Inside the 2017 Aperture Spring Party and Dinner

On March 31, Aperture’s Spring Party and Auction was awash with brightly colored ensembles, whimsical fedoras, turbans, and many a bow tie.

 

On March 31, Aperture’s Spring Party and Auction was awash with brightly colored ensembles, whimsical fedoras, turbans, and many a bow tie. Celebrating the pre-launch of Aperture’s forthcoming book Dandy Lion: The Black Dandy and Street Style, the more than 340 guests who attended were treated to an evening with Shantrelle P. Lewis, Dandy Lion’s curator and author. The event was co-chaired by Taymour Grahne, Darius Himes, and Thomas R. Schiff. During an elegant Host Committee Dinner on the rooftop of the NoMad Hotel, guests were seated at the table with Dandy Lion contributors, including Lewis, Iké Udé, Erik Carter, Ouigi Theodore, Rose Callahan, Sara Shamsavari, and Dandy Wellington.

At the Spring Party, guests danced late into the night under a disco ball at Aperture Gallery, where The Library Exhibition is on view. Accompanied by a surreal dance performance, the Afro Cuban rapper Kool A.D. got the crowd moving, along with the old-school hip-hop played by DJ Lumumba a.k.a. Revolution. The print Flower Girl by Hassan Hajjaj, in a unique red Michelin tire frame, as well as a pet portrait session with Richard Phibbs at the Humane Society of New York, were sold in the silent auction. Guests also vied for the raffle items, including two custom bow ties designed by Lewis herself and a copy of Dandy Lion, signed by select contributors.

Courtesy of Patrick McMullan Company, click here to view Host Committee Dinner photos and click here to view Spring Party photos. Additionally, view all of the PHHHOTO booth photos by clicking here. If you would like to support Aperture, but weren’t able to join the fun at the Spring Party, we invite you to become an Aperture Member or donate to Aperture’s Annual Fund.

For this brilliant and stylish event, Aperture wishes to thank co-chairs Taymour Grahne, Darius Himes, and Thomas R. Schiff; Shantrelle P. Lewis; Christie’s; all of the contributing dandies; AIPADDestination Artists Touring Agency; Patina RentalsPatrick McMullan Company; PHHHOTO; photograph magazineStella Artois; ZIOBAFFA; KOOL A.D.; and DJ Lumumba a.k.a. Revolution.

Special thanks to the Host Committee and the Spring Party Committee, and to all of the Aperture staff, work scholars, volunteers, and ambassadors for their time and dedication.

Host Committee

Andrew Craven
Anne Stark Locher and Kurt Locher
Barbara and Donald Tober
Bradford Richardson
Cathy M. Kaplan*
Chris Boot and Tony White
Dandy Wellington
Darius Himes, Christie’s*
Darlene Kaplan and Steve Zuckerman
Darnell Moore
Ed Messikian, Fine Art Frameworks
Elaine Goldman and John Benis
Emily Bierman, Sotheby’s
Howard Greenberg
Iké Udé
Jessica Nagle and Roland Hartley-Urquhart*
Kasper and Linda Lindenbaum
Lori Grover
Magic Group Media*
Malú Alvarez
Michael Hoeh
Missy and Jim O’Shaughnessy
Nion McEvoy
Ouigi Theodore
Patrick McMullan
Peter Barbur and Tim Doody
Raymond Learsy
Rita Anthoine
Rose Callahan
Sb Cooper and R.L. Besson*
Shantrelle P. Lewis and Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson
Sondra Gilman Gonzalez-Falla and Celso Gonzalez-Falla*
Drs. Stephen and Marsha Silberstein
Susan Gutfreund
Tabitha Soren
Taymour Grahne*
Thomas R. Schiff*
Whit Williams
Willard Taylor and Virginia Davies
*Leader

Spring Party Committee

Alice Finnerty
Aliza Sena
Esther Zuckerman
Mike Tan
Sam Pritzker
Sarah F. Haimes