BIO:
Paul Clay is an award-winning Artist, Designer, and Creative Director specializing in events, activations, trade shows, product launches, and retail design for luxury, fashion, and technology companies.
Projects and clients have included Tiffany & Company, DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Levis, Diesel, Anna Sui, Perry Ellis, Longchamp, Coty Beauty Europe, Supima, Macys, Volkswagen, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Saks 5th Avenue, Bloomingdales, IPSoft, Nian Fish, OBO Paris, Van Wyck & Van Wyck, The Science Project, Eventique, 373 New York, Perception, The Museum of Modern Art NY, Red Bull Music Academy, MTV Iggy, and many, many more. The work has garnered accolades from Exhibitor magazine’s “The Best of CES…” and Pave’s Platinum (top) Prize in design for his LED special effects for Saks Fifth Avenue.
He is also an award winning theater designer including Set and Projections Design for the Broadway production of the musical RENT. He has received the MAN Theatre Awards Best Design; Municipal Arts Society Times Square Spectacular Award (Tibor Kalman selection committee chair); Drama-Logue award, NEA/TCG Fellowship, and the Bessie award.
Having served for many years as Creative Content Producer and Video VJ in the New York nightlife scene, Paul’s video art has been regularly featured in New York and Paris Fashion Weeks. He has shown internationally, in the US, Europe, and Asia, and has been interviewed on local television in New York. He has been reviewed in such publications as The New York Times, The London Times, Time Out (New York and London), The Guardian of London, ARTnews, Tema Celeste, Print, Zingmagazine, NY ARTS magazine, Backstage, Lighting Dimensions (Live Design), American Theatre, Theater Week, City Limits (London) and more. Paul is also founder of the non-profit art gallery Cuchifritos.
RESUME:
EVENT DESIGN AND CREATIVE DIRECTION
New York Fashion Week, Supima SDC – (Luxury American Cotton.) Creative Direction for Annual Runway shows and Events – Including MainStage runway show Pier 59, with four live 4K UHD cameras and prerecorded content made from 8K resolution 360 video, all mixed live and output in 4K UHD, in-venue, as well as streamed on line, with the event also recorded via two 8K resolution 360 Cameras, for later future use, New York City
Annual Supima Design Lab – At the historic “Hôtel de Talleyrand” mansion in the heart of Paris, and including brands Botter, Guy Laroche, Martin Grant, silhouettes created by the winners of the 2019 Hyères Fashion & Photography festival, finalists of the Supima Design Competition, across ten separate dining, ballroom, and event spaces, with light drawing animations magically appearing on tapestries, and videos of fashion events appearing in mirrors. Paris
Première Vision Paris – (Worlds Largest International Trade show for fashion and apparel fabrics.) Cotton Incorporated Booth Activation in conjunction with Supima, 8K resolution VR 360 Experience, Concept, Production, and Presentation. Paris
Hyères Festival, The French Riviera/Côte d’Azur, France – (Called by Forbes the Cultural Hub Of Emerging Designers.) Recording three days of international runway shows in 8K resolution 360 video, and used in a series of subsequent events and promotions. French Riviera/Cote d’Azur
Creative Tech Week New York – “Ascendor†a 24 foot tall Interactive LED Sculpture which responds to audio inputs from above and below, making a cascade of light documenting the moment-to-moment human activity in the main building, commissioned as a long term installation commemorating the launch of the multi-venue event. New York City
Eventique – Dozens of creative direction projects for high end clients, both for events and pitches, including leading multinational AI tech company IPSoft, and luxury fashion brand Chanel, including research, concepting, mood boards, deck, 3D model, pre-vis fly throughs, subcontractor sourcing, and project supervision to completion. Visuals ranging from digitally created water color and oil paint simulations to 3D rendered fly through movies with full lighting and reflections, New York City
Van Wyck & Van Wyck/Workshop – Multiple event design visualizations for high end clients, both for events and pitches, including Neiman Marcus and luxury brand Longchamp. Visuals ranging from 2D and 3D sketches and renderings, to full scale animations of event designs, New York City
Paris Fashion Week, Supima Collection – Three Video Walls with live drawing via iPads plus pre-edited content, creating Show backdrop and Digital interactive Step & Repeat, At the American Ambassador’s Residence, Paris
The Science Project, Sleep Number Booth, for CES – (Worlds largest Consumer Electronics products and technologies Trade Show.) Interactive LED Sculpture and booth Lighting Design. Five Foot Diameter Interactive LED Sphere/Chandelier and Totem with Radar Sensor, measuring breath and heart rate, which creates a custom light show based on each individual viewer’s bio-rhythms, (Ranked one of the Best of CES) Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas
