Inside the 2017 Aperture Spring Party and Dinner

The Surreal Landscapes of California ... A Witness to Resistance

Inside the 2017 Aperture Spring Party and Dinner

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

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Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

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Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Carly Lovejoy/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Carly Lovejoy/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Carly Lovejoy/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Carly Lovejoy/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Photo by Carly Lovejoy/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Carly Lovejoy and Will Matsuda/Aperture © Aperture

Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/PMC © Patrick McMullan

On March 31, Aperture’s Spring Party and Auction was awash with brightly colored ensembles, whimsical fedoras, turbans, and many a bow tie. Celebrating the pre-launch of Aperture’s forthcoming book Dandy Lion: The Black Dandy and Street Style, the more than 325 guests who attended were treated to an evening with Shantrelle P. Lewis, Dandy Lion’s curator and author. The event was co-chaired by Taymour Grahne, Darius Himes, and Thomas R. Schiff. During an elegant Host Committee Dinner on the rooftop of the NoMad Hotel, guests were seated at the table with Dandy Lion contributors, including Lewis, Iké Udé, Erik Carter, Ouigi Theodore, Rose Callahan, Sara Shamsavari, and Dandy Wellington.

At the Spring Party, guests danced late into the night under a disco ball at Aperture Gallery, where The Library Exhibition is on view. Accompanied by a surreal dance performance, the Afro Cuban rapper Kool A.D. got the crowd moving, along with the old-school hip-hop played by DJ Lumumba a.k.a. Revolution. The print Flower Girl by Hassan Hajjaj, in a unique red Michelin tire frame, as well as a pet portrait session with Richad Phibbs at the Humane Society of New York, were sold in the silent auction. Guests also vied for the special raffle items, including two custom bow ties designed by Lewis herself and a copy of Dandy Lion, signed by select contributors.

Courtesy of Patrick McMullan Company, click here to view Host Committee Dinner photos and click here to view Spring Party photos. Additionally, view all of the PHHHOTO booth photos by clicking here. If you would like to support Aperture, but weren’t able to join the fun at the Spring Party, we invite you to donate to Aperture’s Annual Fund.

For this brilliant and stylish event, Aperture wishes to thank co-chairs Taymour Grahne, Darius Himes, and Thomas R. Schiff; Shantrelle P. Lewis; Christie’s; all of the contributing dandies; AIPAD; Destination Artists Touring Agency; Patina Rentals; Patrick McMullan Company; PHHHOTO; photograph magazine; Stella Artois; Ziobaffa; KOOL A.D.; and DJ Lumumba a.k.a. Revolution.

Special thanks to the Host Committee and the Spring Party Committee, and to all of the Aperture staff, work scholars, volunteers, and ambassadors for their time and dedication.

Host Committee

Andrew Craven

Anne Stark Locher and Kurt Locher

Barbara and Donald Tober

Bradford Richardson

Cathy M. Kaplan*

Chris Boot and Tony White

Dandy Wellington

Darius Himes, Christie’s*

Darlene Kaplan and Steve Zuckerman

Darnell Moore

Ed Messikian, Fine Art Frameworks

Elaine Goldman and John Benis

Emily Bierman, Sotheby’s

Howard Greenberg

Iké Udé

Jessica Nagle and Roland Hartley-Urquhart*

Kasper and Linda Lindenbaum

Lori Grover

Magic Group Media*

Malú Alvarez

Michael Hoeh

Missy and Jim O’ShaughnessyNion McEvoy

Ouigi TheodorePatrick McMullan

Peter Barbur and Tim Doody

Raymond Learsy

Rita Anthoine

Rose Callahan

Sb Cooper and R.L. Besson*

Shantrelle P. Lewis and Tony Oluwatoyin Lawson

Sondra Gilman Gonzalez-Falla and Celso Gonzalez-Falla*

Drs. Stephen and Marsha Silberstein

Susan Gutfreund

Tabitha Soren

Taymour Grahne*

Thomas R. Schiff*

Whit Williams

Willard Taylor and Virginia Davies

*Leader