What would New York City be without it’s art and it’s artists? From MOMA’s rich permanent collection of masters and iconic works (Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ among many) to the Whitney’s unparalleled collection of 20th century American art (Warhol, a perennial fave) and celebration of the cutting-edge, not to mention a booming downtown Chelsea gallery district with it’s finger on the pulse of all that’s emerging, experimental and innovative – I don’t have to go very far to get a quick, satisfying art fix. And in a crunch, there are ‘dealers’ everywhere. (Drug metaphors end there. Promise.) If Wall Street and the titans of industry give the city its muscle and backbone, then the art world and its denizens supply the heart and soul.
So when I was asked to design MOMA’s biggest annual fundraising event Party in the Garden in May, I jumped at the opportunity.
The Party in the Garden, May 15, 2007 honored Martin Scorsese and Leon & Debra Black. This annual event benefits the Museum’s general operating fund, helping to make possible their award-winning educational programs and the care, study and exhibition of their collection.
Following a seated dinner for 1,000 guests, an after party took place in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden with DJ Larry T and a performance by Def Jam recording artist Chrisette Michelle.
The event was co-chaired by Agnes Gund, Marie-Josee Kravis and Jo Carole Lauder and was sponsored by The Wall Street Journal and Moet Hennessy USA.
G a r d e n P a r t y
The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, with its reflecting pools and tranquil, airy courtyard is already an oasis in the chaotic center of midtown, so I set out to enhance this meditative atmosphere with elements befitting a world-class museum.
A Garden Party wouldn’t be that without, well – a Garden.
So I extended the garden directly over the top of the reflecting pools.
With a series of chic lounge platforms decorated with pristinely arranged beds of white roses, the “Garden” in “Garden Party” truly comes alive.
This created the perfect environment for guests to lounge in style and catch up with their friends. A perfect antidote to the often frenetic, fast-paced art grind.
In designing the bar, I combined acrylic plexiglass with bleached white muslin and added simple linear beds of white roses.
6,000 off-white roses and 11,000 white parrot tulips were used to create the modern elegant atmosphere for this summer evening under the stars.
As guests were seated at dinner, they were greeted by arrangements of white parrot tulips organically arranged in Alvar Aalto glass vases.
Each table was impeccably covered in a flawless white linen hemstitch overlay.
We also custom-designed an angled glossy white stage for the after party premiere of Jay Z’s newest singing sensation Chrisette Michelle.
See the Party come to life, below…
