House 17
Governors Island
Opening Reception: Friday, September 6, from 2 to 5pm
Special Hours: Tuesday, September 3 - Thursday, September 5, from 11am to 5pm
Open to the Public: Friday through Sunday, from 11am to 5pm
The sixth edition of NADA House brings together 17 art galleries and art spaces to present 21 artists in historic Nolan Park, with participants engaging the unique character of a 19th-century former military residence and exhibiting work in a diverse range of mediums. The exhibition is accessible to the public and all are welcome to attend, no RSVP is required to see the exhibition. To view a full list of upcoming events on Governors Island, click here. For ferry schedules and details about getting to the island, click here.
Sebastien Leon Agneessens
Magnetic Dream
For NADA House, 2024, Bienvenu Steinberg & C is pleased to present French born, Los Angeles based artist Sebastien Leon Agneessens. Named after the pioneering hypnotist, Franz Anton is a theremin-enhanced automaton. When activated by a performer, the sound sculpture invites viewers into a liminal space of strangeness and unself-conscious play. The figure transcends its physical form to become a distinctive musical instrument. Whether commanding it solo or within improvisational ensembles, the artist harnesses otherworldly sounds to craft mesmerizing sonic landscapes.
In a suite of mixed media works on paper, Agneessens channels the automatic drawing process popular among André Masson and other Paris Surrealists—itself an expression of the era’s fascination with the nascent field of psychoanalysis. The Psycho Dessins embody the energy of waking dreams.
The artist will perform the sculpture in 25 minute sessions.
Sebastien Leon Agneessens is known for orchestrating global artistic platforms for brands such as Diesel, Audemars Piguet, or Samsung, involving creative talents including Banksy, Run DMC or François Girbaud, and institutions like the Whitney Museum, the Palais de Tokyo, or the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. His public commissions include a monumental sonic sculpture for a high-rise building in Istanbul, a geodesic dome with immersive multichannel music for Audi in China, video and paintings for Samsung televisions.