High End Weekly™ – Page 21 – Design for a better living!

Ecart Celebrates The Creative Genius of Andrée Putman at Salone Internazionale del Mobile

Andrée Putman 1925 – 2013

Photo via www.le66.fr

The High Priestess of Style

Created in 1978 by Mrs Andrée Putman, godmother of French design, Ecart International keeps alive the tradition of eclecticism and timeless design, produced with the highest quality standards. With its unfailing affection for beauty and creation, the company obtained the rights of distribution of famous designers that have now become classics: Eileen Gray, Jean-Michel Frank and Adolphe Chanaux, Pierre Chareau, Mariano Fortuny, Michel Dufet, … Felix Aublet. More than ever, the brand asserts itself as the historical and legal editor of furniture, lightings, rugs and objects among the heritage of early XXth century.

ECART INTERNATIONAL: www.ecart-international.fr

Ecart International is representated in New York City by Ralph Pucci International

Jean-Michel Frank

Eric Jourdan

Jean-Michel Frank

Eileen Gray

Jean-Michel Frank

Pierre Chareau

Jean-Michel Frank

Ecart Design

Photos courtesy Ralph Pucci International

A Closer Look at the Upcoming Spring Show in May 2013

The Art and Antiques Dealer League of America (AADLA) has announced that 15 leading galleries from the United States and abroad will make their debut at the third edition of the Spring Show NYC from May 1 – 5, 2013. Once again, the show will be held at the historic Park Avenue Armory, the five-day fine and decorative arts fair, sponsored by 1stdibs, and the Manhattan Art and Antiques Center, opens with a benefit preview party for the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

“We’re thrilled to welcome an outstanding roster of top-tier specialists to the Spring Show NYC,” says Clinton Howell, president of the Art and Antique Dealers League of America. “And we are grateful for the energizing force that each of these dealers imparts to the fair in singular and exceptional ways.”

George Nakashima, Desk with Mira Chair, c. 1958, walnut and hickory with brass labels

Lillian Nassau LLC

The Spring Show

Among the new participants from the United States are:

Phoenix Ancient Art (antiquities from the 6th century B.C. to 14th century A.D.)

Alexander Gallery (18th-20th century American and European paintings, Antiquities, Asian Art, and Works on Paper)

Gemini Antiques Ltd. (Early American toys and Folk Art)

Lillian Nassau (Tiffany Studios lamps and glass, 20th Century design and American sculpture); Marion Harris (16th -19th century articulated artist model and lay figures, ceramics and decorative objects)

Pat Saling (Fine and estate jewelry)

Reville & Rossiter (Downton Abbey-style English silver, Cartier and rare jewels, period costume and paste jewelry) Southampton-based

Hollis Reh & Shariff (Fine and estate jewelry)

Jeffrey Tillou Antiques from Litchfield, Ct. (18th mid-19th century American furniture and fine arts

Queen Fine Arts LLC (15th-20th century painting and sculpture), from Miami.

Hailing from Europe are:

Marco Bertoli from Modena, Italy (19th-century Italian painting)

London-based galleries:

Gladwell & Patterson, (English and European 19th- and 20th-century paintings)

Sue Brown (jewels from ancient Roman through the 1940s)

Stern Pissarro Gallery (artworks by multiple generations of the Pissarro family, 19th and 20th century European paintings)

William Weston Gallery (Modern European and British Master prints).

Pablo Picasso Guitare Accroche

Gladdwell & Patterson

Superlative Photography as Fine Art

Valerie Belin, French b. 1964, Edwynn Houk Gallery

Photography has a sure way of placing you “in the moment”. And there’s lots of “moments” to be had when you visit the Aipad Photography Show at the Armory over the next few days. While attending the opening on Wednesday night, I thought of how fine art photography has grown through the years, and how my taste in this type of artwork hasn’t really changed. I still love the great black and white photographs by Irving Penn, Robert Doisneau’s photojournalism, and Robert Mapplethorpe’s graceful lines. At the same time, I enjoy the rawness, as well as the dreamy, romantic look that artists continue to portray in their work. All these elements certainly make it more alluring.

The AIPAD Photography Show New York is open now until Sunday, April 7, 2013, at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street in New York City. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, contact AIPAD at 202-367-1158 or info@aipad.com or visit aipad.com.

