The new Arts of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston—five years and $504 million in the making—opened last weekend with three nights of Bryan Rafanelli-produced events, including a November 12 dinner, a gala the following night, and a brunch on Sunday, November 14. The opening gala was the biggest draw, taking over the Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Family Courtyard for a black-tie fete that drew some 800 guests.
For the gala, Port Lighting Systems washed the MFA in bright pink light, a stark contrast to the typically stately gray stone of the building's exterior. The new wing includes 53 galleries of art from North, Central, and South America and the glass-enclosed Shapiro courtyard, which connects the wing to the MFA's original space. The gala, like the space that housed it, bridged old and new, with modern black-and-white printed linens and a photo booth for guests to snap images (which were then projected onto the courtyard's walls).
The focal points of the enclosed courtyard were a four-sided bar and a white, elevated stage. Though the evening was a cocktail party, long tables lined the perimeter of the space, with nearly two dozen chairs per table lending a communal style format for nibbling on the buffet and passed dining and options. Celebrity chef Ken Oringer, who will open a cafe in the courtyard area, designed the menu, which paid homage to the Americas.
The evening's events focused on the "New MFA," as it's been dubbed, and kept guests entertained with the opportunity to tour the galleries. After sampling food and toasting to the Arts of the Americas Wing, guests took to the dance floor to the sounds of the Uptown Mix band from Vali Entertainment.
Correction: This story has been updated to properly identify the band that performed.
