5.10.11: Debutantes, gifts of Music, and the Bomb

Debutantes, gifts of Music, and the Bomb

Debutantes and escorts dance at 70th Anniversary of the Bal des Berceaux in the Plaza Hotel's Grand Ballroom.

Last Friday night in New York, they celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Bal des Berceaux, the gala debutante ball which benefits the French-American Aid For Children (FAAFC), at the Plaza Hotel. The Bal’s name traces back to a 1942 benefit for a children’s orphanage called Les Berceaux de Rouen, berceaux being French for cradles!

The dinner was held in the Grand Ballroom. Both the French and American National Anthems were sung by two of the debutantes being presented. Cecilia Lewis sang the “Star Spangled Banner” and Kristina Makarian sang "La Marseillaise." The Broadcast Journalist, Jim Rosenfield, was the master of ceremonies.

Bal des Berceaux Debutantes

Kristina Klebe, Thomas Girbes-Pierce, Caroline de Ravel d'Esclapon, Imssy Klebe, President of FAAFC, and Jaime Jimenez

Marguerite Mangin, Co-Chairman; Odile de Schietere-Longchampt, Co-Chairman; Imssy Klebe, President of FAAFC; Sigourney Weaver, and Monica Wambold

The evening honored Chanel for its sixty years of generous and loyal support.

Mr. John Galantic, President and COO of Chanel along with many of the chic Chanel ladies were there to accept the award.

The French-American Aid for Children supports disadvantaged children in France and the United States through the following charities: The Children’s Storefront, The Children’s Village, Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, and Surgeons of Hope.

Celine Merle, Rodney Lester, Elizabeth Stribling, and Guy Robinson

Longchampt Family: Isaure Knox-Kelly, Michel and Odile Longchampt, and Tristane de la Presle

Vincent Hikiba, Claire-Aude Staraci, and Imssy and Joerg Klebe

Seated for dinner at the Plaza Hotel's Grand Ballroom

The evening raised over $450,000.

Agathe and Daniel Amzallag

Barbara Cirkva, Odile de Schietere-Longchampt, and Imssy Klebe

Hiroshi Kimura and Keiko Aoki

Ram Murali, Kristina Klebe, and Marc Lewinstein

Sigourney Weaver

Philippe Lalliot, Consul General of France in New York; Odile de Schietere-Longchampt, and François Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United States

Diane Ackerman and Ralph Destino

Marc and Margarita Somnolet with Michel and Ghislaine Somnolet

Joerg Klebe and Diane Ackerman

Khadija Atif

Imssy Klebe and Francois Lacour-Gayet

Arie and Coco Kopelman

Berenice and Antonin Baudry

Philippe Lalliot and Imssy Klebe

Jeri and George Sape with Joerg Klebe

Thomas Serrano and Ley Salcedo

John Galantic, Imssy Klebe, and Marguerite Mangin

Matthew Doull and Selby Drummond

François Delattre, Imssy Klebe, and John Galantic

Peter Regna and Mariam Azarm

Lucas Deseglise, Escort; Auriane de Louvigny Stone, Débutante

Veronique and Bruno Bich

Barbara Cirkva

Odile de Schietere-Longchampt and Muriel Svarre

Coco Kopelman, Imssy Klebe, Marguerite Mangin, Odile de Schietere-Longchampt

Marie-Noelle Pierce, Guy Robinson, and Elizabeth Stribling

Barbara Regna

Summer Calenberg and Escort

Débutante Cecilia Claire Lewis singing USA National Anthem

Elisabeth Cros

Guy Robinson and Elizabeth Stribling

Kristina Klebe

Marianne Adams and Jennifer Zimmons

Debutante Daniela Cortes Portaro

Escort Lucas Deseglise and Débutante Auriane de Louvigny Stone

Dominica Yasmin Wambold and Ali Wambold

On the last Wednesday in April, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s (OSL) honored Mikhail Baryshnikov, John S. Tamagni, Hugh Hardy & H3 Collaboration Architecture and the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group at its annual “Gift of Music” gala.

The evening featured a performance by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s with guest artists soprano Christine Brewer and conductor Julian Kuerti.

