Aperture Celebrates 2024 Gala
Annual benefit honors Nicole R. Fleetwood, Richard Misrach, and Helen Nitkin, in support of Aperture’s New Home in New York City.
Aperture Gala at the Mandarin Oriental, New York, 2024 All photographs by Jason Crowley/BFA.com
On Thursday, October 17, Aperture celebrated its 2024 Gala at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City. Raising over $1 million in vital funds that help build upon Aperture’s established history of supporting artists, incubating ideas through its quarterly magazine, and creating landmark publications, the annual benefit honored Nicole R. Fleetwood, Richard Misrach, and Helen Nitkin, three individuals who have partnered with Aperture and have made an indelible impact on culture through their visionary art, scholarship, and advocacy. Looking toward the future, the benefit also toasted Aperture’s upcoming move to a permanent new home on the Upper West Side.
The gala was cochaired by Kate Cordsen, Agnes Gund, Lyle Ashton Harris, Kristy and Robert Harteveldt, Elizabeth Ann Kahane, Cathy M. Kaplan, Judy and Leonard Lauder, Lisa Rosenblum and Georgina Celebic, Jamie and Robert Soros, Jon Stryker and Slobodan Randjelović, and Deborah Willis.
A festive group of patrons, artists, writers, and friends were welcomed by Aperture Executive Director Sarah Meister, who expressed deep appreciation for their alliance with Aperture’s longstanding mission to create community and understanding through photography. Guests toasted with cocktails, enjoyed a formal dinner, and were addressed by Keisha Sutton-James, deputy Manhattan borough president, with a rally of support for Aperture’s work and excitement around the impending move to the Upper West Side.
Aperture Board Chair and Gala Cochair Cathy M. Kaplan offered a tribute to honoree Helen Nitkin, who has been an Aperture trustee since 2016. As chair of the Real Estate Committee, Nitkin guides the transition to Aperture’s home on two floors of the historic, landmarked building at 380 Columbus Avenue and 78th Street, which will augment the organization’s capacity to reach broader audiences who are curious about photography. “My involvement with Aperture and photography has been and continues to be my connection to the creative world. Where Aperture excels is with the publication of our magazines, books, and programs, and the community that Aperture creates around these artists,” expressed Helen.
Writer Geoff Dyer introduced the honoree and renowned photographer Richard Misrach, whose connection to Aperture goes back to his youth. He credits finding Aperture magazines and books at the Berkeley public library with helping him discover the medium of photography. Misrach has published eight books with Aperture and has a new title coming out in spring 2025: Cargo, a beautifully atmospheric meditation on the impact of global trade on the natural environment. “Aperture was founded in 1952. . . . It’s been around over 70 years! And it’s just getting started. New generations, all around the world, that perhaps don’t have direct access to the great museums and galleries, can visit their libraries and bookstores, and go online and get an education and inspiration otherwise impossible. May Aperture’s brilliant efforts continue for many decades to come,” said Misrach.
Thomas R. Schiff, Lyle Ashton Harris, Deborah Willis, Helen Nitkin, Elizabeth Ann Kahane, Melissa O’Shaughnessy, Sarah Meister, Cathy Kaplan, Casey Weyand, Lisa Segalas, Allan Chapin
Richard Misrach, Geoff Dyer
David Hartt, Sarah Meister, Ming Smith, Stephen Shore
Peter Barbur, Michael Hoeh, Dr. Kenneth Montague, Tim Doody
Nicole R. Fleetwood
Sarah Meister, Nina Rosenblum, Edwynn Houk, Lisa Rosenblum, Nina Celebic, Veronica Houk
Honoree Dr. Nicole R. Fleetwood, esteemed art historian and educator, was introduced by Dr. Celine Parreñas Shimizu, filmmaker and scholar.
“I want to thank Aperture for continuing to make my life full of possibilities. We are all here because we believe in the possibility of the image, and more importantly, the possibility of human connection,” shared Fleetwood. As part of her dedicated work to raising awareness and public engagement around social, economic, and political issues, Fleetwood served as coeditor of Prison Nation, the spring 2018 Aperture magazine issue and exhibition, which addresses the unique role photography plays in creating a visual record of the crisis of mass incarceration. Fleetwood will contribute to the forthcoming publication Kinship and Community: Highlights from the Texas African American Photography Archive (Aperture, fall 2025).
Guests appreciated an ethereal performance by musical artist L’Rain and posed for the Self-Portrait Project. Joining the festivities were many artists who have collaborated with Aperture on publications and programs over the years, including David Alekhuogie, Minne Atairu, Miranda Barnes, Dawoud Bey, Sam Contis, Kelli Connell, Lola Flash, Rahim Fortune, Ethan James Green, Lyle Ashton Harris, David Hartt, Tommy Kha, An-My Lê, Diana Markosian, Susan Meiselas, Tyler Mitchell, Avion Pearce, Kristine Potter, Anastasia Samoylova, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Shikeith, Stephen Shore, Ming Smith, Coreen Simpson, Kunié Sugiura, and Nick Waplington.
The evening featured a live auction, dynamically conducted by Sarah Krueger, head of photographs, Phillips, and a silent auction, with prints by more than twenty artists who have been central to Aperture’s past and present, including Diane Arbus, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, Stephen Shore, and Ming Smith. Several of the works offered at the auction specifically reference and explore New York City and will be on view to the public at Aperture’s new home as part of the inaugural installation, imagined by Executive Director Sarah Meister, that highlights the significant connection between Aperture and New York. A paddle raise, setting aside invaluable funds to continue Aperture’s work scholar program, inspired a surge of contributions from the evening’s guests, and was then generously doubled by Aperture Trustee Thomas R. Schiff.
Proceeds from the gala and auction sustain Aperture’s work as a nonprofit leader in the field, including its award-winning publications, educational initiatives, exhibitions, and public programming. Aperture relies on contributions not only from the gala, but from dedicated readers and enthusiasts, and accepts donations of any amount through aperture.org/support.
Joshua Chuang, An-My Lê, Kristine Potter, Michael Famighetti
Sarah Meister, Dawoud Bey, Kate Cordsen
Ava Donaldson, Isabelle McTwigan, Steven Chaiken
L’Rain
Lori Aldover, Artur Walther, Elizabeth Kahane, Andrew Lewin, Marina Lewin
Richard Misrach, Myriam Misrach, Kristy Harteveldt , Robert Harteveldt
Nadia Frye Leinhos, Tommy Kha, Sarah Meister, Miranda Barnes, Rahim Fortune
Oluremi Onabanjo, Brendan Embser, Renee Mussai, Tyler Mitchell
Celine Parreñas Shimizu, Nicole Fleetwood, Mary Baxter, and friends
Aperture thanks the 2024 Gala supporters, including Minor White Visionaries: Agnes Gund, Judy and Leonard Lauder, Lisa Rosenblum and Georgina Celebic, Thomas R. Schiff and Mary Ellen Goeke, and Jon Stryker and Slobodan Randjelović; Dorothea Lange Leaders: Allan and Anna Chapin, Fraenkel Gallery and Pace Gallery, Elizabeth and William Kahane, Cathy M. Kaplan and Renwick D. Martin, MUUS Collection, Melissa and James O’Shaughnessy, and Jamie and Robert Soros. Thanks to those who made the live auction possible, including Doon Arbus, Fraenkel Gallery, Arielle Bobb-Willis, Pace Gallery, Michael Hoeh, Stephen Shore, and 303 Gallery.
