Hellfire by Nicolo Gentile

2020

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Step into Hellfire.

Created by Nicolo Gentile, Hellfire transports visitors into the vibrant energy of the 1980s NYC queer club scene. Bathed in the glow of fiery orange light filtering through a PVC vinyl curtain, the installation transforms a stairwell skylight into a space charged with memory, resistance, and celebration. The renderings for this installation were produced by Winston, capturing the intense atmosphere Gentile envisioned.

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Feel the heat of ecstasy and defiance.

Gentile’s installation pairs intense light with a soundscape that echoes the radical spaces where queer communities found unity amidst adversity. The muffled beats of 1980s club music heighten the tension between proximity and distance, evoking the iconic Hellfire club and the defiant spirit that thrived even in the face of the AIDS crisis.

Reclaim the past; reimagine the future.

With Hellfire, Gentile explores what’s been forgotten in the journey toward gay assimilation, using minimalism and abstraction to recall the powerful queer spaces that once challenged norms. The installation asks viewers to reflect on how these transgressive moments of unity can inspire future resistance and community.

Activate the experience through movement.

The installation culminates in a one-night performance by choreographer Sam Williams, bringing the space to life with a dynamic movement score that evokes the inclusive energy of a crowded dancefloor—a celebration of queer resilience and connection.