Orchestra of St. Luke's (OSL) 2011 Gala at The Plaza included a performance by OSL with guest artists soprano Christine Brewer and conductor Julian Kuerti

Interior décor by David Monn

Among those attending: Bob and Helen Appel, Muffie Potter Aston, OSL Board Chairman Norman Benzaquen, Joe and Diana DiMenna, Barbara Feldon, Pamela Fiori, Georgia and Ron Frasch, Arie and Coco Kopelman, David Monn, Josie Natori, Robert Vignoa, Alexander and Lisa Vreeland, and Judy Zankel.

Charles Seidler and OSL President Emeritus and Gala Co-Chair Marianne Lockwood

Vicki and Gerry Cameron, OSL Board Member Janet Seidler, OSL President and Executive Director Katy Clark

Terry and Tina Lundgren

Helen Appel and OSL Board Member Bob Appel

Karen Watt, OSL Board Member and Gala Co-Chair Bill Watt, and OSL President Emeritus and Gala Co-Chair Marianne Lockwood

Joanna and Brian Fisher

OSL President and Executive Director Katy Clark and OSL Board Member Barbara Feldon

Darren and Marina Schlanger, OSL Board Chairman Norman Benzaquen, and Judy Zankel

OSL Board Member and Gala Honoree Jack Tamagni and Susan Tamagni

Mark Sylvestri and OSL Board Member Kristin Barbato

Diana DiMenna, OSL Board Member Joe DiMenna, and Molly Monahan

OSL Gala Co-Chair Alicia Glen representing honoree The Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group and OSL Gala Honoree Mikhail Baryshnikov

Ariel and Margot Aisiks

Pedja Muzijevic, Lisa Rinehart, OSL Board Member Joe DiMenna, and OSL Gala Honoree Mikhail Baryshnikov

Renee and Barry Brandeis

Aviva Yakven and Dan Nissenbaum

Ellen and David Hirsch

OSL Board Member and Gala Co-Chair Josie Natori

On Monday, May 2nd, 2011 Christie’s hosted a launch party for authors Denise LeFrak and Roberta Amon to celebrate their new book, Rooftop Gardens: The Terraces, Conservatories, and Balconies of New York by Rizzoli. Evelyn Lauder, who writes the book’s foreword, Stephen Lash and William Mack co-chaired the evening. The party was held in Christie’s private gallery displaying pieces of work from their upcoming Impressionist and Modern Art sale. Stephen Lash, Christie’s Chairman Emeritus, made introductory remarks commenting that the artists displayed in the room would have most likely painted the very rooftop gardens the authors feature in their book if they were alive today. Friends and guests from the worlds of art and design, philanthropy, gardening, real estate and fashion joined the authors.

Judith Ripka, Pam Pantzer, Ed Pantzer, Trish McEvoy, and Geri Emmett

Rooftop Gardens showcases some of the most extraordinary outdoor spaces in New York City. High above street level, above the noise and congestion exists a sumptuous array of gardens ranging in styles, created by urban dwellers as retreats from the daily chaos of life. The book is an invitation to see these private spaces made possible by real estate insider Denise LeFrak Calicchio and Roberta Model Amon whose personal connections have provided glimpses into the various English cottage gardens, Japanese rock gardens, and artist installations that pepper the top- most plots of the city’s most prestigious addresses.

Among those in attendance: Evelyn Lauder, Stephen Lash, Mary McFadden, Judith Ripka, Karen LeFrak, Denise LeFrak, Roberta Amon, Trish McEvoy, Allison Kauffman, Harlan Peltz, Henry Buhl, Jill Roosevelt, Norman McGrath, Nancy Corzine, Pam Panzer, Steve Murphy, Ross Bleckner, Wendy Finerman, Philip Reeser, Tom Cashin, Jay Johnson, Gresham Lang, Jennifer Bandier, Summer Zimberg, Marianne Strong, Jake Spitz, and many more.

Roberta Amon, Evelyn Lauder, and Denise LeFrak

Stephen Lash, Ross Bleckner, and Steve Murphy

Henry Buhl

Karen LeFrak, Roberta Amon, Evelyn Lauder, and Denise LeFrak

Lydia Fenet

Harlan Peltz, Deborah Peltz, and Jay Goldberg

Deborah Peltz and Jill Roosevelt

Roberta Model Amon, Victoria Wyman, and Mary McFadden

Trish McEvoy and Cheryl Minikes

Jennifer Bandier, Denise LeFrak, and Allison Koffman

Phyllis Mack and Cheryl Minikes

Ira Kettner and Rachel Rudin

Norman McGrath and Mimi Strong

John Calicchio and Denise LeFrak

Tom Cashin, Phillip Gebbia, and Jay Johnso

Ronald Berk, Judith Ripka, and Trish McEvoy

One of the most respected voices in contemporary art and literature, BOMB magazine celebrated it’s 30th anniversary with a gala benefit dinner and auction of important contemporary artworks Friday April 15 2011 at Capitale, 130 Bowery (at Grand Street) New York City.

