The Whitney Museum of American Art will host its annual Art Party to benefit its Independent Study Program (ISP) and other museum educational programs on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at a new location- 82 Mercer Street in New York City (between Broome and Spring Street). BCBGMAXAZRIA is partnering with the Whitney for the fourth consecutive year, with co-chairs Adam D. Weinberg, Alice Pratt Brown Director of the Whitney, Lubov & Max Azria, and Emilie de Ravin, along with Allison Aston, Sarah Brown, Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo, Adam Lippes, and the Whitney Contemporaries of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
The evening’s sponsor, BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP has been a prominent leader at the forefront of the ever-changing fashion landscape for over two decades. Event co-chairs Max and Lubov Azria join the Whitney Museum of American Art to toast the future in American contemporary art: “We are thrilled to be co-chairing the Whitney Art Party for the fourth consecutive year,” said Lubov Azria, Chief Creative Officer of BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP. “Creativity is the force that drives us; partnering with the Whitney Contemporaries and their Independent Study Program is an amazing opportunity to support the artists of this generation, and foster creativity in the artists of generations to come.”
To celebrate the legacy of the Whitney’s Independent Study Program, and highlight the connection between art and fashion, BCBGMAXAZRIA and the Whitney have invited four past ISP artists, Ellen Harvey, Ryan Humphrey, Liz Magic Laser, and Jason Middlebrook to participate in a never-been-done-before collaborative project for the 2010 Art Party. Using a white silk dress prototype from the Fall 2010 BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway collection as a blank canvas, each artist will produce an original work of art, while maintaining the silhouette of the dress, to be displayed at select BCBGMAXAZRIA Manhattan locations including their flagship store located on 5th Avenue, and worn at the event on June 9th by a notable guest. Additionally, all four artists will participate in a live action-art performance at the party, translating their individual artist practices once again onto a pristine white dress for guests to watch and experience.
In order to make American Art accessible to audiences both in the U.S. and worldwide, the 2010 Whitney Art Party auction will feature online an online component in addition to in-person bidding for works generously donated by 80 of today’s leading contemporary artists, including Diana Thater, Duncan Hannah, Fritz Haeg, Isaac Julien, James Casebere, James Welling, Lawrence Weiner, Marc Swanson, Mary Heilmann, Matthew Brannon, Nate Lowman, Pae White, Raymond Pettibon, Roland Flexner, Roni Horn, Storm Tharp, and Suzan Frecon. The Art Party site ? www.whitney.org/artparty will feature images, detailed descriptions of the works, and artists’ bios. Every piece in this year’s auction will be available for bidding online, both through individual bids and the “Buy Now” option, where bidders have the opportunity to purchase any work at a set reserve price.
Specialty cocktails by Belvedere Vodka and Grand Marnier.
Art Party proceeds will benefit the Independent Study Program and other educational initiatives of the Whitney Museum. Information on membership can be found at http://www.whitney.org/Membership/WhitneyContemporaries.
The Whitney Museum of American Art is the leading advocate of 20th- and 21st-century American art. Founded in 1930, the Museum is regarded as the preeminent collection of American art. With its history of exhibiting the most promising and influential American artists and provoking intense critical and public debate, the Whitney’s signature show, the Biennial, has become the most important survey of the state of contemporary art in America today.
BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP designs, develops, produces and markets complete collections of women’s ready-to-wear and accessories, and select categories for men, each known for being at the forefront of creativity, quality and style. The Group is one of the worldwide leaders in ready-to-wear, encompassing a portfolio of over 20 brands including BCBGMAXAZRIA, MAX AZRIA and Herve Leger by Max Azria, among others, and a retail and wholesale network that includes more than 13,500 points of sale throughout the world.
The Whitney Contemporaries are the Whitney’s link to the future, carrying on the Museum’s critical mission of supporting American art. They keep the youthful energy of the Whitney flourishing, bolster the Museum’s commitment to risk and innovation, and involve young leaders and patrons in the fulfillment of the Whitney’s goals.
The Whitney’s Independent Study Program (ISP) was founded in 1968 as an innovative, alternative approach to the education of artists, curators, art historians and critics. This benefit provides friends of the ISP an opportunity to support the program’s continuing contribution to the fields of art, architecture, criticism and curatorial practice. The Whitney’s Education Department was established in 1966 as a venue for exploring new approaches to education for all age groups and to developing interdisciplinary, multidimensional programs and materials. Educational programs and resources are designed to make the Whitney’s world-renowned collection of American art and its comprehensive exhibition program accessible to multiple audiences.
