
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 first outdoor installation Le Grand Soir, the sundry 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 concluded her tenure as executive director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, and artists Kevin Beasley and Ian Cheng.
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 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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