The Science Project – Multiple creative direction and event design visualizations for a wide variety of clients, focusing especially on high tech creative lighting and art/technology solutions. New York City
Spaeth Design – Multiple projects including Saks 5th Avenue Flagship Store Holiday Windows – Story based Lighting Design, and Additional LED special effects, (Pave Platinum Prize winner) 5th Avenue, New York City; Bloomingdales Flagship Store Holiday Windows – LED “Fireworks†special effects, 3rd Avenue, New York City
Tiffany and Company – Multiple projects including In-Store Product Launch Video – Motion graphic design, shooting, production and post production. 5th Avenue Flagship Store and worldwide, New York City; Tiffany and Company Press Preview – Video Wall design and all creative content, At the Flagship Store, 5th Avenue, New York City
DKNY Video Wall Creative Content – Multiple projects. Video Wall creative content, motion graphics, and video editing for Madison Ave. New York, and London Flagship Stores
Guess Girl Fragrance Launch for Coty – through Van Wyck & Van Wyck and Perception AV, Design and execution of PowerPoint/Keynote presentation. Private location, New York City
Heidi Klum SHINE Fragrance Launch for Coty Beauty Europe – through Van Wyck & Van Wyck and Perception AV, Design of PowerPoint/Keynote and motion graphics for the launch presentation. Mondrian SoHo in New York City
Tommy Hilfiger 25th Anniversary – through Nian Fish, live video projections design and direction for Fashion Week Afterparty, with Red Carpet, DJ Paul Sevigny & The Strokes, live ï¬lter effects, full runway coverage, and second unit shoot from Nantucket, Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, New York City
Champagne Nicholas Feuillatte’s 35th Anniversary Party – Live Video Projection along with motion graphics and pre-edited content. Private residence, New York City
A Night of Improvised Round Robin Duets: Red Bull Music Academy Special – Two Channel Live Video Projection, three live camera plus motion graphics and pre-edited content. Brooklyn Masonic Temple, New York City
MTV Iggy’s Tinariwen Live Concert Performance Shoot – Live Video Design and Direction for concert visual projections. Sounds of Brazil, New York City
Vision Festival 17 (live avant jazz festival) – Live Video Projection along with motion graphics and pre-edited content. Roulette, New York City
MoMA VW Gala After Party – VJ / Live Video Projection Design for the After Party. The design included 3 live video camera feeds, along with pre-recorded content, Museum of Modern Art, New York City
The Glitter Ball – Live Video Projection along with motion graphics and pre-edited content. Irondale Center, New York City
The Lift NYC – Live Video Projection along with motion graphics and pre-edited content. 3LD Art & Technology Center, New York City
Asian American Arts Alliance 29th Anniversary Gala: “Ovation” – Live Video Design and Direction along with PowerPoint/Keynote and motion graphics, Tribeca Rooftop, New York City
OCA National Convention, Haute Couture New York with designer Zang Toi – Design of all elements for a benefit fashion show including Stage, Lighting, Audio, and Video Design. New York Surrogate Courthouse
Creative Time Spring Gala – Design of Multiple Live Video Projections along with motion graphics and pre-edited content as well as Lighting and Scenic Design advising, New York City
ICSCS Launch Party – Live Video Projection Design for the The Institute for Culture in the Service of Community Sustainability (ICSCS) Launch Party, New York City
NYC Children’s Art Fund Launch Event – Live Video Projection along with motion graphics and pre-edited content, New York City
Asian American Arts Alliance 28th Anniversary Gala: “Defining Moments” – Live Video Design and Direction along with motion graphics and pre-edited content, New York City
After The Fall – Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art – Lighting Design for an Exhibit of Contemporary Art, Peekskill, New York
Disorient’s COMPRESSOR VI – Re-envisioning Metropolis – Live Video Design including live filter effects and pre-edited content, at the Times Square Arts Center, New York City
DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Lucky 13 – Thirteenth anniversary of the biggest South Asian club event in NYC. DJ Rekha. Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Presented at the Filmore New York at Irving Plaza, New York City
Mengjia-108 – A 90 minute two channel video art installation for the Bo-Pi-Liao Historic Center, part of Fusion Folks, Organized by the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City, Taiwan
Dikembe Mutombo Foundation Benefit – Pre Obama Inauguration benefit for the not-for-profit building hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo. DMF. Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Eyebar, Washington DC
Hot Wax 1 Label Launch and Album Release Party – Kween Kash and General Vee’s album release party and label launch. Hot Wax 1 Records. Sounds of Brazil, New York City
Tenement Museum Annual Benefit – Museum commissioned themed centerpiece design. Tenement Museum, New York City
