Thursday, 2nd September 2010

Shopping for Life: A Performance by Kristina Skovby

Posted on 01. Sep, 2010 by danikadruttman in Art at Roger Smith, Arts, Community, LAB Gallery

Shopping for Life: A Performance by Kristina Skovby

September 20-24th, 2010, 6:30pm every evening.

The LAB (for installation + performance art) presents Shopping For Life a performance piece by Kristina Skovby. This work is inspired by Conscious Consumerism, a social movement that is based around increased awareness of the impact of purchasing decisions on the environment and the consumers health and life in general. Skovby will use her body and a shopping cart to explore the relationship between societies wish to make ethical purchases as an expression of their moral choices, and their capitalist inclined desire to consume to excess, in the pursuit of happiness.

Kristina Skovby is a performance artist from Denmark and a former student of the Martha Graham School where she studied repertory with Pearl Lang. She recently finished in a production by InOktober at Here Arts Center in Manhattan, and is currently working with Nu Dance Theater on a site specific performance for the Botanical Garden on East 6th Street. Her own performance work has been presented at the LAB, Triskelion Arts Aldous Theater in Brooklyn, Gowanus Arts Building, The Brecht Forum, and Spinvox street events in NYC and San Francisco.

Previous Works:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo8CEVr9bXw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVFv0gpu5_Y&feature=related

The LAB (for installation + performance art) is a New York based, converted storefront turned fishbowl producing 30+ fast paced performance art and installation exhibitions annually. Aimed at furious midtown foot traffic, The LAB’s programming is designed to confront modern relationships between art and audience and seeks to force interaction between high energy, “outrospective” exhibitions and nearly 25,000 daily passersby. THE LAB is located on the North East corner of 47th and Lex and is a Roger Smith Collaboration in Art. www.thelabgallery.com

For more information, please contact Danika Druttman at rogersmitharts@rogersmith.com or 212.339.2092


QUICK INFORMATION:
Shopping for Life, by Kristina Skovby
The LAB (for installation + performance art)
501 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, 47th and Lexington
Subway: E, 6, V to 53rd and Lexington or 4, 5, 6, 7 to Grand Central
September 20-24th, 2010 at 6:30pm every evening
This event is free. The performance will take place within confinement of the enclosed space of the gallery, the audience will view the piece from the sidewalk outside the gallery.
212-339-2092
www.thelabgallery.com

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My name is Tomas Terstad, and I am Roger Smith.

Posted on 23. Aug, 2010 by JohnKnowles in Community, Hotel

My name is Tomas Terstad, and I am Roger Smith.

Looking out the window, from the seventeenth floor it’s hard for me to grip what I’m seeing. Skyscrapers in different heights and shapes. Far down are hundreds of different people, coming from different places, all with different destinations. I’ve seen this place before many times, in media and movies. I’ve heard people singing about it, and I’ve heard people dreaming about it, but I never thought I would be seeing it with my own eyes. I’m in New York city.

I can’t help to think how I ended up here. The previous place that I could call home had a very different window view. There I could see tall mountains covered in snow, no matter the season.
In cold places I have glided over the snow, in hotter regions I have surfed waves, and in NYC I cruise the streets on my board. The world is like a one big playground, and for those that want it, it’s out there. All a person needs is a little curiosity and an open mind, to be able to spot all the fun that is around us. People will always be different and sometimes narrow minded, sometimes scared to stick out of the crowd and be different. I like environments where I know I can be myself, and where people don’t have to be afraid to be different. I mutually carry an open mind no matter where I am.

In no other element I feel more as myself, as I do when I’m dancing. I like to freestyle, and I like to find new ways of moving. The more crooked and bent the movement, the more it expresses me. No matter how I move, it’s got to me funky! Roger Smith represents that funk. All I want to do all day everyday is to put on my funky Roger Smith persona and get caught in the rhythm to where it reaches a point where everything else seems to disappear.

