Tony Bennett Shows Up at Gawker HQ
What would possess legendary octogenarian crooner Tony Bennett to climb four flights of stairs to get to our NYC offices? Let's see if we can piece this together. Last Thursday, Gawker Artists debuted its latest exhibition: On The Lam, a solo show by a photographer named...Kelsey Bennett. Aha!
Mr. Bennett was here, along with hundreds of others, to check out selections from two of Ms. Bennett's recent photo series, Cases and Runaway. And why wouldn't he? It's what any self-respecting and artistically-inclined grandfather would do.
By just being there, he kicked the party into gear. Cheerful, wine glass-gripping revelers were treated to images of the contents of packed suitcases containing the carefully-curated life that Ms. Bennett has lived on various sojourns: lives that required sparkly gold pumps or beat-up boots, depending on the jaunt. Then they got on the road with pieces from The Runaway series set in seedy motel rooms and public restrooms, phone booths and dressing rooms, casinos and bedrooms.
As the blustery night wore on, guests mingled, congratulated the Trojan warrior helmet-wearing photographer, and tried to avoid staring openly at Mr. Bennett as the office speakers were bleating full blast. Unfortunately, the DJ never got around to playing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."
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Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.
Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford.