Esopus Books celebrated the launch of The Esopus Reader, the book compiling written material from past issues of Esopus, at Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) on Saturday, November 19.

The event began at 5:30 p.m. with a reception with many of the book’s contributors (including the lighing designer Jennifer Tipton) in attendance at the venue’s John Cage & Merce Cunningham Studio. Follwing the reception, attendees were ushered to BAC’s Jerome Robbins Theater in time for the curtain of Our Days and Night, a stunning light installation by Tipton created in collaboration with theater artist Ain Gordon, choreographer and dancer Liz Gerring, production designer Michael Yeargan, and sound designer Scott Lehrer.

Tipton wrote a resonant manifesto in Esopus 5 that argued for lighting design to be considered an art form, and that piece, “Light Unseen,” was included in the compilation. Having an opportunity to experience in real time the processes Jennifer described so beautifully in her essay made this the perfect time and place to launch the Reader.