Molecule

get out | HOWL! Festival Returns

30Aug08

Adjust your calendars. The Tompkins Square Park extravaganza, HOWL! Festival, returns September 5,6 and 7. Last year’s installment was a gratifying dish into the world of East Village art, as only British-born Marguerite Van Cook could serve. The festival had a short hiatus, returning last year.

Inspired by the now infamous Allen Ginsberg poem of the same name, HOWL! Gathers all of the best talent from the boroughs, including artists who paint all weekend along the perimeter of the park, book publishers and enthusiasts who sell their books inside the park, and musicians and performers, burlesque and just plain macabre, who light the south stage on fire. The festivities last all weekend, beginning Friday (there are a few parties Thursday night), and the crowd is one of the best you’ll ever encounter in this town.

The festival has garnered praise over the years, but is perhaps best known for its irreverent look into past phenomena, including Black Face performance. Michael T. inspired a short-lived media firestorm after his 2007 performance of “Mammy,” a black face minstrel number. But as the show’s curators pointed out, the idea wasn’t to mimic Disney World but to stay “true to spirit and challenge the audience.”

The Molecule agrees. We may not be proud of every aspect of history, but this selective amnesia some groups tout in order to save a bit of discomfort, we feel, is hypocritical and just plain irresponsible.

So bring your best kicks and cameras ready with plenty of memory. These are performances you won’t want to miss. And if you’re looking to network, look no further. These artists are ready to show you their best stuff; canvasses hang all along the perimeter of the park for all three days.

One of the best art festivals New York City has to offer, hands down.