PREVIEW MFA ARTIST STUDIOS AT THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF ART + GET READY FOR THEIR FIRST VIRTUAL TRIBECA BALL

The New York Academy of Art is set to host their first-ever virtual Tribeca Ball on Monday, April 5 via live stream on the ball’s website tribecaball.com as well as the Academy’s YouTube channel, beginning at 6 p.m. The event, which was first hosted in 1994, is considered one of the most cherished events in the art community as it recognizes hundreds of emerging artists, gives them a platform to sell their work, and acts as a fundraiser for the Academy. This year’s event will honor longtime trustee and distinguished faculty member Eric Fischl for his 30 years of Academy support. The virtual gala, which will be free to watch, is set to feature a multitude of interesting tributes, conversations, and more. 

In celebration of the event, The Untitled Magazine headed over to the academy to preview the MFA candidates’ artist studios. Traditionally, the Tribeca Ball offers guests a chance to tour over 100 artist studios at their landmark Tribeca space. Transferring this experience to the digital realm, on April 5th the Academy will also launch an online gallery with hundreds of MFA student artworks, accompanied by mini-profiles of the artists. The gallery will be available online for a full month, and sale proceeds will benefit scholarship and programming funds at the Academy.

Tribeca Ball Honoree Eric Fischl, who is one of the most prominent artists of today, has endowed alumni residencies, taught master classes, conducted regular artist critiques, and mentored numerous students at the Academy. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, he created a limited-edition print to sell in aid of the Academy.

The Tribeca ball will additionally feature a musical performance by comedian Steve Martin and Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers, a conversation about Andy Warhol, founding father of the Academy, with Kenny Scharf and actress Brooke Shields, a filmed tour of the Franklin Street studios, where the ball typically takes place, and much more. The chairs for the virtual event, sponsored by Van Cleef & Arpels, are Scott and Sarah Avett, Nicolas Bos of Van Cleef & Arpels, as well as Steve Martin and his wife, Anne Stringfield.

Not even a pandemic can get these artists down as they make the transition to hold their annual affair virtually. As the Academy said regarding the canceled 2020 Tribeca Ball’s movement to a virtual reality experience last year, “a baller’s still gotta ball, am I right?”

For more info head over to the Academy’s official website, and make sure to browse our photo gallery featuring many of the MFA students and their artworks that may be featured for this years event.