Manitoga in Garrison New York is a National Historic Site - it was the estate and modernist home of industrial designer Russel Wright.
The inspiring artistic space has a residency program and one of Manitoga’s 2014 Artists in Residence is Melissa McGill. Her work primarily incorporates drawing, sculpture, and sound to explore the space between absence and presence. Palmas is her work at Manitoga. It is a site-specific surround sound installation that activates Manitoga’s Quarry Pool and encircling paths by playing recordings of rhythmic clapping inspired by the clapping - the Palmas - of Flamenco music.
This Saturday, September 27 Melissa McGill’s Palmas performance with Flamenco y Sol Ensemble will build upon the sound installation’s theme as flamenco performers engage Manitoga’s landscape in a unique call and response, creating a dialogue with the rocks, the water and trees through song, music and dance.
Melissa is also working on Constellation - a sculpture and light installation at the Bannerman Castle ruin. We discussed that work and its progress.
