New York's prestigious Performa biennial was forced to make a last-minute decision to postpone a highly anticipated new work by Golden Lion-winning artist Lina Lapelytė just one day before its scheduled debut. The postponement came after the performance venue, Federal Hall National Memorial, remained closed due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
The affected work, titled "The Speech (NYC)," is an ambitious performance piece featuring 100 children producing what organizers describe as "primal sounds" including coos, cries, barks, howls, and roars. This new iteration builds upon Lapelytė's existing work of the same name, which has previously been presented at prestigious international venues such as the Bourse de Commerce in Paris.
Lapelytė gained international recognition when she won the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale alongside collaborators Vaiva Grainytė and Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė for their opera presented at the Lithuanian Pavilion. The artist had planned to debut "The Speech (NYC)" on Wednesday at Federal Hall National Memorial, which holds the distinction of being the first capitol building of the United States.
However, because Federal Hall is operated by the National Parks Service, it has been forced to close along with most other federally funded organizations during the government shutdown. This closure affects numerous cultural institutions across the country, including all Smithsonian museums and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
In an official statement addressing the postponement, Performa organizers expressed their disappointment while emphasizing the historical significance of their chosen venue. "Our original venue, Federal Hall, a historic site of American democracy where oaths were once sworn and voices first rose to shape a nation, remains closed at this time, under the management of the National Park Service," the organization stated.
Performa officials are actively working to secure an alternative location for the performance. "We are working with colleagues around the city to confirm a new venue, and will share updates as soon as we have them," the statement continued. The organization has rescheduled Wednesday's performance of "The Speech (NYC)" for November 17, giving them additional time to finalize arrangements.
Lapelytė's piece represents one of eight major works being staged as part of this year's Performa biennial, which showcases cutting-edge performance art from international artists. The biennial's roster includes new works by other notable contemporary artists such as Ayoung Kim, Camille Henrot, and the artistic duo Pakui Hardware, who previously represented Lithuania at the Venice Biennale.
The government shutdown's impact on the arts extends beyond this single performance, highlighting the broader challenges faced by cultural institutions that rely on federal funding and venues. As federal facilities remain shuttered, arts organizations across the country are grappling with similar disruptions to their programming and public access to cultural experiences.