The things in life that makes me happy are nature, physical activity and sharing the good moments in life with friends. Sometimes a smile or a joke with a complete stranger can have an even more positive effect, in a sense that the bonding process happens ultra fast, and generates a powerful feeling of being alive.
I think that this is one of the main reasons to why I ended up in New York. I was lucky enough to find a place where my mentality fits in, and where I continuously meet potential friends from near and far.
To me New York is like a connecting dot on the planet where people with different languages, cultures and styles all share the city. It’s funny but after some time spent in NYC, you start to notice that many of the people you meet are not originally from here, and many others (just like myself), are just passing by.


Being Roger Smith is not hard, not straining and not fake. Everyday I meet Roger Smith. There is a little bit of Roger Smith in all of us, but since this all about me I’m going to say it.
My name is Tomas Terstad, and I am Roger Smith (even when I spin on my head).

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By All Means at the Roger Smith Hotel

Posted on 18. Aug, 2010 by admin in Art at Roger Smith, Arts

By All Means at the Roger Smith Hotel

By All Means at the Roger Smith Hotel is a collaborative exhibition of 5 Long Island Artists hoping to raise the bar on how people view artwork, …especially in midtown Manhattan. Stelios, Kevin Garcia, Michelle Posner, Richard Ritter & Damon Tommolino in efforts with Panman Productions and the Roger Smith Hotel

August 14 – September 14
The Roger Smith Gallery
16th Floor Solarium @ the Roger Smith Hotel
501 Lexington Ave (@47th St).

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Cookies and Chemo

Posted on 13. Aug, 2010 by BrianSimpson in Community

Cookies and Chemo

This is the quick story of why Cookies and Chemo has been started. Thank you to those of you that have supported me so far – I look forward, with your help, to making many new friends and being able to make a difference in the lives of others.

~Cookies and Chemo~

I am a thirty year veteran of the hospitality industry. Three months after moving to NYC as a Food and Beverage Manager at The Plaza Hotel, I was diagnosed with thirteen tumors on my spine. They ranged from golf ball to grapefruit sized. My life was changed forever – I believe for the better. I now have a renewed passion for life, friends and the importance of helping others in need.
In a conversation with my girlfriend about volunteering she suggested I start my own ‘thing’. I woke up the next day trying to think of something from my treatment days that made me smile… I wrote the word cookie. Cookies and Chemo followed minutes later and here I am.
As a recent cancer survivor, and the son of a breast cancer survivor, I have a clear understanding and unfortunate memories of how devastating going through Chemotherapy is.

My goal is to bring together survivors, supporters and anyone great that wants to share cookies and conversation. My hope is to eventually bring comfort to those that are going through chemotherapy. I cannot cure cancer, I can give comfort, with money, by purchasing new chairs, iPods, computers, books and other items that make sitting for six hours a day more tolerable. Not just for the patients, also the nurses and staff, for example sending in lunch once a week. Moving forward I would like to raise money for improving chemo-suites and making the best of the worst.
Mission:
Making people smile at a time when they need it most.

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2010 Roger Smith Shorts Trailer

Posted on 10. Aug, 2010 by admin in Arts

2010 Roger Smith Shorts Trailer

The Roger Smith Shorts Series started in 2009 as a short film festival / workshop and was designed to facilitate filmmaking opportunities for up and coming directors. The Roger Smith Hotel has become the backdrop for filmmakers as they put their creative talents to the test. The 2010 Roger Smith Short Directors are John Knowles, John Birdsong, Aleks Degtyarev, Melissa Gonzalez and Abianne Prince. For more information go to : http://panmanproductions.com/roger-smith-shorts-festival-workshop/

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ANIMATED CLOSET OPENS AUGUST 3rd AT RS POP SHOP

Posted on 02. Aug, 2010 by melissagonzalez in fashion

ANIMATED CLOSET OPENS AUGUST 3rd AT RS POP SHOP

Animated Closet at RS POP Shop

Forward fashion, clothes that actually fit, independent designers, AND 10% of our profits go towards supporting economic development initiatives for women and children.

