A night that included sightings of Solange Knowles, Laylah Ali, Mickalene Thomas, Nick Cave, David Adjaye, Theaster Gates and some of Chicago’s major art patrons including Ken Griffin, Jack and Sandra Guthman; EXPO CHICAGO’s 2015 Vernissage raised $250,000 to benefit MCA Chicago.
In it’s 4th year since being resurrected, EXPO Chicago has been gaining steam attracting major sponsors including returning presenting sponsor Northern Trust Bank, Tiffany & Co., Rolls-Royce, and to kick it off on the evening of Thursday, September 17, the Women’s Board of Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago hosted the preview night that drew over 7,000 people which included VIPs and the see and be scene crowd checking out the available art pieces from the showing galleries before the general public.
Co-chaired by MCA Women’s Board members Marlene Breslow-Blitstein, Andi DeMar and Loren Friend, Vernissage kicked off at 5pm and as guests ascended the escalators to Festival Hall, they first approached the Magellan Development sponsored Vista Lounge with its sleek white couches, where weary feet could chill and also learn more about the upcoming Jeanne Gang designed Lakeshore East Development project that will become the third tallest building in Chicago.
- Kathleen Henson, Maria Pinto, Jeanne Gang, Robin Loewenberg Tebbe, Magellan
- Mark Tebbe, Robin Loewenberg Tebbe, Sondra Karman, Tony Karman
Further down, guests with the yellow MCA slap bracelet were welcome into the special patron reception, replete with open bar of wine, beer, spirits and Ruinart champagne and bites from restaurants Ada Street, El Ideas, Goosefoot, Tanta to name a few.
EXPO CHICAGO President Tony Karman, City of Chicago and Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Michelle T. Boone, MCA Chicago’s Pritzker Director Madeleine Grynsztejn and Northern Trust Vice President of Wealth Management “Mac” MacLellan all took to the stage to address guests in attendance before the Ruinart champagne was popped.
Lining festival hall were galleries from Chicago and as far away as Tokyo, Paris, Helsinki. Guests walked up and down checking out everything from the freaky to the pricey pieces, while sipping complimentary wine from City Winery, beer from Lagunitas Brewing Company, Perrier and Wansas Tequila.
The night concluded with the after party on the Spirit of Chicago boat docked at Navy Pier with more food and booze and some who had to work the next day certainly nursed a well worth it hangover.
Notable names in attendance: Florindo Rozante, Elina Casell Hjalmarsson, Steve MacLellan, Linda Johnson Rice, Victoria Rogers, Desiree Rogers, Janet Mandell, Monika Dixon, Maureen Schulman, Madeleine Grynsztejn, Naomi Beckwith, Sasha and Greg Adler, Karen Uhlmann, Kristin Stevens, Chanel Coney, Brett Jeffries, Aaron Shirley, Meg Mathis, Alexis Geocaris Sutton and James Sutton, Raluca Agape, Graham Hickey, Alexa Winner, Nan Ruvel.
[new_royalslider id=”77″]photo credit: Toni Graves
