Monday, October 29, 2012

Heroes and angels

Tina Knowles, Lorraine Schwartz, Ofira Sandberg, Kim Kardashian, Bar Rafaeli, and Kanye West at the annual Angel Ball to support Gabrielle's Angel Foundation.

The American Federation of Arts (AFA) held its 2012 Gala and Cultural Leadership Awards on Wednesday, October 24, at the Metropolitan Club in New York. This year, the AFA honored renowned artist Sarah Sze. She was introduced by Klaus Biesenbach, Director of MoMA PS1 and a Chief Curator at Large at the Museum of Modern Art. Special guest was Detroit Institute of Arts Director, President, and CEO Graham W.J. Beal, who was introduced by Martin Friedman, legendary former director of the Walker Art Center. Restoration Hardware served as lead corporate sponsor.

Over 150 guests came to celebrate AFA, including Gala Chairs Scott A. Dahnke and Capera Ryan; museum directors Holly Block (Bronx Museum), Brian Ferriso (Portland Art Museum), Anthony Hirschel (Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago), Timothy Rub (Philadelphia Museum of Art); introducers Klaus Biesenbach (Director of MoMA PS1) and Martin Friedman (former Director of the Walker Art Center); Tanya Bonakdar, Siddhartha Mukherjee, John Currin & Rachel Feinstein, Elizabeth Rohatyn, John Silberman, Lisa Yuskavage & Matvey Levenstein; AFA Director Pauline Willis and AFA Board President Jason Herrick, among many others.

Graham W. J. Beal

Sarah Sze

Gala Co-Chairs Scott Dahnke and Capera Ryan

AFA Director Pauline Willis

Martin Friedman

The American Federation of Arts is a nonprofit institution that organizes art exhibitions for presentation in museums around the world, publishes exhibition catalogues, and develops various educational programs. The AFA's mission is to enrich the public's experience of art and understanding of culture by organizing and traveling a diverse offering of exhibitions embracing all aspects of art history. For more information about the AFA's exhibitions, publications, artist talks, and online resources, visit www.afaweb.org.

Sarah Sze and Klaus Biesenbach

Capera Ryan, Alexandra Drucker, and Yasaman Djunic

Donald Moffett, Sarah Sze, Siddhartha Mukherjee, and Robert Gober

David Gordon, Jason Herrick, and Graham W. J. Beal

Michael and Elizabeth Chu

Frederick and Stephanie Clark

Scott A. Dahnke, Jason N.R. Herrick, and Loretta Dahnke

Charles and Valerie Diker

Lisa Yuskavage, Norman Kleeblatt, Yvonne Force Villareal, and Charlotte Eyerman

Haim Steinbach and Gwen Smith

Sarah Sze and Matvey Levenstein

Ann and Jonathan Binstock

Elliot Carlen and John Silberman

Bill Griswold, Stephanie La Nasa, and Christopher Malstead

Margot and Robert Linton

Deborah Ryan, Capera Ryan, Joyce Greenberg, and Tom L. Freudenheim

The World of Children Award hosted its 15th Annual Awards Ceremony on Thursday evening in Manhattan. Over 400 people attended and $800,000 was raised that evening.

Celebrity Ambassador Stephanie March (Actor, Law & Order SVU) served as Master of Ceremonies with Gossip Girl’s Matthew Settle and Glamour’s Editor in Chief Cindi Leive presenting awards throughout the night.

The World of Children Award, co-founded by Harry Leibowitz and Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for Child Advocates.” It sets the gold standard for child advocacy by providing funding and recognition for the most effective change-makers for children worldwide. In its 15-year history, the World of Children Award has invested $5 million in programs led by 95 honorees serving vulnerable children in 148 countries.

National CNN correspondent Alina Cho received the 2012 World of Children Board of Governors’ Award, with Free the Children founder Craig Kielburger receiving the 15th Anniversary Award in celebration of the significant growth his organization has experienced since he earned the 2002 Youth Award.

Youth Awards were given to Dallas Jessup whose volunteer program Just Yell Fire has grown into a 1.5 million girl revolution across 64 countries, empowering girls with danger awareness and avoidance information and Kyle Weiss whose program FUNDaFIELD builds soccer fields in regions where children have experienced conflicts or major trauma, providing therapeutic benefits and educational incentive.

