Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe
The Whitney Museum of American Art
March 4-6, 2016
Curated and organized by Elisabeth Sherman and Megan Heuer in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner
Work details below.

 

On the occasion of the Whitney Museum of American Art's acquisition of Jamie Isenstein's installation Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004, the work was installed and performed at the museum from March 4-6, 2016 in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner.

 

On the occasion of the Whitney Museum of American Art's acquisition of Jamie Isenstein's installation Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004, the work was installed and performed at the museum from March 4-6, 2016 in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner.

 

On the occasion of the Whitney Museum of American Art's acquisition of Jamie Isenstein's installation Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004, the work was installed and performed at the museum from March 4-6, 2016 in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner.

 

On the occasion of the Whitney Museum of American Art's acquisition of Jamie Isenstein's installation Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004, the work was installed and performed at the museum from March 4-6, 2016 in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner.

 

On the occasion of the Whitney Museum of American Art's acquisition of Jamie Isenstein's installation Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004, the work was installed and performed at the museum from March 4-6, 2016 in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner.

 

On the occasion of the Whitney Museum of American Art's acquisition of Jamie Isenstein's installation Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004, the work was installed and performed at the museum from March 4-6, 2016 in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner.

 

Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004
Player piano, single-channel video, velvet curtains, spot light, rigger or Will Return sign, autographed headshots
Dimensions variable

Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004 is an installation of three components:

Invisible Disco Soft-shoe, 2004 is a shallow stage of red velvet curtains that I perform as the rigger, by pulling ropes inside the curtains to make the curtains appear to dance on their own. When I am not performing, I hang a Will Return sign on the closed curtains.

Infinite Disco Soft-shoe, 2002-2004
Single-channel video on CRT monitor
Dimensions variable

A video of me and an animatronic skeleton dancing a version of the Dance of Death is also included in the installation. In the video, I attempt to keep pace with the automated movements of the skeleton. The video is played on an infinite loop so that the dance never ends.

Infinite Invisible Disco, 2004, a player piano performing a two-player ragtime arrangement of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.” Music for both Invisible Disco Soft-shoe, 2004 and Infinite Disco Soft-shoe, 2004 is provided by Infinite Invisible Disco, 2004,

The exhibition Infinite Invisible Soft-shoe, 2004,  was installed and performed at the Whitney Museum in conjunction with the exhibition Collected by Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner in 2016.