Halloween Teen Night
Nov 16, 2015

Teens pose for picture
Teens pose for picture

Teens pose with their Halloween Teen Night programs. Photograph by Filip Wolak

Halloween, the spookiest day of the year, and the day of the Whitney Museum’s Teen Night!

I’m going to be completely honest—I don’t like Halloween. Despite my prejudices, the event was a blast. From costume making, to fortune telling, the evening came together to create an atmosphere that was fun and inviting. Witnessing teens from all different parts of the city excited to experience the event and the Museum as a whole was a sight to behold.


The theater was turned into a party; music and purple lights created an atmosphere that was as electric as it was ghoulish. People who came to the event alone were soon dancing and talking with others as though they had been friends for years. If people weren’t dancing, they were working on a costume.

While many came dressed up, ranging from simple to “Whoa, you made that?!”, some did not. We were prepared—cardboard, fabric, markers, and countless other materials allowed creative minds to embellish or create costumes. A young man walked into the Artspace dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and walked out transformed into a robot. Later on, the teens showed off their creations in a costume contest. The categories” Meme Worthy” and “Best Duo” gave people the freedom to have their costumes recognized for quality and creativity.

Of course a Whitney event wouldn’t be complete without some art. Teens were encouraged to explore the galleries on a scavenger hunt. The goal was simple: follow the clues to find the artworks and take pictures with them for Instagram. The idea was to get more people in the galleries experiencing what the Whitney is all about: art! We wanted people to have fun and find an artwork they really like.

  • Teens reading program

    Teens outside the Hearst Artspace. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teen poses during dance party

    A teen strikes a pose during the dance party. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teens enjoy themselves at Halloween Teen Night. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teen gets tarot-card reading.

    A teen gets a tarot-card reading. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teen shows makeup

    YI Leader Andrea shows off her Halloween make-up. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teen dancing in robot costume

    A teen dances in his robot costume. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teens viewing paintings

    Teens explore the exhibition Archibald Motley: Jazz Age Modernist. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teen models costume on runway

    YI Artist Tyrique shows off his costume on the runway. Photograph by Filip Wolak

  • Teens pose for end of night picture

    YI Leaders pose for a celebratory picture at the end of the night. Photograph by Filip Wolak

Overall the event was wonderful. It was fun, inviting—everything you would want from a teen night. Watch out—our teen events will  only get better! 

Join us for Teen Night on December 4.

 By Logan, Youth Insights Leader

 

On the Hour

A 30-second online art project:
Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

Learn more about this project

Learn more at whitney.org/artport

On the Hour projects can contain motion and sound. To respect your accessibility settings autoplay is disabled.