Inspired by women who love color and lead an active lifestyle, Animated Closet is something new, fresh and truly unique.  Drawing comparisons to Custo Barcelona and Desigual, with an emphasis on creativity and individuality. At the epicenter of their look is an upheaval of contrasting patterns and colors. The prints and patterns are splashed boldly across our asymmetrical skirts, fun tops and outerwear, and flattering dresses.


Their creative process is collaborative- working with different artists for artwork, print the fabrics, and then cut clothing from the newly printed material. They only print a limited amount of fabric so everything is a limited run. In order to reduce waste as much as possible, they create their own patchwork skirts and pants from the leftover pieces of fabric.
They carry sizes small thru extra-large to ensure that a broad range of body types can enjoy. Vibrant and colorful, Animated Closet kicks any wardrobe up a notch!
The Pocket Skirt Dress The Emmi Dress

You can’t go wrong!

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Cinemonde Soiree #12

Posted on 30. Jul, 2010 by admin in Arts

Cinemonde Soiree #12

Soiree Number Twelve takes us to the rooftop of the Roger Smith Hotel for a celebration of independent cinema and a Provencal barbecue prepared by French Master Chef Pierre Paumel.

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Roger Smith Round Table David Meerman Scott

Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by admin in Community

Roger Smith Round Table David Meerman Scott

On Wednesday July 28, the Roger Smith hosted a round table conversation about the marketing lessons from the Grateful Dead with featured guest David Meerman Scott .  David Meerman Scott, author of many acclaimed books on PR and Marketing, and long time Grateful Dead fan, has recently announced his lasted book, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History. The round table was a lively and interesting conversation about all of the fascinating lessons that can be learned from the Dead.

Please contribute on Twitter using hashtag: #GDbook

Roger Smith Round Table; Converstations at the Roger Smith Hotel

At a round table there are no corners. Conversations occur, ideas are explored, and relationships are built around a round table. The Roger Smith Round Table series brings together 6-8 people to discuss current topics in a purely conversational format. The show takes place in the Penthouse of the Roger Smith Hotel where ideas are shared and relationships are built.

Production and broadcast brought to you by Panman Productions


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FREE EVENT: Roger Smith Shorts 2010 Screening this Wed 9pm @RSHotel

Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by Birdsong in Arts, Community

FREE EVENT: Roger Smith Shorts 2010 Screening this Wed 9pm @RSHotel

Dear friends,

you are cordially invited to attend a screening of the 2010 Roger Smith Shorts this Wednesday July 28th 9pm @RSHotel. The screening will be held on the second floor in the Starlight ballroom.

Six handmade short films: by us, for you.

The Roger Smith Shorts Series started in 2009 as a short film festival /workshop and was designed to facilitate filmmaking opportunities for up and coming directors. The Roger Smith Hotel has become the backdrop for filmmakers as they put their creative talents to the test. The 2010 Roger Smith Short Directors are John Knowles, John Birdsong, Aleks Degtyarev, Melissa Gonzalez and Abianne Prince.

Facebook invite, Eventbrite invite

Film Trailers and information:

Title: CHECK MATE
Directed by: Abianne Prince
Written by: Robyn Day
Running Time: 3min 30 seconds

Cast: Robyn Day, Lars Gerhard
Crew: Screenplay by: Robyn Day & Abianne Prince – Executive Producer: John Knowles – Producers: Abianne Prince – Line Producer: Cedric Youngelman – Director of Photography: John Birdsong – Lighting Design: Pete Eilenberg – Sound Director: Pete Eilenberg – Editor: Abianne Prince
Email – abiprince@gmail.com
Website: www.rogersmithsshorts-myshorts.tumblr.com/

Synopsis: This short experimental film explores one woman’s active imagination and how it keeps her mate in check.

