El Museo del Barrio held its annual Gala on
Wednesday, May 21 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.
Over 500 dinner guests were greeted with the signature
Cipriani Bellini at 7pm, followed by dinner and welcoming
remarks from Tony Bechara and Jorge Daniel Veneciano.
Designer, Alejandro Ingelmo was honored with the Artistic
Achievement Award, Present by Teen Vogue’s Editor in Chief,
Amy Astley. Andy Unanue presented Maria Eugenia Maury and
Dr. William A. Haseltine with the award, named in memory of
his father, Joseph A. Unanue Trustee Leadership Award. The
Gala Chair was CuCu Diamantes and the Gala Co-Chairs were
Andrés Levin, Anita Durst, Lex Fenwick, and Cathy and Alex
López Negrete.
Artist CuCu Diamantes asked friends Ray Smith
to do an artist invention and Jessica Sophia Mitrani to do
the artistic details, which complimented Jerónimo Gaxiola
Balsa’s events décor. Gala Chair Cucu Diamantes put a spin
on the night by bringing original art and sounds to the
evening. Ray Smith’s series of wooden candelabras titled
“Candelaria” was produced in his studio in Gowanus,
Brooklyn. This was the finished first project for his studio
since superstorm Sandy after the studio was destroyed in
October 2012. This series of 50 unique sculptures was
available at auction at the event.
This year’s Gala featured a memorable
performance by Gala Chair CuCu Diamantes. Co-Chair Andrés
produced the Gala’s entertainment, which included a special
reunion performance by Yerba Buena, the Grammy nominated
Latin fusion band which Andrés and CuCu founded. The opening
performance was by The Pedrito Martínez Group. “This was an
evening of great pride for Latins and an evening of great
interest to non-Latins; we couldn’t possibly imagine a
better moment for our band to make a special reunion
appearance, the first in five years--- it was special. The
gala was like no other with dancing till the wee hours,”
said the Gala Chair. CuCu Diamantes performed with her band
and with Levin’s reuniting their band " yerba buena" - and
debuted her new song "Pecados de Picasso" (sins of Picasso)
in collaboration with artist Ray Smith. The event’s décor
and entertainment were both inspired by Pablo Picasso; the
night was led by a group of music and visual artists
donating their time to celebrate a museum that supports the
El Museo community.
“The Gala inaugurated a new chapter in El
Museo’s history. We honored great emerging talent together
with great sustaining commitment—in Alejandro Ingelmo with
Maria Eugenia Maury and William A. Haseltine. I am thrilled
to be El Museo’s Director at this exciting moment of the
museum’s rebirth,” said El Museo’s new Director, Jorge
Daniel Veneciano.
Notable guests who attended include: Susan
Sarandon, Gabriela Isler Miss Universe®, Jeisa Chiminazzo,
Kiara Kabukurub, Grace Mahary, Ambassador Sandra Fuentes-Berain,
Francois Payard, Jessica Joffe, Amy Astley, Carlos Campos,
Ray Smith & Mark Seliger.
Patrons who attended included: Carolina
Alvarez-Mathies, Tony Bechara (Chair of El Museo’s Board),
Estrellita Brodsky, Emerson Barth, Courtney Bennett,
Ambassador Sandra Fuentes- Berain, Ali Cordero Casal, Doris
Casap, Jill Demling, Anita Durst, Yaz and Valentin
Hernández, Gaily and John Beinecke, Perla Capriles, Michael
García, Francisco X. Gonzalez and Jeannette M. Baez, Frank
Burgel and America Gonzalez, Florence Haseltine, Mara
Haseltine, Mr. and Mrs. John S. Heimann, Mark Holgate,
Warren James, Michael Kaiser, Susan Kaufman, Jerome Levy,
Alexandra Lebenthal and Jeremy Diamond, Galerie Lelong,
Cathy and Alex Lopez Negrete, Leslie Dumont and Fred Levin,
Marcia and Richard Mishaan, Mary and Larry McCaffrey,
Enrique Norten, Patricia and Ramiro Ortiz, Raphael Montanez
Ortiz, Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos and Paul Kanavos, Leticia
and Rick Presutti, Keith Pollick, Roxanne Robinson, Tracey
and Phillip Riese, Daniel Rachmanis, Patti and Juan
Ruiz-Healy, Yolanda Santos, Ray Smith, Norma and David
Smith, Pedro Torres, August Uribe, Carmen Ana Unanue, Andy
and Marie Unanue, and Marie and Andy Unanue, Sabrina Wirth
and Irene Zingg |