Wyclef Jean’s Carnival II Memoirs of an Immigrant Album Release party – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Wyclef Jean, Sounds of Brazil, New York City
Basement Bhangra 10 Year Anniversary – Tenth anniversary of the biggest South Asian club event in NYC. DJ Rekha. Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Presented at the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City
Peter White Studio Wedding – Produced by Susan Holland & Company Event Design, at Peter White Studio, with Paul Clay hired by the individual client and working in conjunction with the event design company. Multiple video projections, including changing colorscapes, live video of the crowd, and slide shows of digital photos from the wedding, New York City
Karsh Kale Broken English Album Release Party – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content, Six Degrees Records, The Canal Room, New York City
You Are Here – Diesel Denim Commissioned Art Installation & Set of Performances. Curated by Sebastien Agneessens of Formavision for the Diesel Denim Gallery. Full site specific art installation on the nature of retail architecture, along with a set of performances with live video projections, New York City
Bounce at the Bronx Museum of the Arts/ Last Night a DJ Saved My Life – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content for the Museum’s monthly Friday night series, a featured program of Performance LAB which extends the Museum’s exploration of contemporary cultural production into alternative and experimental art forms. presented in conjunction with the exhibition “One Planet Under a Groove: Hip Hip and Contemporary Art,†New York City
Miho Miho Fashion Show and Afterparty – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Runway show produced by Sebastian Agneessens. Designer Miho Nikaido, Presented at the Point Gallery, New York City
Fictive Boutique – Levi’s® Vintage Clothing commissioned art installation and set of performances. At the popup site EXPO | SURE, 242 Elizabeth Street, curated and presented through the Downtown Arts Festival, in space created by Pompei AD, commissioned by Levi’s® Vintage Clothing, festival sponsor, New York City
Fictive Runway – An art fashion show commissioned by the Downtown Arts Festival as the main event for that year’s festival launch party. Presented at the Tunnel night club, New York City
Miss Spider’s Wedding – Children’s Book Launch Party at FAO Schwarz, Scholastic Press, Calllaway Arts & Entertainment, New York City
THEATRICAL SCENIC, LIGHTING, AND VIDEO/PROJECTIONS DESIGN
RENT – Lead/sole Set Designer and Projections Designer for the Pulitzer prize winning Broadway Musical. Music, book and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Michael Grief. Set Design. Nederlander Theater, NYC
Commedia – Contemporary Opera. Music, book, and lyrics by Louis Andriessen. Directed by Hal Hartley. Set Design. De Nederlandse Opera, Amsterdam, NL
In Water I’m Weightless – Multi Media performance. Written by Kaite O’Reilly, directed by John McGrath, Movement Director Nigel Charnock, Associate Choreographer Catherine Bennett. Set, lighting, Costume, & Video Projections Design. National Theatre Wales, at the Millennium Centre, Cardiff, and at the Southbank Centre, London., UK. An Unlimited commission for the Cultural Olympiad and London Olympic Festival
Two from the Sea – Multi Media Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner. Lighting, and Video Design. Triple Shadow at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC
Breath on the Mirror – Multi Media Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner. Lighting, and Video Design. Triple Shadow at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC
Shelf Life – Site Specific Theater. Written and Directed by Catherine Bennett and Paul Davies. Set, lighting, & Video Projections Design. National Theatre Wales, Volcano Theatre, Welsh National Opera, at the Old Swansea Library, Wales, UK
Not God – Theater work from poetry. Written by Marc Straus. Directed by Nancy Robillard. Set, and Video Design. Luna Stage, Montclair NJ
Alice, End of Daze – Multi Media Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner. Lighting, and Video Design. Triple Shadow at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC
Sea Change – Visual Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner and Triple Shadow. Set, Lighting, and live Video Design. Triple Shadow, USA entry, Cairo International Festival for Expirimental Theater, Cairo, Egypt
Perfect – Multi Media Theater. Written by Kaite O’Reilly. Directed by John McGrath. Set, Lighting, and live Video Design. Contact Theatre, Manchester, UK
So that You Could See Us Coming – Contemporary Dance. Created by David Neumann in collaboration with Laurie Anderson. Choreographed by David Neumann. Set Design. Face the Music and Dance, modern choreographers and contemporary musicians in commissioned world premiere collaboration, Symphony Space New York City, NYC
To Lie Tenderly – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by David Dorfman.
