WATERMILL CENTER SUMMER GALA 2015 – CIRCUS OF STILLNESS – JULY 25, NEW YORK

On the evening of July 25th, The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation hosted, Circus of Stillness… the power over wild beasts. This was the 22nd Annual Summer Benefit & Auction held at The Watermill Center. The event was yet another success for the foundation, raising over $1.9 million to support The Center’s year-round educational initiatives and programs that support groups of talented, artists in fashion, music, theater, and more.

The exotic and fantastical night gathered over 1,200 distinguished guests, including actress, Brooke Shields – who was also featured on the cover of The Untitled Magazine’s The Legendary Issue 7, designer Nicole Miller, fashion pioneer Fern Mallis, singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, performer Nadezhda Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot, designer John Varvatos, The Untitled Magazine‘s Editor in Chief, Indira Cesarine and many more. The night also featured a long list of rousing performances including Sierra “Rosie” Casady of CocoRosie, a cloud sculpture by Daniel Arkham, and over two dozen site-specific installations by artists who participated in The Center’s 2015 International Summer Program.

The night began as guests entered through a narrow canopy of bamboo trees, which then drew them into artist Cleon Peterson‘s,  graphic, red wooden figures that tower over 10 feet tall. As the night progressed, the guests toured the 8.5 acres grounds, enjoying the array of outdoor sculptures, artifacts, murals, and cocktail hour. The acclaimed graffiti artist, Basco Vazko’s newly constructed murals were some of the work featured on the grounds.

Dinner hour rang and it was yet another breathtaking moment during the event. The hour featured a mesmerizing and collaborative installation by members of the contemporary circus ensemble,Cirkus Cirkör, including a selection from Knitting Peace. 

The night, sponsored by Plukka, Rolls-Royce and Theory, carried on with more and more enchanting art work and performances.  An additional highlight of the night, was the silent and live auction, hosted by the Simon de Pury. The auctions featured over 125 lots donated by emerging artists. After dinner, guests enjoyed dessert and dancing to music spun by DJ Flaxo. There was surely never a dull moment at this year’s summer benefit.

Benefit Co-Chairs included: Lindsey and Ian Adelman; Shaikha Paula Al-Sabah; Sonja Bebber and Martin Brand; Giancarla and Luciano Berti; Lisa and Sanford Ehrenkranz; Wendy and Roger Ferris; Laura and Michael Fisch; Anke and Jürgen Friedrich; Barbara Goldsmith; Claude Grunitzky; Josefin and Paul Hilal; Phil Hilal; Maja Hoffmann; Carola and Bob Jain; Calvin Klein; Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane; Dorothy Lichtenstein; Eugenio Lopez; Honorable and Mrs. Earle I. Mack; Anne Hearst McInerney; Joanne Ooi; Inga Maren Otto; Katharina Otto-Bernstein and Nathan Bernstein; Lisa and Richard Perry; Tatiana and Campion Platt; Alexander Soros; Susan Shin; Barbara Slifka; and Christine Wächter-Campbell and William I. Campbell.