The New York Academy of Art is pleased to announce this year’s Tribeca Ball will honor artist Brian Donnelly, better known as KAWS. Presented by Van Cleef & Arpels, the Tribeca Ball showcases the emerging artists of the Academy, with proceeds supporting scholarships and public programming at the school. Serving as Chairs for the evening are music producer and art collector Swizz Beatz, Helen King, CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels Americas, and gallerist Per Skarstedt.
KAWS’ globally influential work straddles the worlds of art and design to include paintings, murals, large-scale sculptures, street art, and graphic and product design. Admired for his larger-than-life sculptures and hardedge paintings that emphasize line and color, KAWS’ refined graphic language revitalizes figuration with big, bold gestures and keen, playful intricacy. He has been the subject of major exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum and High Museum of Art in Atlanta and gallery shows in New York, Tokyo, London, Madrid, Hong Kong and Shanghai. He has created public art projects in the UK, China, the Netherlands, Seoul, New York and Detroit. Among his many collaborations, KAWS has designed magazine covers for The New Yorker, shoes for Nike and album covers for musicians such as Kanye West. In the past few months alone, he has erected an astonishing 11-story sculpture in Taiwan and caused a frenzy at Miami Basel with a limited-edition triptych.
In the spirit of Jacques Arpels’ motto, “To be lucky you have to believe in luck”, the décor for the evening is inspired by the iconic clover motif of Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection which has been celebrating luck for over half a century. Throughout the venue, guests will experience the magical universe of the Maison interpreted through dream-like visuals and symbols, visit more than 100 artists’ studios with the artists present, and view surprise musical performances, interactive KAWS- themed installations and a special one-night-only exhibition of Pop Surrealism in tribute to honoree KAWS. The evening continues with a dinner by Daniel Boulud and an afterparty at Tribeca hotspot Tutto il Giorno, hosted by Academy supporter Gabby Karan de Felice.
The 24th annual Tribeca Ball will take place at 111 Franklin Street starting at 6 pm with cocktails. Dinner begins at 8:30 pm. To purchase tickets for cocktails or dinner, please visit www.tribecaball.com or call 212-842-5123. Additional support of Tribeca Ball is provided by 108 Leonard, Artnet, Chubb, Champagne Bollinger, Paddle8, VOSS Artesian Water and William Grant & Sons. The Tribeca Ball will be preceded by an