Set and live Video Design. David Dorfman Dance at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
Bright Lights, Big City – Musical Theater. Music, book and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman based on the novel by Jay McInerney. Directed by Michael Greif. Set Design. New York Theatre Workshop, NYC
Subverse – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by David Dorfman.
Set Design. David Dorfman Dance at the American Dance Festival, Durham NC
Take My Breath Away – Contemporary visual art/theater. Written and Directed by artist Beth B., Set Design. BAM’s Artist in Action Series, at PS122, NYC
Iphigenia and Other Daughters – New Play. Written and Directed by Ellen McLaughlin. Set and Lighting Design. Chautauqua Theater, Chautauqua, NY
The Model Apartment – Contemporary Play. Written By Donald Margulies. Directed by Lisa Peterson. Lighting Design. Primary Stages Company, NYC
Wild Ancestors – Visual Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner and Ed Herbst. Lighting Design
Thunder Bay Ensemble at the La MaMa Annex Theater, NYC
Skin – New Play. Written by Naomi Iizuka, adapted from Georg Buechner’s “Woy-zeck”. Directed by John Edward McGrath. Set and Lighting Design. Soho Rep, NYC
Still – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by David Neumann. Set and Lighting Design. PS 122, NYC
Mother – New Play. Written by Patricia Spears Jones. Directed by John Edward McGrath. Set, Lighting, and live Video Design. Mabou Mines at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC
Pirate Jennie – Contemporary Dance. Written and Directed by Clove Galilee. Set and Lighting Design
Performance Space 122, NYC
Wifey – New Play. Written and Directed by Tom Noonan. Lighting Design. Paradise Theater Co., NYC
Reel to Real – New Play. Written and Directed by Frederick Neumann. Set, Lighting, and Video Design. Mabou Mines at The Kitchen, NYC
A Dry and Thirsty Land – New Play. Written By Colette Burson. Directed by Jeanne Wagner. Set and Lighting Design. Here, NYC
Breathing It In – New Play. Written and Directed by Edwardo Machado. Set and Lighting Design. Downtown Art Company, NYC
Walter’s Finest Hours – New Play. Written and Directed by Susan Marshal. Lighting Design
Downtown Art Company, NYC
Untitled (Detail) 1992 – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by Susan Marshal
Set Design. Susan Marshal & Co. dance, The Joyce; The Kitchen
Bombazeen – New Play. Written and Directed by Nancy Salomon Miranda. Set and Lighting. At Nada, NYC
A window on the Nether Sea – New performance work. Written and Directed by Lora Nelson and Paul Clay. Set and Lighting (Paul Clay and Lora Nelson). Downtown Art Co., NYC
The Empire – New Play. Written and Directed by Steve Shill. Lighting. Steve Shill Company, The Institute for Contemporary Art, London, England
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said – New Play. Written by Linda Hartinian, adapted from the novel by Philip K. Dick. Directed by William Raymond. Video Design. Mabou Mines, NYU Mainstage, NYC
Face Down – New Play. Written and Directed by Steve Shill. Lighting. Steve Shill Company, The Institute for Contemporary Art, London, England
It’s A Man’s World – Multi Media Theater. Written by Greg Mehrten. Directed by David Schweitzer. Live Video Design. Mabou Mines at Apple Corps Theater, NYC
ARCHITECTURAL INTERIOR/EXTERIOR
Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art – Architectural lighting design, and lighting design for annual exhibits. The center has a 12,000 square foot exhibition space showing leading contemporary art in all forms, Peekskill, New York
Nederlander Theatre – Interior design, architectural lighting design, and exterior and signage design for the Nederlander Theatre, including ticket booth, lobby, art gallery, three bars, bathrooms, main hall, staircases, and exterior. The exterior signage design received the Municipal Arts Society Time Square Spectacular Award, (Award committee chair Tibor Kalman.), Nederlander Theater, New York City
Illig (club clothing store) – Retail store interior design. Located inside the famed Tunnel nightclub, which was located at 269 11th Avenue in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, New York City
FILM & TELEVISION
What Happened Was… – Feature Film. Written and Directed by Tom Noonan. Visual Advisor. Grand Jury Prize, Sundance and Silver Hugo Award, Chicago International Film Festival
Pushing Hands – Feature Film. Written and Directed by Ang Lee. Additional gaffer
Love Field – Feature Film. Directed by Jonathan Kaplan. Electrician
AWARDS
“Annual Pave Gala Platinum (Top) Prize in the Design: Retail “Winning Windows Awards'” For “An Enchanted Experience†Saks 5th Avenue Holiday Windows (Paul Clay contribution: Custom LED lighting design) New York City.
