Posted on November 30, 2018 On November 28, more than 750 friends and supporters of the Coalition for the Homeless filled Spring Studios in TriBeCa for the 24th annual ARTWALK NY charity auction and gala. The event raised roughly $850,000 to support the Coalition’s programs that help more than 3,500 homeless men, women, and children every day. The event highlighted the achievements of this year’s Artist Honorees, Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney, as well as the tremendous support of our Philanthropic Honoree, Suzanne Siano. Special guest Debi Mazar spoke movingly about the insanity of having so much homelessness and hunger in a city as wealthy as New York and recounted her own experience of being evicted from her apartment in 1980. The event was presented by Italian fashion house Max Mara, who has been partnering with ARTWALK since 2016. Artist Honorees Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney // Patrick McMullan/PMC Philanthropic Honoree Suzanne Siano // Neil Rasmus/BFA Max Mara’s Maria Giulia Maramotti with special guest Debi Mazar // Neil Rasmus/BFA Guests bid on beautiful works by more than 100 artists including Keith Haring, Ai Weiwei, Mr. Brainwash, Bob Gruen, Jack Pierson and more. Returning DJs Elle Dee and Mia Moretti ensured our silent auction was anything but silent – filling Spring Studios with great music all night long! Throughout the evening guests enjoyed cocktails featuring Hendrick’s Gin, Qui Tequila, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, as well as a selection of RAMONA beverages and beer from Stella Artois all while sampling delicious food from some of New York’s hottest restaurants including Acme, Brodo, Claudette, Colonia Verde, Manhatta, Mimi, Noted Tribeca, The Odeon and Untitled at the Whitney. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqyC-uPlDRg/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq8VI9-lpc_/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq8X33VF-yY/ At 8:00 p.m. guests poured into the live auction room while sipping on champagne in elegant, etched glass flutes courtesy of Perrier-Jouët. Coalition Board Chair Barry Berke kicked off the program by reminding the audience of the critical work of the Coalition for the Homeless, which relies on the generosity of donors to keep going. CFH Executive Director Dave Giffen then took the stage and told the story of Renata who, with the Coalition’s unyielding help and support and her personal determination, found her way off the streets and into a permanent home of her own. Art Advisory Board Chair (and 2016 Philanthropic Honoree) Mike De Paola presented the 2018 Philanthropic Honoree award to longtime Coalition and ARTWALK supporter Suzanne Siano, but first quizzed the audience on a few fun facts about Suzanne, pledging to donate $1,000 for every person who answered all five questions correctly and then bought a piece of art. Max Mara’s Maria Giulia Maramotti then gave a beautiful and heartfelt introduction to 2018 Artist Honorees Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney, who graciously accepted the award and spoke movingly about the importance of Coalition’s comprehensive direct services and groundbreaking advocacy. CFH Executive Director Dave Giffen // Patrick McMullan/PMC Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney accept the Artist Honoree award // Neil Rasmus/BFA The live auction then kicked off with the signature energy and style of auctioneer Aileen Agopian, who opened the bidding for stunning works by Louise Fishman, Nir Hod, Jenny Holzer, Alex Katz, Glenn Ligon, Jon Pestoni, Ed Ruscha, Kenny Scharf, and of course Artist Honorees Marina Adams and Stanley Whitney. ARTWALK NY auctioneer Aileen Agopian // Patrick McMullan/PMC At the conclusion of the live program, guests were treated to sweet treats and a little jolt of caffeine courtesy of Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream, Counter Culture Coffee, and Everyman Espresso, as they made final bids on the 100 works in the silent auction. With the help of Paddle8 and Crozier Fine Arts, auction winners were able to leave the event with their beautiful new works that very night! We really cannot begin to express our gratitude to everyone who helped make the 24th annual ARTWALK NY so successful. Of course, there is still so much more work to do. Tonight, 63,000 New Yorkers – including 23,000 kids – will sleep in New York City homeless shelters. Your support of ARTWALK helps the Coalition provide emergency food and clothing, eviction prevention, crisis services, job training and youth services to help our neighbors off the streets, out of shelters, and into permanent homes. And of course thank you to all of the generous artists who contributed their breathtaking works, to our wonderful sponsors, and to our amazing sponsors, and to our Art Advisory Board and ARTWALK Benefit Committee for the tireless work to put on this wonderful event. Your compassion and dedication bring us one step closer to ending the terrible crisis of mass homelessness once and for all.
