Gabrielle Penabaz: Renaissance Toots for the New Millenium

Gabrielle with one of her paintings. Photo by Bob Schaffer

Gabrielle with a painting by Madeline Von Foerster. Her work is well worth your time: http://madelinevonfoerster.com/ Photo by Bob Schaffer

I spoke recently with Gabrielle Penabaz (http://www.TheSaintEve.com), a woman of many talents. Film director, writer, video editor, v.j., singer, dancer, actress, party thrower, and lovely woman.

Gabrielle has lived in NY since 1983, arriving in the city “fleeing from Miami, Florida and the suburbs.” She came here originally to attend NYU’s film school, realized it was too expensive, and switched to Gallatin, a division of NYU where “you invent your own program.” Gabrielle has recently started making films again, and she enjoys directing because you “get to choreograph diverse elements,” something that brings her back to her early training as a dancer.

She also edits video for PS 122 and Montclair University, helping create compilations and the like for them. “It’s a bit like cooking, where you combine things to make a dish, and might add something a bit weird to make the dish taste better.” The idea of harmonizing disparate materials to make a satisfying whole appeals to her dancer’s instincts.

She started making music at NYU, because in the 80’s, there was no video program, and to make the simplest film, you had to use 8 or 16mm, and it could cost upwards of 20,000 or so to make a short film. But her songwriting inspired her to want visuals, so while writing for her last band, she choreographed dancers, and created films for the musical performances. Essentially, that’s what entangled her into finally admitting to being a multi-media artist.

Gabrielle is currently working on a play called “Sex Crimes Cabaret” (http://www.SexCrimesCabaret.com)

that features short films and video backgrounds. The show is about sex laws through history and people’s reaction at various epochs. It started with an interest in laws regarding consensual sex, like sodomy laws, or sexual positions, “no rape or violence”. Sodomy laws affect “straight couples, not just gay ones, and sex toy laws are fascinating. For example, in Texas, until very recently (Nov. 2008), if you owned more than 8 sex toys, it was 'intent to distribute' and a crime.”

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“I find it interesting that the law is phrased with drug language,” says Gabrielle. “One of the more fascinating cases with this law was a woman who ran a sex toy business, but she had to call her stuff ‘educational models’, and was arrested by narcotics officers posing as a married couple looking for marital aid information, and then she was fined 4000 dollars. So as part of this piece, I made a belt of dildos.”

“I also do one-on-one performance art piece called ‘Til Death Do You Part – MARRY YOURSELF!’ [http://www.EncouragingPriestess.com] where you marry yourself and I am your encouraging priestess. I did this recently at Figment on Governor’s Island, and before that at London’s Spill Festival for their ‘Visions of Excess’ evening, and also at last year’s Biennial in New Orleans. Technically, it’s an art piece, but it can also have a strong emotional impact like any wedding.”

If that isn’t enough for one lifetime, Gabrielle has been throwing parties since 1999. “I was hired by companies during the dotcom boom because they wanted cool factor, and I had an unusual band at the time, St. Eve, and I was also working at the nightclub Mother that had a lot of appeal for them. So I would create these VIP events with costumed bartenders, go-go dancers, artsy performances, and interesting drinks. I mostly throw underground events these days.”

Gabrielle is also associated with Collective Unconscious, who recently lost their downtown space. “They’re producing ‘Sex Crimes’ along with Pinchbottom Burlesque for the first two weeks in December at Walker Space (home of SohoRep), and we were recently awarded rehearsal space through LMCC’s Swing Space program. I’m busy, but it’s all coming together. So far, so good.”