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The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
celebrated its 70th anniversary at its
annual gala. Manhattan Borough
President, Brad Hoylam-Sigal, joined by
NYC Council Member Gale Brewer, issued a
proclamation to mark October 26, 2026,
as Museum of Arts and Design
Appreciation Day. Said Hoylman-Sigal,
“MAD has evolved into a leading
organization, dedicated to exploring the
intersection of art, craft,
and design.
Through its exhibitions, educational
programs, public enhancement, and
commitment to emerging and established
artists, MAD fosters artistic discovery,
expands access to the arts, and
strengthens New York City’s standing as
a global center for creativity and
cultural innovation.
Arts and culture are the heart of New
York City, which is why I have committed
the entirety of my capital budget, $50
million, exclusively to arts and
cultural institutions.” “For 70 years,
we’ve been celebrating extraordinary
things that happen when creativity,
craftsmanship, and imagination come
together,” said Tim Rodgers,
MAD’s
Nanette L. Laitman Director. “
At MAD, you should expect the
unexpected. We’re compelled to think
outside of the box, to explore the new
and the unusual.”
Guests had exclusive access to all the
museum’s exhibits, including a preview
of John Procario: Freeforms — Sculptural
Explorations in
Wood and Light.
The artist’s first solo museum exhibition, it features bentwood sculptures
incorporating LED lighting. Also, a
private look at the newly opened Nike:
Form Follows Motion, featuring designs
and prototypes from the brand’s
archives, surprised guests with an
improvisational dance performance by the
Renegade Performance Group.
Other installations and experiences were
Jessica Lichtenstein: ReWilding, where
guests created personalized keepsakes in
collaboration with xTool, and Alice
Riehl’s monumental porcelain
installation Herbarium Interior, which
was accompanied by an olfactory
experience by perfumer Alexandra Monet.
Artists in residence Karen Lao and
Esther Jihye Cho opened their studios
for intimate looks into their work,
while guests created wearable floral
arrangements in the Education Center.
The celebration went late into the
night, with a magic performance by Dan
White, and an after-party with music by
DJ Erol Sabadosh.
“As we celebrate 70 years, I keep coming
back to the remarkable woman who started
it all, Aileen Osborn Webb,” said MAD
Board Chair Michele Cohen. “She believed
that creativity enriches our lives and
that everyone should have the
opportunity to make something with their
own hands.”
MAD’s featured artists Jessica
Lichtenstein, John Procario, and Alice
Riehl, welcomed guests, as did Board
Members Susan Ach, Charles Burdick,
Marian C. Burke, Kathy Chazen, Mike De
Paola, Adam Johnson, Jeffrey Manocherian,
Luam Melake, Barbara Waldman, Chair
Emerita Barbara Tober, and MAD Curators
Elissa Auther, and Bryna Pomp. Among the
many patrons were Jayden Ali, Marty
Cohen, Carolina Blackman, West Chin, Liz
Collins, Lee Fryd, Dakota Jackson, Todd
Merrill, Marsy Mittleman, Polina
Proshkina, and Karim Rashid.
Upcoming programming includes the
Spooktacular MAD Halloween Party! on
October 30, Darn it! Mending and Repair
at MAD on November 4, and Design Happy
Hour: Associative Beading with Renée
Riccardo on November 19. Nike: Form
Follows Motion remains on view through
March 7, 2027; John Procario: Freeforms
and Alice Riehl's Porcelain Florilegium
through April 4, 2027; and Jessica
Lichtenstein:
ReWilding through April 18, 2027.
For tickets, visit
https://madmuseum.org/
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
champions contemporary makers across
creative fields and presents the work of
artists, designers, and artisans who
apply the highest level of ingenuity and
skill. Since the Museum’s founding in
1956 by philanthropist and visionary
Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD has celebrated
all facets of making and the creative
processes by which materials are
transformed, from traditional techniques
to cutting-edge technologies. Today, the
Museum’s curatorial program builds upon
a rich history of exhibitions that
emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach
to art and design and reveals the
workmanship behind the objects and
environments that shape our everyday
lives. MAD provides an international
platform for practitioners who are
influencing the direction of cultural
production and driving twenty-first
century innovation and fosters a
participatory setting for visitors to
have direct encounters with skilled
making and compelling works of art and
design.
For more information, visit
www.madmuseum.org
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