Even Rain Couldn’t Dampen the Parrish Gala

By Katlean de Monchy–

The only thing more dramatic than the skies over Water Mill Saturday evening was the excitement among the guests gathered for the Parrish Art Museum’s 2026 Midsummer Gala. A downpour had pelted them as they were on their way. But almost as if Mother Nature knew she wasn’t on the guest list, she turned off the taps in time for Hamptons’ art, intellectual and philanthropic VIPs to make their entrance.

This is Catherine Dumai Harper, much later in the evening, but you can tell it was a good time. (Photo credit: Bre Johnson/BFA.com)

Tickets to the cocktail hour were $600, and to the dinner, $1,500; both were sold out. The count was 700 guests. On top of that, there was  demand for tickets for AfterGlow ($350), which ran from 9 o’clock to midnight, with DJ Jason Fioto pushing the beats (it pays to be out in the sticks instead of in the middle town), dancing, some tequila and probably left-over key lime cake.

What makes the Parrish Gala successful is that there are different ways to participate: you can just stop in for drinks, go for the dinner, come by for the dancing or all three.

Elizabeth Kurpis, a lawyer with clients in the fashion business, wearing Lanvin (photo credit: Bre Johnson/BFA.com)

Perhaps that’s why the Parrish Gala is one of the most sought-after events of the Hamptons season. Guests, many from the fashion and retail industry, dressed for the occasion—elegant gowns, statement jewelry, dinner jackets, creative outfits. With the support of Capital One, the gala raised more than $1.7 million for the museum’s exhibitions, education initiatives and cultural programs.

The artists being honored, all with shows connected to the Parrish: Hiroshi Sugimoto (his associate, Gen Aihara, is representing him here tonight), Enoc Perez, and Joan Semmel_(photo credit: Bre Johnson/BFA.com)

Performers from the Parsons Dance company in New York City stretched, leaped and sashayed throughout the room during the cocktail hour. They energized the event, creating a vibrant, upbeat atmosphere–and did not bump into anyone’s drink. And they reappeared throughout the night. You can’t keep dancers from dancing.

Allegra Sky Leguizamo, John Leguizamo, Sanford Biggers (photo by Bre Johnson/BFA.com)

Trust the Parrish to throw in a fresh idea. The dancers returned to participate in AfterGlow.

The guest list included Sanford Biggers, whose show “Drift” is at the Parrish until September; the artist Ugo Rondinone; Chris Cuomo; Polina Proshkina; Stacey Griffith, employee Number 2 at SoulCycle; the actor John Leguizamo; Sheree Hovsepian, whose installation is on the second floor at MoMA through the fall; the jewelry designer and philanthropist Brooke Garber Nedicht; the Hamptons restauranteur Gianpaolo de Felice.

In addition there were the art advisor Astrid Hill; Will Ryman, whose mammoth outdoor “Roses” sculpture is at the Parrish until 2028; the philanthropist and budding novelist Karen Mehiel; Fred Mwangaguhunga, the entrepreneur behind MTO News; the philanthropist Jean Shafiroff; the art collectors Lisa and Richard Perry, and Andrew and Sarah Wetenhall, owners of the Hedges Inn in Easthampton and the Colony in Palm Beach.

Jean Shafiroff with Fred Seegal, chairman of the board of the Parrish. (Photo credit: Peter Zwolinski/BFA.com)

Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, the museum director, took time during the evening to honor three guests: the Puerto Rican painter of bold colors Enoc Perez; Joan Semmel, a feminist who through a long career specialized in naked portraits, and Hiroshi Sugimoto, an architect who shoots haunting photos of darkened theaters by the light of an entire movie.

Monica Ramírez-Montagut at the podium during the dinner. (Photo credit: Bre Anderson)

“Nothing brings me more joy than to be able to honor the artists that make our communities thrive by the sheer access to their work,” Ramírez-Montagut said.

She spoke movingly about making the evening in memorium to Pat Steir, a remarkable artist and print-maker. Steir explored a number of styles and materials, somewhat puzzling critics, who could not pin her down. She was discovered and forgotten a few times, always fighting the well known bias against female painters.

Portrait by James Stiles

A famous beauty she cut a swath through the art world, was friends with John Cage and was once the girlfriend of Sol LeWitt. She lived in California, where she taught. She moved to Amsterdam. But New York City was home. Eventually she settled on a style that brought her recognition, the waterfall paintings. One sold at auction for $2.3 million in 2018. Others have sold more recently for around $1 million. She died in March at age 87. Next year the Parrish will have an exhibition of her work.

Fred Seegal with the honoree of the evening, the philanthropist Ellen Katz (Photo credit: Bre Johnson/BFA.com)

Philanthropist Ellen Katz was honored as well. Her college degree was in art and she collects art, but that isn’t her only interest in the arts. She is also on the board of  directors for the Lincoln Center Theater. And she supports a number of medical and research institutes and programs.

Among the guests was Stacey Griffith, a founding senior master instructor at SoulCycle, which began making people sweat in 2006. Granted, they were spinning classes before that. (Photo credit: Katlean de Monchy)

Guests dined on Sesame Crusted Shrimp, steelhead trout, a salad of asparagus, beet labneh and shaved fennel and, for dessert, coconut key lime cake with blackberry sauce on the side.

The gala dinner was chaired by Charlotte Pilaro and Yanina Fuertes.

Alexandra Dennett chaired the much-anticipated Afterglow after-party. You can’t keep up with her: She’s at Harvard. She’s in Tashkent. No, she is doing something about Polar Bears in Paris? Is that right? And what was she doing at Ralph Lauren? We don’t know how the Parrish found her, but this is the person you want to put in charge of AfterGlow.

John Savarese tried out a few steps (photo credit: Peter Zwolinski/BFA.com)

Luxury tequila brand Casa Dragones is now in its third year supporting the Parrish. That may have accounted for some of the more unrestrained moments.

Chelsea Baetz and Tanner Ewing turned the beat around (Photo credit: Peter Zwolinski/BFA.com)

Under Director Mónica Ramírez-Montagut’s leadership, the museum has expanded its circle of supporters, attracting an increasingly international and diverse mix of artists, patrons and cultural voices. The evening was a blast.