In recent months in New York there have been many curious events born on the internet and then transferred to the public spaces of the city: contests of sosy dedicated to characters of pop culture, organized through social platforms and spread rapidly among young people. In recent months similar gatherings have already been seen inspired by actors like Timothée Chalamet or very popular singers, and in the coming weeks there is also a competition dedicated to Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. It is within this small urban trend that is part of the last event announced in Manhattan: a sosy contest by John F. Kennedy Jr., scheduled for Sunday 8 March in Washington Square Park.
The initiative was born on the wave of the attention aroused by the new television series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, created by American producer Ryan Murphy, author of great success series such as American Horror Story and American Crime Story. Production tells the relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr., played by actor Paul Anthony Kelly, and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, played by Sarah Pidgeon. Kennedy Jr. was the son of President John F. Kennedy and one of the most famous political heirs in the United States; in the 1990s he was also editor of the magazine George, editorial project with which he tried to approach politics and pop culture.
The series is set in the Manhattan of the Nineties and many scenes have been shot in the city. In addition to rekindling the interest for the couple – who died tragically in 1999 in a plane crash off Massachusetts – also brought to the centre of attention the aesthetics of that period. In particular the style of Carolyn Bessette, made of clean lines, neutral colors and essential accessories, has returned to circulate on social and conversations about fashion. Some of the city’s historic shops have seen an increase of curiosity linked to this renewed attention: the Indian restaurant Panna II Garden in East Village, often mentioned in the reconstructions of the nightlife of the Nineties, and the historical pharmacy C.O. Bigelow, known for cosmetics and hair accessories, have returned to be destination of visitors and curious.
The Sosia competition will take place on Sunday at 13 in Washington Square Park, one of Manhattan’s most popular parks and traditionally associated with spontaneous gatherings, artistic performances and initiatives organized online. According to the flyer spread through the Partiful event platform, participants will compete to win a $250 prize and, above all, the symbolic recognition of Kennedy Jr’s best sosia. The online invitation has already collected over 450 admissions and more than 200 people interested in participating as spectators.
The phenomenon of sosy contests is not new, but in recent years has found a new diffusion thanks to social networks and event organization platforms. In New York, in particular, these gatherings often work as small viral events that transform squares and parks into temporary sceneries for collective homage to pop culture. In this case, however, the appeal does not only concern a famous figure: it also shows a precise imagery, that of the Manhattan of the Nineties and the public fascination of the Kennedy family.
L’articolo A Washington Square Park will hold a sosia contest by John F. Kennedy Jr. proviene da IlNewyorkese.