Hendrik Kerstens, Cosy, 2012 from Danziger Gallery

Staley-Wise Gallery

Charles Negre (French, 1820-1880) Hand Study/The Artist’s Hand

James Hyman, UK

Malick Sidibe (Mali, 1936), Nuit de Noel (Happy Club), 1963

Fifty One Fine Art Photography

Truman Capote, New York City by Irving Penn, 1976

Scott Nichols Gallery

Throckmorton Fine Art, Inc

Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery

Heidi Specker, Piazza di Spagna 31 VI, 2012

Photos by High End Weekly™

Tête-à-Tête with Art Deco Collector, Dr. Stephen Kelly

Stephen Kelly, M.D.

Photo credit: Josh Gaddy

Q & A with Dr. Stephen Kelly

For over thirty years Dr. Stephen Kelly, a successful ophthalmologist with a Manhattan practice has been quietly assembling a collection of rare and important Art Deco furniture, fine art and design and filling his ca. 1915 landmark limestone and brick townhouse with these treasures. Last month, I paid a visit to the doctor at his upper east side gallery, which housed an impressive collection of fine art deco, and modern works of art.

High End Weekly™: What is your greatest art deco extravagance?
Stephen Kelly, MD: Certainly the greatest one would be the Eileen Gray six panel screen. I think it’s really a wonderful piece. It’s a fine example of a great decorative art but it’s also a very important fine art. This piece came at a point in her career when she was changing from figurative to a more abstract, linear, geometric sort of work. This also was a very important point in the history of art. Paris was the center of decorative arts and fine art during that period. Eileen did all of her work in France. She was Irish, but was sort of adopted by the French. Her pieces are relatively rare and unique. Unlike Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, she didn’t create a lot of models.

Eileen Gray, six-panel screen, circa 1922-25

HEW: The decorative arts that you have in your gallery, I imagine, have a story behind them. Is there one in particular that carries a story you’d like to share?

SK: One of the most interesting stories is about a pair of ceramic pieces that were made by Sèvres in 1925. They were from outside of a Paris exhibit that was adjacent to Ruhlmann’s. These were purchased by Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. They brought them back to their New York City home. These pieces were their first experience with modernism, when John D. Rockefeller, Jr. built 740 Park Avenue, which is right here on 71st Street & Park. The building became a very prestigious address. The couple lived there in a triplet for many years. I brought the ceramic pieces at an auction at Christie’s, and to my delight, they had the original card which stated their address, and on the back, there was Mrs. Rockefeller’s handwritten note with the description on it. Of course, this piece was their original interest in the modernist movement because he went on to built Rockefeller Center in the art deco style, his wife co-founded the Museum of Modern Art. Their son Nelson Rockefeller did the famous Jean Michel Frank apartment on 5th avenue in the modernist style. This story is fascinating, especially because they lived only a block away from where I reside.

HEW: When did you begin collecting Art Deco and why did you choose this particular style?
SK: I started in 1982, and collected primarily because of the interior design concept that Geoffrey Bradfield and Jay Spectre came up with for my apartment. They had a modernistic art deco style of design for my home, and I liked the renovation. It was a kind of design that appealed to me and it grew as I started an art deco collection that compliment the interiors.

Photo credit: Josh Gaddy for the Wall Street Journal

HEW: As a seasoned collector, what advice do you have for young collectors? Why should they start with art deco?
SK: The best advice is to collect something that you really love. It’s a mistake to collect things that you think you’re going to make money on. Whether that’s art deco or some other form of art. For me, I happen to think that art deco is a good area because it works well with contemporary art. There is such a big trend to contemporary art these days, and art deco furnishing works well with contemporary art, whereas a lot of the 19th century period English or French furniture doesn’t work so well with contemporary art. For young collectors who are interested in contemporary art, I think choosing art deco is a good way to start furnishing your apartment.

HEW: Tribal art also looks good with art deco.
SK: Yes, it does. I’m not a tribal art collector, but I really like to mix it with my art deco. Asian art is a good compliment to these pieces as well. Especially the Asian ceramic pieces.

