The museum’s biggest fundraising party of the year resurfaced post-pandemic to welcome guests from across the Bay Area and beyond
Words by DAVID NASH
Photography by DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY
Art Bash — SFMOMA’s biggest party of the year in celebration of contemporary art and artists — returned on Friday, April 8, after a two-year hiatus, to welcome around 1,500 patrons and partygoers to the museum.
The evening commenced with a private cocktail reception on the main level, followed by a dinner on the second floor conceptualized by celebrated Los Angeles-based artist Sarah Cain, in collaboration with People’s Pottery Project and floral paper artist Shelley Pehrson. Every element in the space — from the wallcoverings to the dinner napkins — was curated by Cain and featured details of her recent mixed-media painting, Walk in lightly, leave like lightning.
During dinner, VIPs opened their wallets for a live auction and bid on works including a print of Larry Sultan’s memorable 2007 image of Paris Hilton, Paris on my Parents’ Bed (Interview Magazine), which fetched $37,000, as well as a unique Jeff Koons Teddy Bear Mirror (Green) that brought a respectable $500,000. All told, it’s predicted the event will have raised over $2,000,000 in support of the museum’s education and community engagement programs which will positively impact hundreds of thousands of people in the coming year.
But it wasn’t until the clock struck eight that revelers really cut loose, with a variety of cocktail bars, artist experiences and performances staged throughout the museum’s five floors. Guests explored the activations, sipped artisan cocktails and danced until 1 a.m. to the sounds of DJ $picy, Nite Jewel, DJ Miles Medina and The Linda Lindas — with special guest, The Go Go’s drummer Gina Schock.
Attendees included Lisa and Doug Goldman, Yves Béhar, Sabrina Buell, Susan Greenleaf, Kate Duhamel, Sako Fisher, Bill Fisher, Bob Fisher, Mimi Haas, Rachel Sumner, Jude Tingley, Sara and Austin Hills, Susan Swig, Katie Colendish, Lauren Ford, Eloise Connelly, Kathryn and Bo Lasater, Jenel Day, Alyssa Fung and Christie’s’ Alka Agrawal, who served as auctioneer.
April 18, 2022
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