About the Director: When Abi was 6 years old her Uncle Bob told her that life wasn’t worth living if she didn’t find a passion and follow it no matter what. Once Abi discovered photography and filmmaking she realized that she had found her vocation.  As a Producer, Director, Editor & Director of Photography, Abi has seen all sides of filmmaking. Her experience spans from live television production to commercials, documentaries and webisodes. Her passion is storytelling. Abianne  started her professional career at Plum TV as a “preditor” (producer/director/editor) and continued to practice all the tricks of the trade with Panman Productions in New York City.  Her recent endeavors also include working with the art news website RogerSmithLife.com, as well as projects with Voluntary Instinct Productions. V.I. is a non-profit media company, whose purpose is to enhance public awareness of under-represented social and environmental issues. When not making films, she enjoys swimming in the ocean, lost causes and painting.

Film Title: THE COUNTERPANE FAIRY
Director: John Knowles
Running Time: 15 minutes

Cast: Justin Hall, Lauren Frances, Aleks Degtyarev, Betsy Holt, Craig Russell , John Knowles, Phoebe Knowles
Crew: Assistant Director: Melissa Gonzalez – Directors of Photography: Adam Wallace and Abianne Prince – Editor: John Knowles – Line Producer: Cedric Youngleman – Special Effects Supervisor: Aleks Degtyrev – Sound: Aleks Degtyarev – Set Design: Peter Eilenberg – Light Design: Peter Eilenberg – Assistant Set Design: Lucinda Lin -Production Assistant: Rex Leung – Costume design /Hair and Makeup: Joel Yapching – Hair: Katie Arbore – Makeup: Denise Mojica – Wardrobe: Veronica Zhou
Email: jknowles@panmanproductions.com
Website: www.thecounterpanefairy.tumblr.com

Synopsis: Teddy (played by Justin Hall), an 11 year old boy left alone in a hotel, decides to wander after his parents go out for the evening. In an empty penthouse he encounters The Counterpane Fairy (Lauren Frances) who takes him on a storybook adventure. He is put to the heroic task of saving an enchanted princess while freeing her from a spell that has been cast on her by a little gray spider (Aleks Degtyarev).
In the real world, the adults around him are constantly trying to box him into a conformed norm. His adventure reminds us that a child’s imagination is pure. The Counterpane Fairy is a modern day fairy tale that takes place at the Roger Smith Hotel.
The story of the Counterpane Fairy is an adaptation from the “The Counterpane Fairy” by Katherine Pyle.

About the Director: John Knowles is the CEO of Panman Productions, an interactive production company based out of New York City that focuses on live broadcasting, film, fashion, art and social media.  Panman Productions consists of a five member team that operates collectively with the understanding that ours is a company where “All of your dreams come true.”
After being introduced to Live production at Plum TV, John worked to adapt the Live production model to his endeavors online.  In the last several years, John has worked in collaboration with the Roger Smith Hotel on a number of projects.  He helped to create and build the Roger Smith Social Media program and was the executive producer of the 2009 Roger Smith Shorts Film Festival which generated six original short films.

Title: THE END
Directors: John Knowles & Melissa Gonzalez
Running Time: 10 minutes

Cast: Starring: Melissa Gonzalez, Jerome Richards & David Henry Gerson
Crew: Screenplay by: Melissa Gonzalez & Michael G. Richards – Executive Producer: John Knowles -Producers: Melissa Gonzalez & Abianne Prince – Line Producer: Cedric Youngelman – Assistant Director: Lucinda Lin – Director of Photography: Aleks Degtyarev – Lighting Design: John Birdsong – Sound Director: Pete Eilenberg – Editor: John Knowles – Costume Design: Veronica Zhou – Production Assistant: Rex Leung – Makeup: Denise Mojica – Hair: Katie Arbore
Email: Melissa Gonzalez, Lion ‘esque Productions mg@lionesqueproductions.com
Website: www.theendfilmblog.tumblr.com

Synopsis: In the mid 1940s Sam Clarke fell madly in love with a young woman named Clare Hayes. It was WWII in Europe, a time of heightened emotion and adventure. Their time together lived in his heart forever and inspired the project of his lifetime. With hope and doubt, he hires actress Alex Keyes to assist in his endeavor.
Will Alex be able to embody the woman who stole Sam’s heart half a century ago? “The End” is a screenplay adaptation of the novel “A Century of Dust” by Michael G. Richards.