HEW: What do you make of all the various art deco fairs that followed the 1925 art deco exhibition in Paris?
SK: After the great depression, most of these pieces became too difficult to sell, and the more modernist sort of design surfaced in the late 1930s. The war came and put a hold in the whole thing. So art deco went out of favor for a while. In the 1950s, it was completely out of favor. Then the interest started again in the 1970s. I recall that the Eileen Gray auction brought great interest in the market. That was one revival, and it revived even more in the 1980s which is when I started collecting. Since then, the interest hasn’t waned, and it’s been pretty consistently strong. And of course the Yves St. Laurent auction in Paris in 2009, gave the art deco movement a tremendous boost. The highlight of that auction was the Eileen Gray dragon chair which sold for $28 Million – the highest paid for a 20th-century piece of furniture. By the way, I visited the Eileen Gray exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in February. It’s a wonderful show where they go through the phases of her life: the furniture, the lacquer work, architecture, textiles and carpets. Even the photography. I loaned my Eileen Gray screen to the exhibition. The one that I purchased through the Steven Greenberg sale last year in December.

Stephen Kelly
Photo credit: Josh Gaddy for the Wall Street Journal

HEW: How do you think your collection changed since you started buying?

SK: Your taste changes, so you sort of learn and tend to sometimes change the direction that you’re going. For example, when I first started collecting, I chose Lalique vases. They were mass produced at the time, but I only collected the period ones from 1945. After a while, I stopped since they were so many of them on the market. I ended up selling all of my Lalique pieces, which were featured recently in Quest Magazine. Since then, I’ve collected a number of ceramic pieces from the auction block. That’s a good example how things have chance.

The Kelly Gallery is located at 154 East 71st Street (Between 3rd and Lexington Avenues), New York City. Hours of operation are: Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tel: 212.744.0004.

Good Design is Alive and Well!

Marc Newson

Orgome Stretch Lounge, 1993, aluminium and enamel

Collecting design is similar to collecting art. It can get quite addictive for some. With fairs and auction houses offering the best of traditional, modern and contemporary design, there is no shortage to what’s in store for design enthusiasts, and collectors alike.

“I learned to enjoy design as much as art, if not more. After all, you can’t sit in a painting, you can’t cuddle up with a bronze.”

Adam Lindemann

Carlo Mollino, Arabesco table, circa 1950

photo via Bonluxat

Pierre Paulin, Elysee table with interior light, circa 1971

photo via Damisch Danant

Wiener Werkstatte silver vase by Joseph Hoffman

photo via Titus Omega

Jacques Adnet Leather Clock

George Nakashima

Early “Conoid” bench with single free-form arm, 1961

photo from Phillips de Pury via High End Weekly™

Rare and important walnut four door cabinet from Jules Leleu, Maison Gerard

photo from Maison Gerard via High End Weekly™

Arnand Albert Rateau, Table basse aux faisans, circa 1920-1922

Photo courtesy Christie’s

Serge Mouille floor lamp, circa 1953
Photo via Tumblr

Gingko Bench, Claude Lalanne, 1999. Aluminum,

From Sotheby’s December 15, 2012 Sale

Image by High End Weekly™

Maarten Baas, Clay Furniture

photo via Maarten Baas

Jean Michel Frank’s sumptuous straw marquetry screen

Photo via Art Deco Masters

Zaha Hadid, Tide for Magis

Image credit Design Boom

Wendell Castle, sculpture from Barry Friedman Ltd

Image by High End Weekly™

Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann. Pair of “gonse” armchairs, 1930-1932.

photo from Phillips de Pury via High End Weekly™

Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Top 5 Design Galleries in New York City

DESIGN POWER

In celebration of our 2nd year anniversary, I’ve chosen Design as the main theme for the week. After all, what will a great interior be without great designs? By design, I mean strictly the decorative arts. The design world has long held much interest for me. I find it alluring, and when a client express a keen interest in acquiring an outstanding piece from the applied arts, I work hard on researching and pursuing the very best for their collection. New York City is a haven for this type of art. While I was compiling the list of dealers for this post, I thought of all the outstanding galleries in this town, some of them have been in business for more than 40 years, others just arrived on the scene. It’s impossible to name them all, so I’ve chosen a few favorites. Some I’ve worked with, and others who remain constantly on my radar.

Above image from Anthony DeLorenzo

DeLorenzo has been coined undoubtedly “one of The best Art Deco dealers in the world”. His inventory includes designs masters such as: Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Andre Groult, Eileen Gray, Eugene Printz.

“In America, design has never really been an important subject.

In Europe, it is part of everyday life.”

Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman, R 20th Century Design

The design duo, Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman have made R20th Century one of the most distinguished galleries in the city, if not the entire world. They are best known for curating shows of Poul Kjaerholm, Joaquim Tenreiro and vintage Wendell Castel.

