Earlier this week, curators, collectors, gallerists, artists, philanthropists and a range of cultural influencers from New York and beyond gathered in MoMA PS1’s open-air courtyard for the institution’s annual gala. After a cocktail reception celebrating the debut of artist Yto Barrada’s outdoor installation Le Grand Soir, the art world insiders in attendance sat for a dinner designed by acclaimed chef Omar Tate at tables outfitted with bespoke runners created by artistic duo Shanzhai Lyric with imagery by artist sTo Len and edible “pearls” inspired by artist Lydia Okrent.
The gala was co-chaired by Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm, Thelma Golden, Claude Grunitzky, A.C. Hudgins, Michi Jigarjian, Jill and Peter Kraus, George Petrocheilos and Diamantis Xylas, and Beth Swofford. This year’s honorees were curator and arts leader Kathy Halbreich, who recently ended her tenure as executive director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, and artists Kevin Beasley and Ian Cheng.
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Notable guests included philanthropists Agnes Gund, A.C. Hudgins, Philip and Shelley Aarons, Elyse and Lawrence Benenson; actor Matt Dillon; artists Kara Walker, Brian Donnelly (KAWS), Jamian Juliano-Villani, Ralph Lemon, Rachel Rose, and Taryn Simon; and museum directors Glenn Lowry, Nicola Lees and Anne Pasternak. By all accounts, however, the real VIPS of the evening, however, were the two beautiful parrots brought in by Shanzhai Lyric to enhance what was certainly a most memorable step-and-repeat.
Following dinner and remarks by MoMA PS1 director Connie Butler, artist Rachel Harrison and MoMA PS1 director of curatorial affairs Ruba Katrib, the crowd made its way upstairs to the gala afterparty, where they threw down jello shots and danced into the early hours to sets by DJ TT, BEARCAT and Bobby Beethoven.
Tony Tamer, Agnes Gund and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
Thelma Golden
Dmitry Komis and Rose Lord
Glenn D. Lowry and Susan Lowry
Jill Kraus
Ester Partegàs, Louise Neri and Brad Kahlhamer
Ming Lin and Alex Tatarsky
KAWS and Julia Chiang
Elyse Benenson
Jasmine Wahi and Michi Jigarjian
BEARCAT
Ara Tucker and Hilary Harkness
Michael Joo, Kara Walker and Ari Marcopoulos
Connie Butler and Lauren Wittels
AC Hudgins and Thelma Hudgins
Jamie Singer Soros and Robert Soros
Anne Pasternak, Shelley Fox Aarons and Cecilia Alemani.
Jonathan Gardenhire
Isolde Brielmaier
Joel Ehrenkranz, Sarah Arison and Thomas Wilhelm
Cecilia Alemani, Oliver Shultz and Margarita Ciocci.
Anicka Yi and Ever
Fred Sherman and Joel Shapiro
Connie Butler and Ralph Lemon
Jamian Juliano-Villani
Storm Ascher and Jeffrey Meris
Thor Shannon and Stewart Uoo.
Ester Partegàs, Louise Neri and Brad Kahlhamer
Lawrence Kumpf, Sheldon Gooch and Raúl de Nieves
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