About Director Melissa Gonzalez: Melissa is no stranger to the camera or producing. Melissa, former co-host of Latin Beat on BET, has made numerous television appearances on NY shows including Chappelle’s Show, SNL and the FOX Pilot NY-70. In addition she produced and starred in the indie feature Spanglish Girls and Broken Hearts which premiered at LAIFF. Currently you can catch Melissa online hosting Homemade BFF’s and uncovering new fashion icons on http://www.rspopshop.com

Film Title: HAIR BALL
Directed by : John Birdsong
Running Time: 13min

Cast: Brett Siddell, Bari Hyman, Matt Semler, Mala Wright, Wayne Soares, Fanny (Cat), Tomas  Terstad
Crew:  Written by Morgan-Jo Teller and John Birdsong Director, Producer, DP, and Editor: John Birdsong – Executive Producer: John Knowles – Producer: Melissa Gonzalez – Assistant Camera: Abianne Prince – Sound Designer: Aleks Degtyarev – Wardrobe: Morgan-Jo Teller – Boom Operator: Victor Reznik
Email: john.birdsong@yahoo.com
Blog(trailer): http://hair-ball.tumblr.com
Synopsis:
The only thing Louis loves more than being a bellboy is dancing. He makes the most of guests’ unattended rooms and personal possessions, practicing dance moves for nights at the club. Using a stranger’s toothbrush or sleeping in their bed was a victimless crime till now. Could a lude act with a suitcase send him back to prison? Can you taste another man’s mouth by sharing his toothbrush?  Hair-ball is loosely based on a phone call from “Car Talk” on NPR.

About the Director
John Christopher Alexander Michael Birdsong was born March 19th, 1981 in Brooklyn and raised in Texas and the Hamptons. His first job was as a counter boy at a Chinese take-out restaurant. John is not Chinese. He studied photography before interning and working as a Producer/Director/Editor for Plum TV. John’s passions include looking for the end of the internet, smelling things, and staying up late. John works with Panman Productions in midtown and lives with his girlfriend Morgan-Jo Teller in Brooklyn with their cat Fanny and a Siamese Fighting Fish named Rufio.

Title: MOTHER TERESA’S HIATUS
Directed by: Abianne Prince
Written by: Robyn Day
Running Time: 2min 30 seconds

Cast: Staring Kana Sato Supporting cast: Jay Cutler, Anwar Uddin, Dennis Lowell, Chad Miller,Sunjay Mishra,Chris Cotten, Rocco George, John Knowles, Roni Mazumdar, Dan Chen, Klive Robinson
Crew: Screenplay by: Robyn Day – Producer: Abianne Prince – Line Producer: Cedric Youngelman – Assistant Director: Melissa Gonzalez – Director of Photography: Aleks Degtyarev – Lighting Design: John Birdsong – Editor: Abianne Prince – Sound Director: Victor Reznik – Costume Design: Lucinda Lu – Art Direction: Lucinda Lu – Production Assistant: Susanna Lewitt – Makeup: Denise Mojica – Hair: Katie Arbore
Email: abiprince@gmail.com
Website:  www.rogersmithsshorts-myshorts.tumblr.com/
Synopsis:
A woman’s epiphany about the role she plays in the lives of the men that surround her.

