The Gilded Gala
What: The Park Avenue Armory Gilded Gala, the New York arts and performances space’s annual fundraiser.
Where: At the Park Avenue Armory, which per the night’s “black tie with a touch of gold” theme gleamed like a Midas palace, thanks to set designer Stefan Beckman.
When: Thursday,October 15th.
Who: Marina Abramovic and Angela Thompson, Charles A. Y. Thompson and Amanda J.T. Riegel of the Thompson Family Foundation, who spearheaded the late 19th-century armory’s transformation into its current incarnation and continue to help with restoration, were both honored among guests including Jake Paltrow and Taryn Simon, Arie and Coco Kopelman, Minnie Driver, Fe Fendi, Francine du Plessix Gray, Sarah Sze, Aaron Young and Damian Woetzel. After dinner, opera singer Sondra Radvanovsky and Israeli electro-pop duo The Young Professionals performed.
Why: Over the years, the Park Avenue Armory has created a water-covered stage on which two pianos floated for a classical concert (“tears become… streams become”) and mounted a visceral battlefield for a production of “Macbeth” starring Kenneth Branagh. Such singular endeavors are rare—and so are funds in their support.
Photos: The Gilded Gala
Marina Abramovic and Klaus Biesenbach. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
Allison Williams and Ricky Van Veen. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
Minnie Driver. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
Aaron Young. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
Amanda Riegel, Charles Thompson, and Angela Thompson. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
Ida Liu and Fe Fendi. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
Sondra Radvanovsky. Photo by Patrick McMullan Company.
