MAD Young Patrons Bring Glitter Grunge Disco Downtown
WWD
Kristen TauerThe Museum of Arts and Design honored artist Derrick Adams on Monday night.
"It just started, and it's already popping."
Derrick Adams was leaning against the glitter-covered Cadillac parked outside of a raw space on West 8th Street in the West Village. The owner of the glammed car was Coach, a sponsor of the equally glittery event inside — the Museum of Arts and Designs Young Patrons Gala, which took on the theme of "Glitter Grunge Disco."
Adams, who has an exhibition in the museum uptown, was the night's honoree.
"Tonight is amazing, number one," Adams remarked. "To be honored as an artist for what you love to do is also amazing. And just being recognized by MAD, where I actually have an exhibition, is to me even more astounding because it just shows me that my exhibition and ideas were well received and appreciated," he continued. "The invitation was a good challenge because I really had to think about the audience and the mission of the museum, and how to engage with that mission."
The mission of the museum? To highlight the artists worldwide working in the American Studio Craft tradition.
"It's all about global craftmanship," Andi Potamkin Blackmore, a trustee of the museum, said during cocktail hour as she greeted a procession of glittering supporters. "The young patrons gala is about young people that believe in and support the museum," she continued. "The proceeds from it go toward bringing in diversity to the museum's permanent collection, which is all about archiving the past, present, future of craft and craftsmanship. While diversity always exists — diversity is life — inclusion of diversity requires active effort in structures like the museum institution. So even though it's 'super cool' now to be conscious of the way the world has always been, you have to put your money where your mouth is."
And later that night, between courses of summer salad and green ravioli, they did just that: Blackmore and fellow trustee Mike de Paola announced that going forward, proceeds from the Young Patrons Gala would be dedicated to purchasing pieces for the museum's permanent collection which highlight global diversity and inclusion.
Disco donuts — served stacked and covered in glitter frosting — at the end of the night only sweetened the deal.