Bob's Big Bash at Watermill Center

The entrance to Watermill Center's "Devil's Heaven."

Swanning With Adriann: Bob's Big Bash

Have you ever been? Bob Wilson'sWatermill Center celebrated its 20th this past Saturday night, and oh boy, did Bob have a worthy celebration. Despite a rather unpromising start, with a line that wrapped down Watermill Towd Road, with grumpy hedge fund husbands and nervous wives, what was to come made one forget.

"Devil's Heaven" was the theme, and they wasted no time letting you know. There was an impaled, tarred looking fellow hanging inside the first building through which you passed, over challenging pebbles (not so much for my Belgians, but I saw some Blahniks skitter off them. I tried not to laugh).

Once you passed through, you had an option of lying on what looked like a guillotine plank that was raised by a "student" in whose crafty hands you put your well being, as they slowly tipped you back and skyward. And this was before you hit the bar. No thanks.

Other, less artistic, demonic activities ensued, as themed guests tripped and swirled to be captured by the swarms of photographers and the little man in the blue jacket in particular. Some looked familiar, which chagrined me no end, especially with their sad attempt at decorative style, adorned with feathers, horns and swaths of red satin.

But the artistic eccentricity is why we come, and a trip through the forest gave us an even headier dose than expected. We were first greeted by a naked woman in a vat of molasses, with spoons for tasting. I heard a journo actually did. Please tell me you wouldn't have!

Further on there were so many naked, painted "tree nymphs", I lost count. Then there were howling "monks," chair dances, bubble producing dinner guests, and on and on, till one was almost numb with the assault of sounds, bodies, contortions, howling ... kind of like Christmas with Aunt Fizz.

Tree nymphs were everpresent.

And I must say, the guests were a feast to behold, too. Mostly in a good way. Hugh Jackman, I heard was there, though no one I knew saw him, much to the regret of women, men, animals, even inanimate objects. I did see Cindy Sherman, Cecilia Dean, Cameron Silver, Ahn Duong, Stefano Tonchi, Hannah Bronfman, Kenny Scharf, Andrea Glimcher, Annelise Peterson, Nicole Miller, Nanette Lepore, Kyle DeWoody, Eugenio Lopez, Maja Hoffmann, Giancarla Berti, Lewis Cullman and Louise Hirschfeld Cullman, Maria Bacardi, Alexander Gilkes and Misha Nonoo, Todd Bishop, Gabriela Cadena, Selita Ebanks, Gerard Barrett, Lindsey Wixson, Joachim Johnson, Genevieve Jones, Sessa and Richard Johnson, Richard Phillips, Fabiola Beracasa, Paul Sinclair, Sonja Bebber and Martin Brand, Greg Soros, Alexander Soros, Amanda Hearst, Henry Buhl, Harry Brant, Josephine Meckseper, Nicholas Coblence, Farhad Farman-Farmaian, Jill Stuart, Jim Signorelli, Stefano Tonchi, Barbara Goldsmith, Debbie Bancroft, Rick Owens, Sharon Bush, Polina Proshkina, Jane Holzer, Fredric Brandt, Aaron Young, Laure Heriard Dubreuil, Kenny Sharf, Marc Francois Auboire, Eddie Borgo, Keegan Singh, Colby Jordan, Lisa Marie Fernandez, Alison Loehnis, Stacy Engman, Rick Owens, Michele Lamy and many more, undoubtedly some young and chic and upcoming ones that I'd never heard of.

But I have heard of Gaga and though no one knew she was coming, and when she did, POW. It was a rapids full of press, fans, stalkers and many people who temporarily lost all dignity.

She did a forest tour, then joined us in the tent.

Lady Gaga and Marina Abramovic.

Robert Wilson with Gaga.

Gaga taking a taste.

Abramovic, Wilson, and Gaga.

I have never seen Bob happier. Gaga (Lady, I suppose) on one side, Maren Otto (world class beauty and major art patron), and Marina Abramovic on the other, and Winona Ryder thrown in for fun.

Gag went off to bid what seemed like over $100K on a video portrait and other pieces. She danced and squealed when she won. Bob couldn't have choreographed a more deliriously exciting tribute. She made a toast about Bob being her early inspiration and teaching her to be "ruthless, and true to what you do.and And Alan Cumming offered what sounded like sincere and personal testimony to Bob's influence.

Bob of course made his traditional speech, which is always preceded by a very long two minutes of silence, and a thorough eyeing of his audience. It made me pray I turned my phone off. I was too frozen to look.

Alan Cumming.

Winona Ryder.

Simon de Pury.

Bob Wilson.

I think they made a ton at the Silent Auction and live auctions, but I was losing strength, as dinner was very late, and very modest. Simon de Pury took the mike and continued the auction. (Is it me, or is his voice getting louder and screechier?) I think people bought just to shut him up. But there was always another item. And, when dinner plates were still uncleared, 40 minutes after we finished, we decided to pack up, move on and make a sandwich.

Benefit Chairs in attendance: Lucinda Childs, Bob Colacello, Christophe de Menil, Jörn Weisbrodt Shaikha, Paula Al-Sabah, Lucienne and Thierry Barbier-Mueller, Kelly and Jay Sugarman, Michael Braverman, Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane, Lisa and Sanford Ehrenkranz, Wendy and Roger Ferris, Barbara Goldsmith, Josefin and Paul Hilal, Larissa Hilbig and Harald Falckenberg, Anne Hearst McInerney and Jay McInerney, Carola and Robert Jain, Eugenio López, Maren Otto, Lisa and Richard Perry, Tatiana and Campion Platt, Jacqueline and Mortimer Sackler, Leila and Melville Straus, Christine Wächter-Campbell and William I. Campbell. Contemporary Chairs in attendance: Lisa Anastos, Valerie Boster, Edward Chapman, Martin Dawson, Devon Radziwill, and Mollie Ruprecht.