Saturday Night, Fine Dining at the Parrish

By Katlean de Monchy —

It was a perfect evening, not just the weather, which cleared dramatically before the cocktail party began, but the complete setting, down to the silver orchids on the dinner tables on July 14, and the dancing afterward.

The Parrish Art Museum Dinner Gala, July 14 (Photo: David Benthal/BFA.com)

For the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, that followed a successful evening the night before, a dance party of their younger patrons and guests on the terrace.

Altogether, these two events at the museum’s Herzog & de Meuron building drew 650 people, and raised more than $1.5 million. Those guests included fashionistas, actors, media figures, artists (by the dozens), art collectors, philanthropists, musicians, curators, and business leaders who came from the Hamptons, New York and beyond.

Catherine Carmody, a dinner co-chair, and Rachel White Young, of Christie’s (David Benthal/BFA.com)

Those proceeds will support the museum’s general operating funds. In addition, a live auction, led by Christie’s head of contemporary art, Rachel White Young, raised money to support the museum’s “Access Parrish” program, which provides artmaking, movement workshops, and gallery tours for adults and children with special needs. programs and education initiatives.

Board member Joey Wölffer (David Benthal/BFA.com)

One prelude was a cocktails reception in the meadow, where guests were welcomed by Alexandra Stanton and Frederic M. Seegal, co-chairs of the Board of Trustees, and their spouses.

Katlean de Monchy and Tony Bowles (Carl Timpone/BFA.com)As they arrived guests were also invited to preview the shows in the galleries, especially the large exhibit of sculptures by KAWS, which was to open to the public the following day.

Irina Kro Eicke and a writer from Vogue, Lilah Ramzi, with a KAWS work (Carl Timpone/BFA.com)

KAWS (Carl Timpone/BFA.com)

Then it was onward to the dinner, where serious table hopping began. The artists Futura, KAWS (Brian Donnelly) and his wife, Julia Chiang, circulated with other artists like Sanford Biggers, Sean Scully, Sam Moyer and Derek Diggs before settling down to their assigned tables.

Julia Chiang and Sam Moyers (Carl Timpone/BFA.com)

Dr. Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, the museum director, announced the evening’s awards. First, to Susan Pear Meisel and Louis K. Meisel, who had donated their two-acre sculpture garden in Sagaponack to the Parrish. It is a major gift, containing 20 sculptures.

Louis K Meisel, Dr. Montagut and Susan Pear Meisel (David Benthal/BFA.com)

“Lou and Susan Meisel are true friends of the Parrish,” Dr. Ramirez-Montagut said. Awards were also given to the artist Brian Donnelly, KAWS. Two more awards were given to Shirin Neshat, and Sean Scully, who were in attendance and whose exhibitions at the Parrish will open next summer.

Dr. Montagut also introduced the Parrish Trustees and dinner co-chairs Catherine Carmody, CJ Follini, Andrea Pemberton, and Charlotte Lucas Pilaro.

A guest, Sherri Donghia (David Benthal/BFA.com)

Dinner over, it was time for Dr. Ramírez-Montagut to invite guests to end the evening by joining her in dancing to the music of DJ M.O.S.

Dr. Ramirez-Montegut, right, danced with her sister, Teresa Ramirez Montegut (David Benthal/BFA.com)

Notable guests at the dinner included the artists Alice Aycock, Tony Bechara, Sanford Biggers, Julia Chiang, Arcmanoro Niles, Liliane Tomasko, Ralph Gibson, Eddie Martinez, Sam Moyer, Jose Parla, Hank Willis Thomas, Enoc Perez, David Smalling, Jeremy Dennis, Futura, Nina Yankowitz, philanthropist and author Veronica Atkins, and Marc Perez, President of Bank of America Long Island.

When fashionistas dance: Beth Hutchens and Carolina Sarria (David Benthal/BFA.com)

Actress Stephanie March and Trustee Nina Sarin Arias, Founder and Creative Director of ARIAS, New York were also in attendance.

The Parrish Art Museum Board of Trustees are: Ejim Achi, Nina Sarin Arias, Deborah F. Bancroft, Catherine Carmody, Sean Cohan, Timothy G. Davis, David Granville-Smith, Lisa Green, Notoya Green, Steven J. Horowitz, Aliya LeeKong, Louis K. Meisel, Laurence Milstein, Martha Mclanahan, Andrea Pemberton, Sandy Perlbinder, Charlotte Lucas Pilaro, Henry Richardson, Yanina Spivack, George Wells, and Joey Wölffer