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Press Office News

SFMOMA’s Modern Ball Lights Up the City

Released: May 13, 2016 · Download (158 KB PDF)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (May 13, 2016)—The Modern Ball, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)’s signature fundraiser, offered guests three ways to join the celebration—the Gala Dinner, Supper Club and Post-Modern Party—on Thursday, May 12, 2016. The first Modern Ball held in the newly expanded museum, Modern Ball 2016 was chaired by Gina Peterson and designed by Stanlee Gatti. The event was made possible through the generous support of its sponsors: AT&T, Cadillac, Tiffany & Co. and Wells Fargo. Proceeds from the event support SFMOMA’s celebrated exhibitions and education programs, which serve more than 60,000 students, teachers and families each year.

The evening kicked off with two concurrent dinner experiences: the Gala Dinner and the Supper Club. The Gala Dinner featured a seated dinner in Schwab Hall and a live auction conducted with auction partner Phillips, and in-kind auction sponsors Artsy and ChefsFeed. The Gala Dinner was chaired by Abigail Turin and the auction was chaired by Alka Agrawal and Sabrina Buell. The auction featured two items and Ed Dolman, CEO of Phillips, served as auctioneer:

Mark Bradford
Untitled Pink (SFMOMA Benefit), 2016
Mixed media on canvas
60 x 48 inches
Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth

Acclaimed international contemporary artist Mark Bradford has generously created a new painting exclusively for SFMOMA. Untitled Pink (SFMOMA Benefit) is formally and thematically related to works from his 2015 exhibition Scorched Earth at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, and his show Be Strong Boquan at Hauser & Wirth, New York. For these recent works, Bradford shifted toward the use of bold colors, such as pink, which he chose for their “loaded” qualities, and has been reconsidering issues related to the culture wars of the 1980s and 1990s to reignite their contemporary political charge. In 2010, Wexner Center for the Arts organized Bradford’s mid-career retrospective, concluding in 2012 at SFMOMA—its only West Coast presentation. SFMOMA is also a partner in Bradford’s Open Studio project, which shares the insights and working methods of artists online. In April 2016, Bradford was selected to represent the United States at the 2017 Venice Biennale.

Modern Tastes: Fine Dining for Twenty at the New SFMOMA

Courtesy Nick Balla, Stuart Brioza, Cortney Burns, Jason Fox, Matthew Kirkley, Nicole Krasinski and Greg and Shelley Lindgren

Celebrated Bay Area chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski (State Bird Provisions, The Progress), Nick Balla and Cortney Burns (Bar Tartine), Jason Fox (Commonwealth, Oro) and Matthew Kirkley (Coi) are collaborating on an imaginative multicourse dinner for twenty to enjoy in SFMOMA’s new Gina and Stuart Peterson White Box. Featuring inventive and exciting culinary temptations, this ultimate chef’s table will also include craft cocktails and expert wine pairings by Greg Lindgren (Rye, 15 Romolo, Rosewood Bar) and master sommelier Shelley Lindgren (A16), live entertainment and exclusive access to select galleries. This private event for twenty will be an once-in-a-lifetime experience for all who attend.

At the Supper Club, guests mixed and mingled in a lounge filled with gourmet culinary stations, libations and live music. The Supper Club was chaired by Heidi Castelein and Douglas Durkin.

Late-night revelers joined the dinner guests for the Post-Modern Party, a dance party featuring entertainment by DJ Mozhgan, Giraffage, Booty Bassment (Ryan Paulson and Dimitri Dickenson) and the Bumbys, as well as a live performance by ODESZA. The Post-Modern Party was chaired by Patrick Chammas and Anderson Pugash.

The event committee included Janet Barnes, Xochi Birch, Rachael Bowman, Angela Braverman, Nina Buchbinder, Candace Cavanaugh, Wayee Chu, Kate Chung, Kate Harbin Clammer, Roberta Denning, Tolan Florence, Jason Goldman, Matthew Goldman, Shauna Harden, Macarena Huneeus, Bradley James, Pam Kramlich, Kaitlyn Krieger, Janet Lamkin, Brigette Lau, Alexis Lurie, Charlot D. Malin, Leigh Matthes, Amanda Michael, Jessica Moment, Kim Anstatt Morton, Katie Paige, Alison Pincus, Becca Prowda, Victoria Raiser, Heather Rosenfield, Komal Shah, Evie Simon, Laura Smith Sweeney, Christy Swildens, Ned Topham, Brian Wilsey and Shannon Wong.

