Somewhere between the first clink of a Ketel One martini and the final euphoric thump of a Juliana Huxtable DJ set, a night of pure cultural intoxication bloomed in full, florid glory.
On April 9, the Metropolitan Pavilion was no ordinary venue—it was transformed into a lush, kaleidoscopic Eden of art, elegance, and effervescence, courtesy of the Public Art Fund’s Spring Gala. In the city that never sleeps, this was the night that shimmered.
Guests drifted in like visions—curators, collectors, creators, and bon vivants—wrapped in silk, sequins, and the scent of opportunity. The cocktails flowed freely from Diageo’s finest—Zacapa rum with its caramel undertones, crisp Don Julio whispers of agave, and the botanical elegance of Tanqueray—all flirted charmingly with beer by Heineken and non-alcoholic spirits by the ever-chic Ghia. This was not a gala; it was a fever dream of taste and texture, where every sip had an accent.
The room buzzed with kinetic glamour as artist-designed ping pong paddles (yes, you read that correctly) clacked in rhythm—each one a collector’s treasure in its own right by the likes of Carlos H. Matos, Ilana Harris-Babou, Las Hermanas Iglesias, Moko Fukuyama, and Amalia Pica. These playful flourishes teased the audience with hints of what’s to come in Between Tides, this summer’s deeply interactive beachside exhibition at Rockaway.
Over 300 guests took their seats for a decadent dinner by Canard Inc., as the mood shifted from gallery-chic to something approaching celestial. Paul Anthony Smith, ever the poet of pattern and portraiture, directed the evening’s aesthetic as if conjuring joy itself—his vision translated into intricate tablescapes, floral drama, and a dining experience laced with liberation.
And oh, the menus—they read like whispered secrets from another, more fabulous dimension.
Then came Carmen Winant’s immersive portrait installation—a dreamlike studio moment that turned each guest into muse. As the evening advanced, the artwork literally expanded around us, a blossoming metaphor for inclusion and intimacy. The room itself became a living, breathing collage of faces and feeling.
The silent auction, pulsing beneath the surface like a secret heartbeat, featured an extraordinary roster of 41 international artists, from the revered George Condo to the luminescent Sarah Sze, the raw lyricism of Hank Willis Thomas, to the surreal elegance of Carmen Winant and Monira Al Qadiri. Powered by Artsy, up to 25% of net proceeds circled back to the artists—a rare and reverent act in an often transactional art world.
Then the lights dimmed, the tempo surged, and the After Party swept us all into its glittering wake. MeLo-X and Juliana Huxtable spun sonic spells as guests twirled in Dior, Dries, and downtown cool.
Meanwhile, Chef Malcolm Livingston II—former pastry maestro at wd~50 and Noma—delivered divine intervention in the form of August Novelties’ ice cream bar. This was no mere dessert; it was sensuality on a sugar cone.
This night was not just a fête—it was a declaration. A jubilant, subversive, exquisitely curated manifesto on what public art should be: joyful, generous, unapologetically alive.
As the Public Art Fund launches its spring and summer programming, with works by Torkwase Dyson, Thaddeus Mosley, Paul Anthony Smith, and the Between Tides collective, the message is clear: New York belongs to the dreamers, the makers, and the provocateurs.
And darling, so do the after parties.
For more information, visit PublicArtFund.org or follow @PublicArtFund | #PAFParty
