New York, NY (October 20, 2009)—More
than 1,000 prominent members in the art,
fashion, media, business and corporate
communities turned out last night in support of
The Whitney Museum of American Art’s Gala and
Studio Party sponsored by Versace. Chaired by
Penelope Cruz, Liz Swig and Donatella Versace
with a special guest performance by Jennifer
Hudson, the evening was filled with high fashion
and contemporary art.
In support of the arts and in addition to
sponsoring the Gala, Versace has partnered with
the Starlight Foundation, an
organization dedicated to supporting seriously
ill children and their families in the US, and
the One Foundation in China, which
is committed to the long-term recovery of the
areas devastated by last year's earthquakes in
the Sichuan province, funding and operating two
Versace One Foundation children’s centers with
schooling, psychological therapy, and
post-trauma counseling for over 1200, through
creative visual arts an essential form of
relief.
After having cocktails in the Robert J. Hurst
Family Gallery, guests ascended to the Emily
Fisher Landau Galleries for a three-course
dinner catered by Creative Edge Parties Guests
enjoyed a special tribute to Honoree, Leonard
Lauder, and a spectacular performance by
Jennifer Hudson in which she performed, “And I
am Telling You” and “Giving Myself Over to You”
Notable guests in attendance included:
Celebrities and Artists:
Shakira, Taylor Momsen, Gerard Butler, Jennifer
Hudson, Mischa Barton, Mamie Gummer, Jet Li,
Lake Bell, Ben Walker, Chuck Close, Jeff Koons,
Pat Steir, Claes Oldenburg, Terry Winters, Glenn
Ligon, Omer Fast, Ellen Phelan, Joel Shapiro,
Mark Fox, Will Cotton, Leo Villareal, David
Salle, Tom Sachs, Cindy Sherman, Roni Horn,
Ellsworth Kelly, Julian Lethbridge, Brice and
Helen Marden, Fred Wilson, Whitfield Lovell
Whitney:
Director Adam D. Weinberg; Robert Hurst and
Brooke Garber Neidich (Board Co-Chairs);
Officers Neil Bluhm (Board President), Trustees
Steven Ames, Anne Dias Griffin, Warren Kanders,
Tom Tuff
and Liz Swig.
Other notable guests include:
Allegra Versace Beck, Evelyn Lauder, Soledad
DeLeon Hurst, Melva Bucksbaum, Joanne Cassullo,
Lauren Santo Domingo, Patricia and Gustavo
Cisneros, Henry Cornell, Richard DeMartini, Beth
DeWoody, Joel Ehrenkranz, Phil Geier, Sondra
Gilman, Andrea and Marc Glimcher,
Thelma Golden, Jim Gordon, George Kaufman,
Emily Fisher Landau, Ray Learsy, Jonathan Lee,
Laurie Tisch, Julie Macklowe, Gil Maurer, Eric
Mindich, John Phelan, Amy Phelan, Lisa Phillips,
Scott Resnick, Donna Rosen, Wilbur Ross, Celerie
Kemble, Paul Schorr IV, Fern Tessler, Flora
Miller Biddle, Andrew Tisch, Cathy Black, Frank
Bennack, Jonathan and Lizzie Tisch, Donald and
Catherine Marron, Candice Bergen, Marshall Rose,
Carol Vogel, Dodie Kazanjian/Calvin Tomkins,
David Byrne, Richard Meier, Howard and Amy
Rubenstein, Michael Ward Stout, Allison Kanders,
Anne Bass, Hilary Geary Ross and Shirin
von Wulffen
The Studio Party, hosted by the
Artists Council, a group of the
Whitney’s young patrons and collectors, began at
9pm in the Lower Gallery with cocktails, dancing
and
special guest DJ performance by Taylor Momsen.
Notable guests in attendance included:
Lindsay Lohan, Genevieve Jones, Alexa Chung, Dan
Abrams, Lisa M. Anastos, Byrdie Bell, Fabiola
Beracasa, Stephanie LaCava, Charlotte Ronson,
Hana Soukopova, Harley Viera Newton, Georgina
Bloomberg, Hayley Bloomingdale, Robert Burke,
Leigh Lezark, Annie S. Churchill, Kipton
Cronkite, Martin Dawson, Moises de la Renta,
Lauren DuPont, Lydia Fenet, Eugenia Gonzalez
Ruiz-Olloqui, Zani Gugelmann, Amanda Hearst,
Chanel Iman, Patricia J. Kim, Tina Langley,
Marilyn Minter, Dalia Oberlander, Lauren
Remmington Platt, Jason Pomeranc, Alexandra
Richards, Cynthia Rowley, Behnaz Sarafpour,
Allison Sarofim, Dani Stahl, Ferebee Bishop
Taube, David K. Wassong, Timothy R. Weiland,
Arden Wohl, Karla Martinez, Ellen Harvey, Serena
Nikkhah, Jane Keltner, Andrew Bevan, Ana Maria
Pimental and Eleanor Ylvisaker.
The Whitney’s annual Gala supports the museum’s
ongoing exhibition and educational programming.
The Gala is the most visible and prominent of
the museum’s fundraising efforts, providing the
essential funds needed to support the latest
achievements of emerging artists as well as
American masters.
The Whitney
The Whitney Museum of American Art is the home
of the world’s preeminent collection of American
art. Founded in 1930 by Gertrude Vanderbilt
Whitney, the institution has remained committed
to its mission of supporting living American
artists. Through its Permanent Collection,
traveling exhibitions, world-renowned Biennials
and innovative educational programs, the Whitney
facilitates exploration of the richness of
American art and culture throughout the world.
Versace
Gianni Versace SpA is one of the leading
international fashion design houses and a symbol
of Italian luxury worldwide. It designs,
manufactures, distributes and retails fashion
and lifestyle products including Atelier,
prêt-a-porter, accessories, jewelry, watches,
eyewear, fragrances, and home furnishings all
bearing the distinctive Medusa logo.