At its annual spring benefit, the Public Art Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to presenting art in New York's public spaces like the recently installed Van Gogh’s Ear sculpture at Rockefeller Center, wanted to recreate the feeling of viewing those outdoor exhibitions—a sense of imagination, inspiration, and playfulness.
"Every year we take a fresh approach to the design, while keeping the Public Art Fund’s brand of entertaining front and center," said Matthew David Hopkins, creative director of New York-based 360 Design Events. The fund requested an "op art" concept, so Hopkins said his team "combined that look with [artists' interactive projects] to give the evening a playful and whimsical edge and a very graphic design."
Held on April 19 at Metropolitan Pavilion West in New York, the fund-raiser featured cocktails, a sit-down dinner, and an after-party, as well as a silent auction, which hung salon-style on the first floor and included work from Olaf Breuning, Jeff Koons, and Elmgreen and Dragset.
During the cocktail portion, guests were able to play with two interactive art projects: Davide Balula's logic-defying spin on a traditional game of darts and Nathalie Pozzi and Eric Zimmerman's four-player game of strategy and manipulation. Plus, Xavier Cha presented a new performance, which combined combat with slow-motion choreography. Bite provided the event's catering, serving passed canapes like beggars' purses with lobster, black truffle, and crème fraiche; galettes with melted leeks and morels, fresh favas, fiddlehead ferns, and dill yogurt; and brioche toast with radish and ramps.
Upstairs, the black-and-white dining space featured table settings and decor inspired by Hank Willis Thomas' exhibition, "The Truth is I See You," which is on view through June 3 in Brooklyn. His series explores truth and understanding across cultures, displaying phrases from a poem on graphic comic book-style speech balloon signs in 22 of the different languages that are spoken in the borough.
The family-style dinner menu featured a selection of first and second courses, including ruby and golden beet parfait, seared halibut, and spiced sweet potatoes. The desserts, such as boozy shakes and banoffee pies, were passed after dinner in the downstairs space. The post-dinner festivities also featured a DJ set by Marie Karlberg.
The event raised more than $1.1 million, allowing the Public Art Fund to continue to bring art to the public for free.
