Hosted by House of Yes
Sept 21-22, 2024
2 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn, NY

Statement

A Greenroom is a place of transformation, where the unseen moments shape what a night in the city is about to unveil.

For the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of access to the greenroom at House of Yes, where I’ve sketched performers before and after their shows, later transforming these sketches into oil paintings.

This project began during the pandemic. While visiting the Brooklyn Museum’s Studio 54 exhibition, I encountered performers from House of Yes, dancing on the recreated dance floor. I was struck by their energy, stifled by the lockdown, which compelled me to sketch them.

Following the lockdown, I was involved in the first major event ("Freakshow"—co-hosted with KostumeKult), where I witnessed performers in the greenroom, filled with a mix of tension and positive energy. Since the reopening of House of Yes, I have continued to capture these greenroom scenes.

Throughout art history, performers, dancers, and clowns—existence on the fringe—have often been depicted as mirrors of their society, while also expressing the complexity and beauty of human emotions through their commitment to self-expression. Similarly, I aim to document these contemporary performers, who are an integral part of New York today—a city where stopping is not allowed.

In many cultures, including Japan where I'm from, such performers have often been seen as messengers between the human world and the divine. To me, their presence in the greenroom represents the moment when humans transform into something sacred!

I would be honored to share this journey with you. Please join us at House of Yes and immerse yourself in the moment of "Greenroom."

Exhibition: Greenroom – A Solo Exhibition by Saki Sonoda