Imagine a world unlike the one we know. A better world, one of peace and unity. It’s what John Lennon urged us to do, and also, I think, what Susan Cianciolo is after.
Her path is a spiritual one lit by what she calls “lightworkers.” You don’t need to be aligned with Cianciolo’s specific beliefs to recognize that she continues to be a beacon for independent creativity. There’s an active School of Cianciolo in — , , and number among her pupils, but there are many others.
Some of them showed up to support the performance she put on at the opening of her , “Light Workers - RUN 15 - Game of Life - (Thank You Pine Trees),” at Bridget Donahue gallery on Friday night. In such a supportive environment Cianciolo’s runway performance took on aspects of ritual. It felt, more than anything, like a prayer of communion.
The crowd was a mixture of new faces and familiar ones, and Victoria Bartlett, for example, were present. The feeling of goodwill and the togetherness of outsiders kept nostalgia at bay. This evening was about the positive force of creation and community.
Once a fixture on the downtown fashion scene, in recent years Cianciolo has pivoted to become more art-focused. She shows in galleries rather than during fashion week, though her work retains an “off-schedule” vibe. It’s difficult to define that work.
A believer in the “fifth dimension” outside of time, Cianciolo cannot be put in a box—and that’s what makes her special. There’s something.