John Waters Was in His Campy Element at Ballroom Marfa’s Spring Celebration

John Waters Was in His Campy Element at Ballroom Marfa’s Spring Celebration

“Welcome to paradise,” a greeter enticed on the seventh floor of the new Times Square Edition hotel Saturday evening. Weeks earlier, Ballroom Marfa, a contemporary art space in Texas, invited friends and supporters for a night out in New York City with few details disclosed—they would soon find out what was in store. Known for their wide-ranging artistic commissions, immersive exhibitions, concerts, and screenings, Ballroom Marfa always has something up its sleeves, and its 2019 spring celebration was no exception.

Entering Ian Schrager’s Paradise Club in the heart of Times Square, guests were transported to a whimsical cabaret bedecked with disco balls and dreamscape murals inspired by Bosch. The intimate venue, divided into banquets, brought together a room of artists and philanthropists. At one table sat artists like Adam Pendleton and Leo Villareal, while others like Arden Wohl and Jamie Tisch sat a stone’s throw away. The dress code for the night—filthy and glamorous—was interpreted liberally with a variety of gold ensembles. Ballroom Marfa cofounder Fairfax Dorn stood out among the crowd in gold sequins, hosting the benefit with fellow cofounder Virginia Lebermann.

While some guests may have shirked the dress code, the evening’s entertainment took the theme in earnest. The gala’s honoree and belle of the ball, John Waters, kicked the night off with a comedic performance centered around gay Americans that had the crowd in stitches. His routine covered a full spectrum, ranging from his own film career to President Trump’s sex life to Justin Bieber’s Christian reckoning. In his true camp fashion, Waters was dressed in a bespeckled suit that could have been worn on the 2019 Met Gala red carpet while he waxed poetic about his interpretations of the art world: “The people who I like are crazy, they’re filthy, they’re arty.” He seemed right at home with the eclectic and open-minded crowd.

Waters was a hard act to follow, though the night was just getting started. While attendees dined on shared tapas, women in white gowns and framed mirrors pranced table to table. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and a chanteur in sky-high heels took to the stage. What ensued? Too much to put into words. Titled “The Devouring” by Brooklyn nightclub House of Yes, a performance starring aerialists, burlesque acrobats, and contorting singers pushed the limits in an over-the-top spectacle. After the musical performance concluded and the dancers fawned over John Waters, the crowd broke into after-party disco debauchery. It’s official: No one throws a party quite like Ballroom Marfa.

Originally Appeared on Vogue