Barry Friedman is the proud owner of Friedman Benda. Located in Chelsea, the gallery specializes in some amazing cutting-edge art. He’s also the co-founder of Friedman & Vallois, and sole proprietor of Barry Friedman Ltd, which specializes in painting, works on paper and photography as well as design.

Maison Gerard offers an outstandingly beautiful mixture of fine French art deco, and contemporary design. The gallery has “helped form the collection of Walter Chrysler Jr., now in the Chrysler Museum of Norfolk, VA., assembled the Design Collection of the Utsonomia Museum in Japan; and built numerous private collections.” Founders Gerard Widdershoven and co-owner Benoist F. Drut specialize in Jules Leleu, Jacques Adnet, Jean Girel, Marc Bankowsky, Thomas Boog, Nicholas Howey, Claude Lalanne, Matthew Solomon, Hervé Van der Straeten, and others.

In the heart of the gallery district in Chelsea, Suzanne Demisch is celebrated as a leading specialist in European designs of the 1970s, Maria Pergay, Pierre Paulin, Stefan Zwicky, Joseph-Andre Motte.

The AIPAD Photography Show at the Park Avenue Armory

William Klein, Muhammad Ali, Miami, 1964, painted XXX

Hand-painted gelatin silver contact print; 50 X 60 cm

© William Klein/Courtesy Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

THE AIPAD PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW NEW YORK
APRIL 4 – 7, 2013
PARK AVENUE ARMORY

The AIPAD Photography Show is one of the world’s most important annual photography events, presented by The Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD). The fair is the longest-running and foremost exhibition of fine art photography. This year, my expectations for this exhibition are running high, and I’m particularly looking forward to attending the show, and getting acquainted with more than 80 of the world’s leading fine art photography galleries that will present a wide range of museum-quality work including contemporary, modern, and 19th-century photographs, as well as photo-based art, video, and new media. The 33rd edition of the show will commence with an opening night gala on April 3, 2013, to benefit inMotion, which provides free legal services to low-income women.

“AIPAD continues to be at the forefront of the photography market,” noted Catherine Edelman, President, AIPAD, and Director, Catherine Edelman Gallery. “Known for their scholarship and expertise, AIPAD galleries are shining light on extraordinary photographs by modern masters and emerging artists, images made in the past year by some of the most important artists working today, as well as relatively unknown work that is ripe for public exhibition. New and established photography collectors are anticipating another extraordinary exhibition.”

Damion Berger, Untitled VII, 2010

Pigment ink print on Baryta paper, Diasec mounted in aluminum frame,

74 x 61 inches. Courtesy Lisa Sette Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

Four panel discussions featuring leading curators, artists, dealers, and collectors will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2013. The panels, sponsored by Artnet, will be held at Hunter College in the Hunter West Building, Room HW615. (The entrance to the Hunter West Building is located on the corner of East 68th Street and Lexington Avenue, just one block from the Park Avenue Armory.) Each AIPAD panel is $10 per person. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are available for purchase at the Park Avenue Armory on April 4, 5, and 6 during Show hours. Tickets will not be sold on-site at Hunter College.

Didier Massard, Underwater Cathedral, 2012. Chromogenic print,

47 x 37 inches. Courtesy Julie Saul Gallery, New York

Weegee, Easter Sunday in Harlem, c. 1940

Gelatin silver print, 9 x 7 1/8 inches

Courtesy L. Parker Stephenson Photographs, New York

Nathan Benn, Drink Coca-Cola, Cape Charles, Maryland, 1982. Type of print

Cig Harvey, Scout and the Pomegranate Seeds, Rockport, Maine, 2012

Chromogenic print, various sizes. Courtesy Robert Klein Gallery, Boston

Vik Muniz, Orphan Girl at the Cemetery, after Delacroix, from Gordian Puzzles, 2008

Digital color coupler print, 87 x 71 inches. Copyright Vik Muniz/Courtesy Contemporary Works Vintage Works, Chalfont, PA

Joshua Lutz, Hesitating Beauty, 2010

Digital C-print, 30 x 40 inches

Courtesy Robert Koch Gallery, San Francisco

Matthew Brandt, Mary’s Lake, MT 11, 2012

Chromogenic print soaked in Mary’s Lake water,

Yu Xiao, Nursery Rhymes 01, Going to School, 2012

Epson Ultra Giclee, Size. Courtesy 798 Photo Gallery, Beijing

The AIPAD Photography Show New York will run from Thursday, April 4, though Sunday, April 7, 2013, at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street in New York City. Tickets will be available at the door. An opening night gala for The AIPAD Photography Show New York will be held on Wednesday, April 3, at the Park Avenue Armory to benefit inMotion, which provides free legal services to low-income women. For more information, contact AIPAD at 202-367-1158 or info@aipad.com or visit aipad.com.

