This Year's Aldrich Gala Called Most FUN Ever: Anselm Kiefer exhibition Opened, Salsa Band Rocked, and Meagan and Alexander Julian Toasted
May 21, 2006The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum drew a crowd of over 400 supporters to the Museum's Kiefer Gala on Saturday, May 20. Gala attendees enjoyed an evening of fine food, live music by Ya Está! and DubAffair, and the first look at renowned German painter Anselm Kiefer's monumental exhibition, Velimir Chlebnikov. A guest who has attended Aldrich galas for the past ten years called this one the "most fun ever."
Attendees came from throughout the United States, and included such guests as National Public Radio host Scott Simon, and anthropologist and Sundance Film Festival head Ken Brecher. Ridgefield notables in attendance were State Representative John Frey; Giancarlo Esposito and Joy McManigal; Sheila and Charles Perrin; Shira and Allen Purkiss; William Franzen and Roz Chast; and Joey and Nancy Pantoliano.
The evening also marked the presentation of the annual Larry Award, which honored Meagan and Alexander Julian for their distinguished service to and impact on the arts. A special exhibition, curated especially for the Gala, depicted Alexander Julian's thirty years in design, and many guests wore their Alexander Julian shirts, handkerchiefs, and jackets with style.
Leggy models showed off the impeccable jewelry Frank Gehry designed for Tiffany & Co., and the tented lounge featured sculptural, cardboard furniture by Mr. Gehry. The drinks of the evening were the Limetini, White Grape Juice Cosmopolitans, and wine from St. Francis winery, while guests devoured delicious food created by New York caterer Abigail Kirsch. Magnolia Florists in Westport, CT, provided the unique Anselm Kiefer-inspired arrangements. The Aldrich presented Richard and Eileen Ekstract of New York, Palm Beach, and Long Island, with one of the first available catalogues of Anselm Kiefer and the Sea, to thank them for their generous support of the exhibition.
The Aldrich is grateful to all the Gala Sponsors, which include Connecticut Cottages & Gardens as the exclusive media sponsor, and AIG Private Client Group, Atelier 4, New England Brokerage Corporation Insurance, Danbury Porsche, Tiffany & Co., St. Francis Wines (Kobrand), Edelman Leather, DPS Development, Waterworks, Windsong Inc., and Zorya Fine Art Gallery in Greenwich.
Artists, who attended as guests of COACH, included Josh Azzarella, Janine Antoni, Ken Brecher, Sarah Bostwick, Tom Burckhardt, Roz Chast, Elizabeth Demaray, Laleh Khorramian, Emil Lukas, Cyrilla Mozenter, David Opdyke, Jane Philbrick, Paul Henry Ramirez, Michael Rees, Alyson Shotz, Lisa Sigal, John F. Simon, Jr., Mary Temple, Doug Wada, Jennifer Zackin, and Michael Zansky.
The Honorary Committee was Sarah Bostwick; Ken Brecher & Rebecca Rickman; Roz Chast; State Senator Judith G. Freedman; State Representative John Frey; Orly Genger; Jane Harris; Todd Hebert; Senator Joseph Lieberman; Damian Loeb; Emil Lukas; Rudy Marconi, First Selectman; Susan & Richard Marcus; Cyrilla Mozenter; Shannon Plumb; Paul Henry Ramirez; Governor M. Jodi Rell; Congressman Christopher Shays; Lisa Sigal; Shahzia Sikander; John F. Simon, Jr.; Mary Temple; Doug Wada; Fred Wilson; and Jennifer Zackin.
Gala Committee included Elizabeth Bingham (Ridgefield); Jessica Kagan Cushman (Redding); Peter Hunsinger (New York); Reed Krakoff (New York); Laura & Dale Kutnick (Ridgefield); Leslie & Terry Laughren (Darien); William Ivey Long (New York); Christy MacLear (Darien); Pina Manzone; Jennifer & Richard Matthews (Rowayton); Chip Neumann (Ridgefield); Janusz & Lori Ordover (New Canaan); Frances Palmer (Weston); Cheryl & Peter Presperin (Ridgefield); Elizabeth Spears (Redding); Marion Strauss (Fairfield); John & Nonie Sullivan (Greenwich); Taylor Gibson-Ullman & Mark Ullman (New Canaan); Waqas Wajahat (New York); Madeline Weinrib; Rachel Foglia, Museum Events Coordinator; Amy Grabowski, External Affairs Director
Aldrich Trustees are Neil Marcus, Chairman; Donald Opatrny, Vice-Chairman; Mark Goldstein, Treasurer/Secretary; Annadurai Amirthalingam; Richard Anderson; William Burback; Robert Cottingham; Tod Hamachek; Georganne Aldrich Heller, Honorary Trustee; Ruby Lerner; Christy MacLear; Kathleen O'Grady; Sheila Perrin; Gregory Peterson; A. Peter Sallick; Martin Sosnoff, Trustee Emeritus; John Tremaine; Susan Tremaine; Richard F. Tucker, Trustee Emeritus
