2 Minutes With...Artist Edith Stephen

New York, NY —

The largest housing complex for artists in the world is in the far West Village, and it's celebrating the big 4-0 this year. "Westbeth" takes up an entire city block that was once the former Bell Laboratory research center, and was converted by now-famous architect Richard Meier.

Well-known artists like Diane Arbus, Gil Evans, and Merce Cunningham have spent time at Westbeth.

But of course, the complex has also been filled with lesser known painters, actors, and writers.

As part of the series "2 Minutes With", WNYC's Kathleen Horan visited dancer and filmmaker Edith Stephen, who's been at Westbeth since the start.

For more on Stephen and Westbeth, visit the WNYC News blog.

Edith Stephen first rented a studio in Westbeth in 1970 for her Electric Currents Dance Company. She says it had a true community feeling back then.

"All the doors were open," she says. "They would come in with their work and say here is a sculpture you can have, you know, keep this in your house, there's a sharing experience and -- excuse me while I cry, only a few people are left right now."

The open-door culture may have changed over the years, but since Westbeth has remained more affordable than most other buildings in the city, a large number of residents have stayed. In fact, the building has been declared a "NORC" or naturally occurring retirement community, with many senior residents.

Stephen happens to be 90, but she dislikes discussing age:

"I don't believe in numbers because I remember my sister in law really bawling me out because I wore a mini skirt, you don't wear a mini skirt at your age!" she says.

Stephen doesn't seem to care a lick about how old she is. Her hair is technicolor red. She calls it copper.

"I've grown younger every year," she says. "You wanna see me dance?"

She lifts her long skirt and dances in fishnet-stockinged feet. She performs an improvised dance in front of one her massive studio windows that looks like funky Tai-Chi.

The New York native traveled the world with her company, but quit dancing professionally in 2000 after she received a positive review in the Times. She now considers herself a documentary filmmaker. She's working on a film about Greenwich Village called "Paradise Deranged."

"My theme is about change and loss -not only in the Village, but in the world. For me, the extreme loss is color. I'm talking about drabness. I’m talking about people being brainwashed and not realizing it."

Stephen is working to finish her film with a 23-year-old editor she met on Craig's List in time to make it into some upcoming film festivals.

Several anniversary events are scheduled this year commemorating Westbeth's 40th anniversary. And the city Landmarks Preservation Committee is expected to vote on landmarking the artist housing complex by the fall.

For more on Stephen and Westbeth, visit the WNYC News blog.