On Saturday, July 25, The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation hosted Circus of Stillness…the power over wild beasts, the 22nd Annual Summer Benefit & Auction at The Watermill Center, raising over $1.9 million to support The Center’s year-round Residency Program, International Summer Program, and educational initiatives that provide artists with a unique opportunity to develop their work.  Artistic Director Robert Wilson hosted the evening.

Over 1,200 distinguished guests from the worlds of art, performance, theater, fashion, design, and society came together for the visually stunning event which honored Inga Maren Otto, international philanthropist and long-time supporter of The Watermill Center.

The evening featured rousing performances by Sierra “Rosie” Casady of CocoRosie, a collaborative installation by forthcoming resident artistsCirkus Cirkör, a could sculpture by celebrated artist Daniel Arsham, and over two dozen site-specific installations by artists participating in the 2015 International Summer Program featured alongside the works of renowned visual artists, Cleon Peterson, Basco Vazko, Gary Garay, and Radamés ‘Juni’ Figueroa, among others.

 Additional highlights included the silent and live auctions hosted by veteran auctioneer Simon de Pury which featured over 125 lots donated by world-renowned and emerging artists, such as: Marina Abramović, Uta Barth, Annie Leibovitz, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, and Ursula von Rydingsvard.