Postcard From Cartagena

With its 400-year old Spanish colonial refurbished mansions, upscale boutique hotels, fusion restaurants, distinctive fashion labels, and fine jewelry boutiques, Cartagena, Colombia’s best-kept secret, is emerging as the place to visit this year. The country’s civil war has subsided and this vibrant seaside city is experiencing a stunning rebirth. While many visitors only knew about Cartagena from ‘Romancing the Stone’ or the fiction of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the city is resurfacing. Wealthy residents of Bogota have bought abandoned properties, and turned them into lavish weekend getaways-replete with terraced swimming pools.

The best way to enjoy this sultry Caribbean port city with its easy vibe is by simply putting on a pair of comfortable shoes, and meandering along narrow, cobble stoned streets past pastel-colored walls, and discreet doors that hide fountain-gurgling courtyards accented with tropical plants. During the day, when the temperature hovers over 90 degrees, I visited several attractions: the haunting Palace of The Inquisition, the Gold Museum with its fascinating collection of pre-Columbian jewelry and artifacts, the bright yellow, Baroque Cathedral. Café-edged plazas were filled with vendors selling watermelon, mango and papaya, and shots of strong espresso. A taxi is rarely needed. And the most romantic way to experience Cartagena is via, a horse-and-carriage ride through the city’s winding streets.

Outstanding works by Yoko Ono, Leo Villareal, Nick Cave, & Mickalene Thomas, to name just a few, fill the historic district’s museums, churches, pop-up galleries, industrial buildings, and public spaces.

Throughout the year, Cartagena hosts classical music, literary and film festivals. Most recently, the International Contemporary Art Biennale, Cartagena is taking place throughout April 7th. Founded by Nohra Haime, the ebullient owner of prestigious galleries in NY and Cartagena, this year’s fair is focused on paintings, sculpture, video, photography and performance pieces created by 120 Colombian and international artists. Outstanding works by Yoko Ono, Leo Villareal, Nick Cave, & Mickalene Thomas, to name just a few, fill the historic district’s museums, churches, pop-up galleries, industrial buildings, and public spaces. What enhances this experience is a chance to view art works within timeless locations scattered throughout the city. Just outside the city’s walls is Getsemani, a yet-to-be gentrified locale filled with technicolor wall murals painted by local artists, a vibrant street and lively nightlife. Everyone goes to Café Havana for late-night salsa and the best mojitos in town. Nearby, Casa Lola, with its rooftop pool, is the place for travelers in the know.

Left: Martha Stewart at the Palace of Inquisition Contemporary Art Biennale cocktail reception

During the opening days of the Contemporary Art Biennale, I attended a glamorous gala dinner at the Museum of Modern Art of Cartagena. The event attracted the likes of elegantly attired women and their partners in crisp, white embroidered guayaberas, various political officials (former and present), and a contingent of jet-setters from NY (including Martha Stewart) who always manage to be in the right place at the right time.

Colombians are warm and welcoming, and a chance to meet Colombia’s First Lady, Maria Clemencia de Santos dining with Cecilia Pineras, Chile’s First Lady, Nicole Furman, selected as one of Colombia’s most stylish women by Mexican Vogue, well-known artist Valentino Cortezar (father of fashion designer Esteban), among many others too many to mention.

Right: Mariana Zegarra, owner of Mariana’s Beach Club

For a change of pace, I booked a trip to Mariana’s Beach Club for a relaxing lunch. Boarding a private boat for a hair-raising10-minute ride across the bay, I arrived at Terra Bomba, a tranquil oasis where cerviche and sangria were served on oversized. white sofas in breezy patios. In very recent years, Cartagena has become a destination for discerning culinary travelers. First and foremost, La Vitrola is the must see-and –be- seen, highly-touted restaurant and club. Reminiscent of old Havana, this charming place is a combination of whirring fans, swaying palms, dark window shutters, and happy patrons who push tables aside to salsa dance. Reservations are a must. Another restaurant that I discovered was the brand-new, refined Frank and Frank. On its rooftop terrace, I joined a group of locals for rose wine and stimulating conversation, before dining on citrus-flavored filet of red snapper served with potato crisps.