Guests wore incredible fashion and jewelry. Modern Ball chair Gina Peterson wore a pair of Tiffany & Co. diamond earrings with rubellite as well as a stunning diamond bracelet both from the new Blue Book collection 2016. Elissa Patel wore a pair of Tiffany diamond earrings and Tiffany diamond necklace from the Victoria collection as well as several Tiffany diamond bracelets from the Metro collection.

Notable guests included Yves Béhar (designer and SFMOMA Trustee) and Sabrina Buell (art advisor); Neal Benezra (Helen and Charles Schwab Director of SFMOMA); Gretchen and John Berggruen (gallerist, John Berggruen Gallery); Michael and Xochi Birch (founders, Bebo); Mark Bradford (artist and Modern Ball 2016 guest of honor); Willie Brown (former mayor of San Francisco); Thomas Carroll (vice president, Tiffany & Co.); Brian Chesky (co-founder and CEO, Airbnb) and Elissa Patel; John Currin and Rachel Feinstein (artists); Chris and Lara Deam (founder, Dwell); Ed Dolman (CEO, Phillips); Vincent Fecteau (artist, SFMOMA Trustee); Randi and Robert Fisher (SFMOMA President of the Board); Tyler Florence (Food Network chef); Jeffrey Fraenkel (gallerist, Fraenkel Gallery); Jim Foley (regional president, Wells Fargo); Vanessa Getty (philanthropist); Mimi Haas (SFMOMA Vice Chair of the Board and collector); Jay Jeffers (interior designer); Kaitlyn and Mike Krieger (founder, Instagram); Marissa Mayer (CEO, Yahoo! Inc.) and Zack Bogue; Ken McNeely (president, AT&T California and SFMOMA Trustee); Jonny Moseley (Olympic gold medalist); Carlos Mota (stylist and author); Marc Payot (gallerist, Hauser & Wirth); Ali and Mark Pincus (founders, One Kings Lane and Zynga); Federico Sandino (senior director, Tiffany & Co. San Francisco); Helen and Charles Schwab (SFMOMA Chairman of the Board); Charlotte (Chief of Protocol for the State of California and for the City and County of San Francisco) and George Shultz (former Secretary of State); Jessica Silverman (gallerist, Jessica Silverman Gallery); Norah and Norman Stone (SFMOMA Trustees and collectors); Yvonne Force and Leo Villereal (artists); Evan Williams (co-founder, Twitter, Blogger, Medium); and Akiko and Jerry Yang, (co-founder, Yahoo! Inc.).

In-kind partners included official wine sponsors Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Robert Mondavi Winery and Ruffino; official spirits sponsor Campari America; and hotel partners St. Regis San Francisco and W San Francisco.

Specialty cocktails featuring Campari America spirits included an Espolòn Tequila Apollonia, Negroni, SKYY Infusions Citrus Collins, Wild Turkey Old Fashioned and Purple Rain Jell-O Shot. Specialty Cocktails by The Dorian were the Portrait (Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Rye, Amaro Nonino, smoked maple syrup and tobacco tincture), Breaking Point (house-spiced Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum, black mango tea syrup and fresh lime) and the Native (Espolòn Tequila Blanco, Juicero Spicy Greens, agave and lime juice). Specialty Cocktails by Palm House were the Mango Margarita (Espolòn Tequila Blanco, mango puree, agave nectar and lime juice) and Tropicana (Wild Turkey, strawberry puree, lemon juice, basil and cardamom bitter). Specialty Cocktails by Bergerac were Pretty Woman (SKYY Vodka, lemon, orgeat, cinnamon syrup, berry preserve and cardamom tincture) and Rosey Pom (BULLDOG Gin, lemon, cab-berry reduction, pomelo marmalade and honey).

The Modern Ball 2016 was made possible through the talent and support of the museum’s production partners: Stanlee R. Gatti Designs; Got Light.; McCalls Catering and Events; GB Productions; Mercenary Productions; Soiree Valet; Bright Event Rentals; Smilebooth; Pixmob; Artsy; ChefsFeed and Hush Productions.

Photos from Drew Altizer are available to press at drewaltizer.com.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

Founded in 1935 as the first West Coast museum devoted to modern and contemporary art, a thoroughly transformed SFMOMA, with significantly enhanced gallery, education and public spaces, opens to the public on May 14, 2016. With six art-filled terraces, a new sculptural staircase and Roman steps where the public can gather, access to 45,000 square feet of free art-filled public space and free admission for visitors age 18 and younger, SFMOMA is more welcoming and more connected to San Francisco than ever before.

Visit sfmoma.org or call 415.357.4000 for more information.


Jill Lynch 415.357.4172 jilynch@sfmoma.org
Clara Hatcher Baruth 415.357.4177 chatcher@sfmoma.org