The Health Award went to Dr. Nilas Young, the Founder of Heart to Heart International Children’s Medical Alliance which provides life-saving medical care to infants and children in Russia. The Humanitarian Award went to Benoît Duchâteau-Arminjon, Founder of Krousar Thmey “New Family," which is one of the largest Cambodian foundations for disadvantaged children.

Guests included 15th Anniversary Honorary Event Chairs Beth and Jim Gold, Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera and wife Erica, Bloomberg TV’s Gigi Stone, WCBS-TV’s Maurice Dubois and wife Andrea, Harry and Laura Slatkin, Fern Mallis, Christine and Douglas Harmon, Rory Hermelee, Wendy Kahn, Marco Pievani, Frédéric de Narp, Annette Berthod, Michelle Klein, Grace Nichols, Ann O’Malley, Jerry Rossi, Isaac and I.G. Gindi, Fran Della Badia, Jerry Politzer, Thomas Saujet, Steven Budd, Jill Beraud, Bertan Kalatchi, and Sandy Piontak. For more information, visit www.worldofchildren.org.

Cindi Leive, Jim Gold, and Alina Cho

Fern Mallis

Harry Leibowitz and Kay Issacson-Leibowitz

Craig Kielburger, Eva Halner, Liz Aldous, and Jessica Brigantino

Geraldo Rivera and Erica Rivera

Stephanie March

Maria Alfonsin and Matthew Settle

Rory Hermelee and Wendy Kahn

Stephanie March, Kyle Weiss, Alina Cho, Dallas Jessup, and Matthew Settle

Kim Cho and Alina Cho

Louis Rose and Alexandra Lind Rose

Christine and Doug Harmon

Leon Harris and Gigi Stone

On Monday, October 22, 2012, The Blue Card, a national non-profit organization dedicated to aiding destitute Holocaust survivors, held its 78th Anniversary Benefit and auction at the Morgan Library and Museum.

The benefit was hosted by Tony-award winning actress Cynthia Nixon and commemorated the 100th anniversary of Raoul Wallenberg by paying tribute to the leadership of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous.

The event raised over $250,000 to provide direct financial assistance to Holocaust survivors in need.

The evening’s keynote address was delivered by Rabbi David Saperstein. Mr. E. Robert Goodkind received the annual Richard Holbrooke Award for Social Justice, which was presented by Cynthia Nixon on behalf of Kati Marton.

The award pays tribute to Ms. Marton’s late husband, a highly accomplished diplomat and with whom Ms. Marton shared a profound commitment to humanity. Mr. Zach Lonstein received the Max. L. Heine Humanitarian Award which was presented by his daughter, Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss. The evening featured cocktails, a seated dinner, a silent auction and a special performance by cabaret artist Stevie Holland.

Established in Germany, in 1934, and re-established in the United States in 1939, The Blue Card’s sole mission is to provide direct financial assistance to needy Holocaust survivors who live at or near the federal poverty level. All proceeds from the Annual Benefit will support The Blue Card’s mission of providing critical support to Holocaust survivors in need. The Blue Card currently provides financial assistance to close to 3,000 individuals, and has distributed over $18 million to date, with 100 percent of donations going directly to survivors.

Jonathan Alter and Elie Rubinstein

Elie Rubinstein and Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss

Cynthia Nixon, Mark Bilski, Mimi Lieber, and Amanda Bilski

Patricia Lenkov and Cynthia Nixon

Mimi Lieber and Daniel Sullivan

Mimi Lieber and Gia Machlin

Stevie Holland

Zach Lonstein, E. Robert Goodkind, and Elie Rubinstein

Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss and Cynthia Nixon

Zach and Betty Lonstein

Steve Reiner, Leonard Petlakh, and E. Robert Goodkind

Last Monday night at Cipriani Wall Street, Denise Rich hosted her annual Angel Ball to support Gabrielle's Angel Foundation, which helps fund medical research for prevention and treatment of Lymphoma, Leukemia and other cancers. Rich drew a list of celebs including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.