On Thursday night over at the Ramsey Playfield in Central Park, The Guggenheim Museum held its International Gala celebrating a museum that was founded by the great 20th century collector and philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim. The evening was co-chaired by Danielle and David Ganek, Victoria and Dennis Hopper and Jennifer Blei Stockman. The evening honored Marina Abramovic, John Baldessari, Louise Bourgeois, Cal Quo-Qiang, Zaha Madid, William Kentridge and Miroshi Sugimoto, as well as Jack Wadsworth, “a visionary business leader and extraordinarily generous supporter of the arts.”

The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) honored both people and animals at its annual ASPCA Humane Awards Luncheon at the  Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. They always honor those who have furthered awareness of animal welfare or have been engaged in animal heroism and also honors animal heroes that have demonstrated extraordinary efforts on behalf of humans.

Founded in 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane organization established in the Western Hemisphere and today has one million supporters. The ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides national leadership in humane education, government affairs and public policy, shelter support, and animal poison control. The NYC headquarters houses a full-service animal hospital, animal behavior center, and adoption facility. The Humane Law Enforcement department enforces New York's animal cruelty laws and is featured on the reality television series Animal Precinct on Animal Planet. Visit www.aspca.org for more information.

Click here for the 2006 Humane Awards winners.

The legendary television newsman and anchor Walter Cronkite and New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum were honored by Louise Mirrer, President of the New-York Historical Society, along with trustees and supporters at the Society’s annual History Markers Gala  on Thursday, November 9th. 

The evening began with a  cocktail reception and preview of the Society’s new New York Divided: Slavery and the Civil War exhibition,  followed by dinner and the awards ceremony.

Katie Couric, Bunny and Bill Beekman, Valerie and Charles Diker, Joan and John Jakobson and Pat and John Rosenwald served as Gala Co-Chairs for the night. Other guests included Susan Braddock, James Chanos, Barbara Debs, Richard Gilder, Roger Hertog, Patricia Klingenstein, Tarky Lombardi, Virginia Mailman, Sarah Nash, Nancy Newcomb, Bernard Schwartz, Laurie Tisch, Sue Ann Weinberg, Byron Wien and Hope Winthrop.

The evening benefited programs and educational initiatives at the New-York Historical Society, the city’s first and oldest museum.

There was an opening reception at the Maya Stendhal Gallery in Chelsea for a new exhibition of short films by Jonas Mekas. The event celebrated the artist’s vision to create a new digital discourse for American Independent Cinema.

Jonas Mekas was in attendance, as well as several other renowned guests. Some of these included Adolfas Mekas, filmmaker and brother of Jonas Mekas, Algis Misevitius, the Consulate General of Lithuania, Phong Bui, critically acclaimed publisher of the Brooklyn Rail, Dore Ashton,  David Byrne, Julia Robinson, Bill Morrison, Joan Jonas, Lola Schnabel, Taylor Mead, and many other enthusiasts and fans of Jonas Mekas.

The exhibition reflected this mission through using “high-tech canvases” in the form of an installation of LCD screens. In addition to the 40 films on display, the web site will also release 365 short films, one for each day of the year, beginning January 1, 2007. This collectable video archive is made available for purchase by art collectors, film enthusiasts, educational institutions, and the general public alike through his website, www.jonasmekas.com.

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