Title: SHOE FITS
Directed by: Aleks Degtyarev, aka Marlo L. Brown
Running Time: 21 minutes

Cast: Aleks Degtyarev, Kelly Jo Johnson, John Larmor, Lucinda Lin, Frank Martinelli, Brett Siddell, Rich Staab

Crew: Written by: Aleks Degtyarev – Executive Producer: John Knowles – Line Producer: Cedric Youngelman – Assistant Director: Lucinda Lin – Director of Photography: Abianne Prince – Script Supervisor:  Melissa Gonzalez – Casting Director:  Melissa Gonzalez – Lighting Design: John Birdsong – Sound Director: Pete Eilenberg – Costume Design: Veronica Zhou – Boom-Pole Operator:  Vic Reznik – Choreographers:  Alex Smith and Eric Jacobson – Graphic Art:  John Larmor – Special Effects and post production:  John Chiarelli
Email: floatingopera@gmail.com
Website:  www.shoefits.tumblr.com/
Synopsis:
The Original Hooligans are back. Another shoe fit another dolla! This time Marlo Lovely Brown has missplaced his dancing shoes. Confidant and partner in deviance, Pipe Adams is back on the scene to help Marlo locate his magical footwear. Marlo’s lover LuLu beckons from another dimension, while friend, and maddened inventor Bradrian W. Tangaurey laments at Camp Villain. Will Marlo be able to navigate his way through this fever dream to find the shoes or will humanity be doomed forever? If the Shoe Fits…

About the Director - Written by Pipe Adams
Born into a family of fur traders working their way through the Aleutians and the Bering Strait in the late 16th century, Marlo Leelan Brown was not always destined to make films. His name, literally translated, means the universal, or invincible prince. Young Marlo’s conception was nary cause for celebration, and his gestation and eventual birth a mere insurance policy to guard against the stark, endless Siberian winter. Just another maw to feed and, with hope, hands that would eventually grow strong enough to tear and render the priceless flesh from countless seals to add to the meager family coffers.
Time however, was on Marlo’s side and so Marlo danced the earth, a being reflected in the eyes of G-D, but yet a dead man inside, until the mid 90s. It was at this time that Marlo fell in with a bunch of like minded gents. Not immortals per say, but timeless characters nonetheless. For posterity’s sake, we shall call them the Original Hooligans. It was with the hooligans that Marlo discovered his true passion. Slowly, the hidden embers inside his mind, cold with age, began to warm, to glow. A fire was ignited inside of him. No longer the dancing dead, little Marlo Leelan was born anew. And the vehicle that brought young old Marlo back from the dead: Making Films.
But as he discovered his new found passion, changes began to occur. Each time Brown would look through his viewfinder a wrinkle would appear, a gray hair would sprout. Marlo Leelan Brown the foreverman, was now becoming just man.
Over the past decade Marlo has aged. Less like a fine cheese and more like a rusting washing machine in a dewy Bedford-Stuyvesant project courtyard, Marlo has forsaken eternal life for mortality to join the ranks of the Original Hooligan brotherhood and make films.


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Marketing Lessons of the Grateful Dead By David Meerman Scott, Book Signing and Tweetup!

Posted on 23. Jul, 2010 by admin in Community, Events

Marketing Lessons of the Grateful Dead By David Meerman Scott, Book Signing and Tweetup!

We are very excited to be hosting a book signing and tweetup for David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan’s new book, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead.

(announcement from webinknow.com)

Brian Halligan and I just announced our new book Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History

Join us in our Follow the Band Book Tour (hashtag #GDbook) as we conduct book signings, host virtual events, and follow Furthur (Bob Weir and Phil Lesh) and Rhythm Devils (Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann) this summer! Brian and I are out to have some fun, meet fellow marketers and Deadheads, and boogie at some shows. We hope to see you at one of these events.

Home base for the tour will be our Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead Facebook page.

Hashtag #GDbook

Wednesday, July 28th

Book signing and Tweetup
at the Roger Smith Hotel New York City at 5:00 PM

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