Monday, April 4, 2022. A rainy and very coolish weekend in New York. The good news is that the annual pear trees have begun to bloom. The solo pear on my block is just budding. In another three or four days with some sunshine and it will burst and flourish. These pears do no bear fruit but they are all over the Upper East Side and deliver that seasonal moment of joy that’s good for what ails us, even if it’s brief.
The social life returns. Last Thursday from 8:30 to midnight, the Frick hosted its annual Young Fellows Ball — after its absence on the calendar for the past two years. Its theme was Modern Love, inspired by the current year-long installation series Living Histories: Queer Views and Old Masters.
This is traditionally a formal affair, and was held for the first time at the Frick Madison, the museum’s temporary in the Marcel Breuer-designed building on 75th Street and Madison Avenue.
There were nearly 500 guests — all of whom were inspired by the evening’s romantic theme. They filled the Frick Madison for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing to music by Angel + Dren from 8:30 to midnight.The energy of the evening spread throughout the entire museum, where guests mingled and posed for pictures with the portraits on view in the galleries.
Chairmen of the evening were Paul Arnhold, Drew Garrison, Grace Gummer, Sarah Hoover, Elizabeth Kurpis and Indre Rockefeller. The Honorary Chair was Wes Gordon, the head designer of Carolina Herrera.
Proceeds from the benefit event provide essential support for the Frick’s many activities, including the acclaimed programs of the Frick Art Reference Library and the Education Department, which serves students from New York City public schools in all five boroughs. For more than twenty years, the Young Fellows have helped to ensure that The Frick Collection remains a singular museum experience.
Internationally recognized as a premier museum and research center, The Frick Collection, known for its distinguished Old Master paintings and outstanding examples of European sculpture and decorative arts, originated with Henry Clay Frick (1849– 1919), who bequeathed his home, paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts to the public for their enjoyment.
The institution’s holdings— which encompass masterworks from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century—have grown over the decades, more than doubling in size since the opening of the museum in 1935.
A critical component is the Frick Art Reference Library, founded in 1920 by Helen Clay Frick, daughter of the museum’s founder. Recognized as one of the world’s top art history research centers, it has served students, scholars, and members of the public free of charge for generations. The Collection is currently located at its temporary home, Frick Madison, while its historic buildings undergo renovation and enhancement.
Photographs by Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com & Jane Kratochvil.
