Halloween Teen Night
Nov 16, 2015

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 outside the Hearst Artspace. Photograph by Filip Wolak
A teen strikes a pose during the dance party. Photograph by Filip Wolak
Teens enjoy themselves at Halloween Teen Night. Photograph by Filip Wolak
A teen gets a tarot-card reading. Photograph by Filip Wolak
YI Leader Andrea shows off her Halloween make-up. Photograph by Filip Wolak
A teen dances in his robot costume. Photograph by Filip Wolak
Teens explore the exhibition Archibald Motley: Jazz Age Modernist. Photograph by Filip Wolak
YI Artist Tyrique shows off his costume on the runway. Photograph by Filip Wolak
YI Leaders pose for a celebratory picture at the end of the night. Photograph by Filip Wolak