“Exhibitor magazine’s ‘The Best of CES'”
ranked Number 5 in the top 10, out of over four thousand booths (Paul Clay contribution: Custom LED scenic, and sensor technology design), Las Vegas, NV
“M.E.N Award – Best Design”
Best Design. PERFECT, Set, Lighting, and live Video and computer Design, Contact Theatre, Manchester, UK
“Municipal Arts Society Times Square Spectacular“ from Tibor Kalman for marquee, and exterior of the Nederlander theater
“Drama-Logue“ Critics Award, For Outstanding Achievement in Theatre Scenic Design, RENT, (Ahmanson Theatre)
“National Endowment for the Arts/ TCG Fellows” grant
“Bessie award“ (with Lora Nelson & Cydney Wilkes) in the “Creator” category for “…superb direction, Design, and choreography” of A Window on the Nether Sea, New York
PUBLICATIONS
Exhibitor Magazine, “The Best of CES†(Number 5) “Color-shifting lighting created a calming oasis… An interactive experience inside the exhibit… created an individualized light and audio show that painted the exhibit’s exterior walls with light and filled the booth…â€
Back Stage “Breath on the Mirror†by Mitch Montgomery
The New York Times “Einstein Looks Back, with Help from Puppets†by Claudia La Rocco
CultuurPodium “Overweldigende Commedia Verwart†by Annemiek Barnouw, June
The Bronx Times “BRAC launches experimental exhibition: Metro Poles†by Daniel Beekman
ARTnews “Moonlight Sonata†by Barbara Pollack September
The New York Times “The History of Peekskill as Collage†by Benjamin Genocchio
Tema Celeste “Livia and Marc Straus†by Micaela Giovannotti, p.90 Issue 104
The Guardian (London) “Perfect†by Lyn Gardner
The London Times “Perfect†by Sam Marlowe
Off Off Online “Light and Magic†by Jessie Marshall
City Life “Denise and O-T reign at M.E.N. Awards†by Diana Stenson
New Museum Curator’s Picks review of “You Are Here†by Erin Barnett http://newmuseum.org/(archived at http://www.fictive.net/You_Are_Here/YAH-New_Museum/New_Museum_picks.html)
Zingmagazine “A Tasty Treat Curatorial Market; Cuchifritos†p.270-272 Issue 18 Winter/Spring
NY ARTS Special Section (with Tina LaPorta) p.43-58 Volume 7, Number 3
NY ARTS Fictive Advertising p.51-52 Volume 6, Number 10
Village Voice “California Nightmaring†by Brian Parks
Village Voice “Recovering Ritual†by Deborah Jowitt, May
Lighting Dimensions (Live Design) “Florida Dreaming†by David Barbour, October
New York Press “‘Haunted by Their Pasts’: The Model Apartment…†by Don Shewey, Nov. 8,
The New York Times “Cleaning Worrying, Rebelling†by D. J. R. Bruckner
City Limits “Face Down†by Steve Rogers
Village Voice “Dream Country†by Deborah Jowitt
Village Voice “A Window on the Nether Sea†by Roderick Mason Faber
Theater Week “Downtown†by John Bell
The New York Times “For the ‘Bessie’ Festivities, Awards and a Little Music†by Jack Anderson
American Theatre “A Palmy Night for the Bessies” by Penny Boyer, November
EDUCATION
B.A., Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cum Laude Graduate
Lambda Alpha, National Anthropology Honor Society
Dean’s List