The Gala raised an access of $433,000 (between the Ticket/Ticket sales and the Silent Auction) to date. The Silent Auction items are still up for sale on Bomb’s website: www.bombsite.com/auction.com.

The event is a who’s who of contemporary culture. The Trustee Chair was Klaus Kertess. The evening’s chairs included: Honorary Chair Amy Phelan, and the Co-Chairs Robert Duffy, Mary and Sean Kelly, Michèle Gerber Klein and Michael Ward Stout.

The gala honored performance artist Marina Abramović; director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Richard Armstrong; Art in America’s editor for almost four decades, Elizabeth Baker, and author Francine Prose. Klaus Biesenbach offered a toast to Marina Abramović. The painter Mary Heilmann made a toast to Richard Armstrong. Ellsworth Kelly made a toast to Betsy Baker. Author Michael Cunningham made a toast to Francine Prose. Each honoree was presented with a “Pink Bomb,” created by Tom Otterness. Each of the recipients briefly spoke upon receiving their award.

Guest List included: Klaus Biesenback, Kim Cattrall, Ann Duong, Michelle Oka Doner, Anthony Haden-Guest, A. M. Holmes, Ellsworth Kelly, Lisa Phillips, Mika Rottenberg, Wallace Shawn, Michael Stipe, Jennifer Stockman, and Ricardo Tisci.

The table settings

As part of the evening a distinguished list of contemporary artist have generously donated their work for a silent auction including: Thordis Adalsteinsdottir, Michael Ballou, Valérie Belin, Huma Bhabha, Josh Blackwell, Sebastiaan Bremer, Emilie Clark, Verne Dawson, Steve DiBenedetto, Carroll Dunham, Rochelle Feinstein, Adam Fuss, Joe Fyfe, John Giorno, Katharina Grosse, David Herbert, George Herms, Arturo Herrera, Jene Highstein, Thomas Hirschhorn, Roni Horn, Judith Hudson, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Richard Kalina, Deborah Kass, An-My Lê, Ati Maier, Robert Mangold, Howie Michels, Curtis Mitchell, Shirin Neshat, John O’Connor, Tom Otterness, JJ Peet, Adam Pendleton, Judy Pfaff, Jose Queiroz, Jimmy Raskin, Clifford Ross, Mika Rottenberg, Cordy Ryman, Sebastian Silva, Elizabeth Streb, Fred Tomaselli, Brian Ulrich, Carrie Mae Weems, Lawrence Weiner, James Welling, Stanley Whitney, Jack Whitten, and Joe Zucker.

The evening began at 6:30 with cocktails and a viewing of the artworks for auction. At eight the dinner commenced. Madeline Weinrib conceived the evening’s décor, the flowers by Lady Fleur. Music curated by Lukas Ligeti. Selected frames are by Minagwa Art Lines. Chatham Imports donated the wine.

The “Pink Bomb" awards

BOMB has been publishing legendary interviews between artists since 1981. On a mission to map the creative mind, BOMB is the collaboration of visual artists, actors, directors, architects, filmmakers, musicians, and writers. Considered primary documents of the arts, BOMB’s archive has twice been awarded NEA Heritage and Preservation Grants, and was acquired by Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library. The BOMB Digital Archive, a three-year project to digitize BOMB’s 1000 + interviews, was completed last December and is now available online, an unparalleled resource of cultural history and the zeitgeist.

BOMB magazine first published in the spring of 1981 and included interviews with Betsy Sussler by Craig Gholson, Carl Apfelschnitt by Sarah Charlesworth, Michael McClard by Kathy Acker, as well as Eric Mitchell, Becky Johnston, and Amos Poe. The cover photograph and design is by Sarah Charlesworth.

BOMB has stayed true to its mission: to deliver the artist’s voice through in-depth interviews between artists working across genre and media—collaborations that reveal their ideas, concerns, and creative processes through carefully developed dialogue—now and for posterity.