Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Snow and rain forecast beginning last night and running through tomorrow. Big weather report seems like it’s in the offing but passing by New York mainly. City schools are already closing for tomorrow, anticipating the storm. I can’t help wondering if it will be like the previous “storms” coming to the northeast this year, and basically skipping by little ole New York.
The Arts. Art historian and collector Estrellita Brodsky welcomed the Board and donors of LongHouse Reserve to ANOTHER SPACE, her gallery of Latin American and Latinx artists in Chelsea dedicated to broadening international awareness and appreciation of art from Latin America.
Their current exhibition, Spin A Yarn, explores the relationship between language and textiles. Included are two works, by Olga de Amaral and Sheila Hicks, on loan from the LongHouse Reserve collection.
Guests included LongHouse President Nina Gillman, Board Members Sherri Donghia and Roger Eulau, Peter Olsen, Anne Erni, Gael Towey and Stephen Doyle, and Linda Willett as well as Cindy Farkas Glanzrock, Warren James, Grace Leonhardt, Helen Little, Raul Martinez, Bastienne Schmidt, Barbara Tober and Desiree La Valette.
LongHouse Reserve encourages living with art in all forms. Founded by Jack Lenor Larsen, its collections, gardens, sculpture, and programs reflect world cultures to inspire a creative life.
East Hampton’s 16-acre sculpture garden features more than 60 outdoor works—including permanent collection works by Sol LeWitt, Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, Sui Jinguao, and Willem de Kooning, and seasonal loans from artists such as Daniel Arsham, Maren Hassinger, and Ai Wei Wei—encourages exploration and contemplation for new and repeat visitors alike.
The garden at LongHouse is fully open to the public for education and enjoyment, with a next chapter of activating Larsen’s home (a modernist structure based on the Shinto Shrine at Ise, Japan) and the extensive collections.
More information is available at www.longhouse.org
Journalists, politicians and awards. Sometimes an uneasy truce is declared between journalists and the politicians they cover. The UN Correspondents Association (UNCA) Awards, much like the White House Correspondents dinner, is that kind of special night. Everyone shows up, best manners on display.
The UNCA Awards honors journalists from around the world who have provided the best print, broadcast and electronic media coverage of the United Nations, UN agencies, and field operations. UNCA is an organization of more than 200 journalists from dozens of countries representing scores of publications and broadcasters from all regions of the world, plus the major global news agencies.
Valeria Robecco, president of the UNCA, underlined the seriousness of the event with comments how “at least 88 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2022, marking a sharp increase over previous years.”
Awards were presented to journalists from Ghana, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, UK, and the USA as well as Alessandro Benetton, Sofia Carson, and Sharon Stone at a black-tie ceremony at Casa Cipriani.
Guest of honor US Secretary-General António Guterres was one of many speakers who also reminded the audience of “the grave and growing dangers faced by journalists worldwide.”
Alessandro Benetton, the chairman of Edizione SaA, one of the largest European holding companies, honored for his longstanding support of sustainability and human rights lauded the work of journalists and explained, “There is nothing worse than long speeches by businessmen so let me focus only on one project, the Roma Fiumicino Airport, the main gate to Italy, which we control in partnership with Blackstone. We’ve turned the airport into an innovation hub, where airplanes run on sustainable fuel, water is recycled, and operations are powered by renewable energy. We are testing artificial intelligence to handle aircrafts while they’re on the ground and fully electric zero emissions taxi drones to move passengers through the terminal.”
Sofia Carson explained that being a UNICEF Ambassador was her highest honor, “UNICEF has been, and always will be, a beacon of hope, a lifesaving force, and an instrument of good for children in every corner of the world.”
Sharon Stone spoke emotionally of the toll that “total commitment to work” can take as she recalled her marriage to a journalist. Stone spoke of the commitment to environmental sustainability, HIV/AIDS, and praised the commitment of the Secretary General and all the journalists assembled there as well as the joys of raising three children as a single mother.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation’s Sherwin Bryce-Pease proved a witty master of ceremonies. Attendees included Agnese Benetton, Luce Benetton, Francesca Bodini, Dr. Joyce Brown, Chiara Clemente, Marco Congiu, Carmelia Entekhabi, Evelyn Leopold, H.E. Miguel Angel Moratinos, Ricardo Ortega, Priscilla Rattazzi, Shalini Singh, Carl Skau, Alannah Travers, Carlo Tunioli, and Nadima Umar.
Meanwhile, the dogs and cats in Palm Beach. Kim and Gregory Dryer invited friends to their home to celebrate the birthday of animal advocate Jean Shafiroff and to salute the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League of the Palm Beaches. This popular nonprofit organization provides critical services to more than 35,000 animals each year and collaborates with local area rescues to expand lifesaving work in Palm Beach County.
Among those singing happy birthday were Candace Bushnell, Ava Roosevelt, Ralph Lauren’s brother Lenny Lauren, fashion designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Judith Giuliani, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Alex Donner, Stacey Leuliette, Steven Stolman, Lieba Nesis, Meghan McCarthy, Alex Hamer, James McCarthy, Richard Wilkie, Pamela O’Connor, Robin Baker, Robert Leacock, Kate Ericson, Rick Rose, Camilla Webster and Martin Shafiroff. Rather than receiving gifts, Jean urged guests to donate to the animal rescue; she also contributed a check on the guests’ behalf.
