Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/831573
By Jane Rozelle. Photography Yesi Fortuna, Kristi and Scot Redman. hen one is greeted with a shot of mezcal served in a shot glass made of ice and told to throw the empty glass against a mosaic target, you know you're at Eye Ball — the high-voltage wrap up to the Dallas Art Fair hosted by Headington Companies and The Joule hotel. Swoon the Studio's Samantha Reitmayer Sano and Joslyn Taylor, along with Headington Companies' Jeny Bania, famously furnish a highly detailed theme. This year, it was "Aye, Eye, Aye!" — a wild, Technicolor spin on Dia de los Muertos that started with the invita- tion (a colorful, ribbon mobile of sorts) and ended with a completely transformed Downtown plaza surround- ing Tony Tasset's Eye sculpture. GRO Floral and Event Design created a flower spectacle, from a costume-clad señorita surreally embedded in a flower wall to thousands of marigolds that covered the ground and topped models' headdresses. Ofrendas lined the edges of the space, piled with traditional Dia de los Muertos offerings of statues, candles flowers, and food, and Jan Strimple enlisted an army of face-painted models sporting fashion from Traffic LA, Forty Five Ten, and Tenoversix. The Joule's catering team whipped up Cabrito pies, pork carnitas, Mexican street corn, and plenty of tacos, while the hottest contingent of bartenders we've ever seen (this is the tequila talking) passed margaritas of all flavors. A 15-foot La Calavera Catrina figure was certainly the highest attendee (aside from a few of the guests) at the al fresco fiesta. And if we learned one thing, it is that Eye Ball's guest list is packed with adults who have not lost their childlike enthusiasm — take the enormous circular swing-set with streamers and ribbons that was the hottest seat in town that night. Just when things seemed to be winding down, Austin's Yayo Sanchez emerged from a cloud of pink smoke on a platform in the center of the venue, where he rocked out a positively electrifying guitar solo. SEEN: Tim Headington, Marlene and John Sughrue, Taylor Tomasi Hill, Nick Wooster, Leon Bridges, Shelle and Michael Sills, Robyn Sills, Erin Cluley, Brian Bolke and Faisal Halum, Graeme Ross, Gavin Delahunty, Meghan and Brady Wood, Piper Wyatt, Christine and Steven Visneau, Janet Gridley & David Schechter, Billy Fong, Brooke Hollis Hortenstine, Christen Wilson, Trinity Wilson, Robert Weatherly, Jenn Besserer, Meghan Looney, and Kelly and Jack Cornell. 26 OUT OF SIGHT Al Tidwell, Ryan Bushman Tony Tasset's Eye sculpture Saga India