Iglesia de la Catedral

I was fortunate enough to book a room at the Casa del Coliseo. Located in the heart of town in a lovingly restored 17th century colonial building, its owner, Juan Carlos Duque-Arilia, a well-known Miami-based interior designer, has created a chic and comfortable spot. With an unerring eye for detail, he has joined the old-world (historic photos of Cartagena, large salons with crystal chandeliers, marble-patterned floors) and the new (cable tv, A.C., wireless internet featured in impeccably-clean rooms with amazingly comfortable beds). Each morning, after a cooked breakfast, Maria, the tireless and attentive concierge, helped me map out a daily itinerary. And in the late afternoon, I would retreat to the rooftop terrace for a bracing swim.

Fernando Botero

The luxurious, terra-cotta-walled Sofitel Santa Clara attracts an international crowd that returns year after year: spacious rooms filled wit décor handcrafted in Colombia. fine restaurants, the El Coro bar, 1621wine bar, enormous swimming pool, and sybaritic spa make it a perfect getaway. I spent a perfect, languid afternoon enjoying ice-cream, endless iced- cappuccinos while taking in the sight of an extravagant, recumbent Botero nude in the lush courtyard.

Right: Centro de Formacion de la cooperacion Espanola

My week in Cartagena went by too quickly. On my last evening, I strolled to the Café del Mar, an open –air bar overlooking the ocean. Marveled at gorgeous sunset before catching a 41/2 hour flight on Jet Blue to JFK.

Casa del Coliseo

Rose Hartman is a freelance travel writer, photographer and author of 3 photo books about style.

Text and Images by Rose Hartman

Lead photo via Conor Fernandez

Paris in the Springtime

Capucine Café de la Paix, 1950

The Art of Georges Dambier

One of the great things about photography, I think, is the fact that it places you in the “right here, right now” setting, no matter how long ago that setting was. It’s all about the scenes we are familiar with, places that we love to revisit. In this case, the place is Paris, and the photography is from Georges Dambier (1925-2011). During its cultural elevation – right at the end of the second world war, Dambier, then 20 years old, captured the city of lights, and all of its vibrant nightlife, glamorous celebrities, and the typical elegant Parisiens. After exploring all of his muses, and inspirations, with a penchant for graphic design and aesthetics, and his liking for refined mise-en-scene, he was lead towards the inevitable – fashion photography.

Karen Blanguernon Montmartre, Magazine Elle, 1959

Sophie Litvak bus stop, Magazine Elle, 1952

Sophie Litvak and little dog, Magazine Elle, 1952

Gunilla Parking

Marie Helene Arnaud the red fish, Magazine Elle, 1957

Simone d’Aillencourt MG Girl, 1957

Sophie Litvak Avenue Messine, Magazine Elle, 1953

Sophie Litvak sac à main

Catherine Hotel Palace Biarritz

Pin up Deauville

Catherine Surfboard Biarritz

Fille Colonne Morris Magazine Jardin des modes

Bettina Miro

Suzy Parker Tour Eiffel

Marie Helene Arnaud Cap d’Antibes Mirror

Suzy Parker with red tulips

Dorian Leigh Cheminée, Magazine Nouveau Fémina, 1954

Suzy Parker Casablanca Airport, Magazine Elle, 1953

Images credited to Peter Fetterman Gallery

Bailey House 30th Anniversary Auction & Gala

Dear readers, just a few days ago, I sat down with interior designer Alan Tanksley at his sumptuous office soaring above a busy 5th Avenue building in the Chelsea neighborhood. I had a refreshing, in-depth conversation with Alan, as we spoke about one of New York’s most anticipated event, The Bailey House 30th Anniversary Auction & Gala. Alan explained how last year, the gala attracted over 800 affluent, philanthropic New York trendsetters. Through generous sponsorships, bidding wars and celebrity buzz, this organization have raised over $12 million dollars since their inaugural event. All proceeds from the Auction & Gala have gone directly to provide housing and supportive services for Bailey House clients.

High End Weekly™: When was Bailey House founded and why did you decide to get involved?

Alan Tanksley: The organization was founded in 1983, a few years after the Aids crisis decimated the gay and lesbian communities. As we are very well aware, in the 21st Century, the Aids epidemic has reached various groups of people and communities throughout the world. Back then, however, there were all these new organizations that were formed, and people were galvanized into action. During that time, a great number of people lost their homes because they were unable to work, and some were even kicked out of their apartments because they had this disease. People were rejected by their families, and homelessness became a huge issue very quickly. Bailey House played a masterful role in helping those who fell victim to Aids and the consequent increase in homelessness.

In a way, Bailey House became a hospice of sorts, a place of refuge. Our catch phrase were: The Future Begins With A Place To Live. With shelter, your health is improve, your regularity of taking medicines, all of these elements play a major part to your well-being. In 1988, a group of my friends and I – all young professionals, took it upon ourselves to rally support for medical research, civil rights, and legal issues from various organizations.

One of these organizations was Bailey House. At that time, it was known as the Aids Resource Center (ARC). However, after five hears into our organization, we were dissolved for various reasons – some of them were quite painful. It was then that I was approached by one of the main members from Bailey House. When I came on board, it was meant to be temporary, but 30 years later – and 25 years of personal involvement, I found that this is still a dynamic organization which has grown in a tremendous way.

HEW: The fundraising gala on March 28th is fast approaching. Tell me about it, and who are your special guests?

AT: The gala itself is truly an incredibly event. Plus it’s spring, so it’s a time for new beginnings, a time for romance, possibly. During the auction, people can bid on some knockout furniture and art works as well as a variety of dazzling fashion. Guests will experience glamorous vignettes from these interior designers: John Lyle, John Eason, and myself. This year, yet again, we have a tremendous amount of prodigious items to be auctioned off.

HEW: Really? What are they?

AT: Photography by Herb Ritts & Robert Mapplethorpe. Art by Hunt Slonem & a Private Cocktail Party for 25 at Hunt’s studio. Portrait sittings by Andres Serrano & Mark Beard, Premium opening night tickets to Alan Cumming’s one-man Macbeth on Broadway Exotic vacations in Mexico, Costa Rica & other desirable global destinations. Week-long luxury stay in the Hamptons for four Accessories from Prada, Marc Jacobs, Brooks Brothers. Fitness memberships to Crunch & Equinox. Weekend at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Tickets to Watch What Happens Live, The Colbert Report & many other hits of stage and screen. Loehmann’s Shopping Spree. Tourneau Watch, Hot Air Balloon Ride. A│X Armani Exchange Leather Jacket, a 1920s Gustav Klimt Print and more.

HEW: Wow. That is exciting, indeed! And the special guests you have lined up are?

AT: We have Susan Sarandon, Julianne Moore, Todd Oldham, Wendy Williams, Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler, Tim Gunn, Bobby and Jill Zarin, Andy Cohen, Terrence Meck and Breton Alberty, Lucy Arnaz, John Bartlett and John Esty, J. Goodwin Bland and Michael Katovitz, David Mixner, Kevin Sessums, Grant Shaffer, Toby Usnik, Carmen Marc Valvo and Jane Pauley will be hosting the evening.

HEW: This truly will be a fun party, plus it’s for such a good cause. Finally, tell me about the honorary awards.

AT: The Arts & Legacy Award Honoree goes to Alan Cumming. Rand Harlan Skolnick will receive the Corporate Responsibility Award. The Honoree is Harlan Bratcher, President & CEO of A/X Armani Exchange Bingham McCutchen. The auction emcee is Ray DeForest, and the host for the evening is Jane Pauley.

As I mentioned from the beginning, The Bailey House Auction & Gala has a rich legacy as a highlight of the New York City benefit season. It has been covered by the NYT’s Bill Cunningham, Patrick McMullan, ABC News, NBC News, DNAinfo.com, Dan’s Papers, the Daily News, The New York Post, CBS Radio, NY1 and other media outlets. In addition, there is a long list of high profile companies that have consistently supported us, including Armani, Coach, New York Yankees, Coca-Cola, Patron, Orbitz, Swiss Air, CBS, Baccarat, The W Hotel Group, ABC/Disney, Judith Ripka, DKNY, Hugo Boss, Wells Fargo and West Elm/Williams Sonoma, among many others. For tickets please visit www.baileyhouse.org.