Excitement generated by the invitation to join the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for the VIP preview of Picasso Black and White ran so high that in the end more than 300 museum trustees, exhibition lenders and funders and special guests poured in for the cocktail reception and exhibition preview.
The cachet of the well-heeled gathering was due in part to the out-of-town visitors who were among the 160 or so guests who remained on to enjoy dinner. Among them were Guggenheim Museum director Richard Armstrong and Guggenheim curator of 20th century art Carmen Giménez, Princess Maria-Christina Sayn-Wittgenstein Nottebohm of New York, Gagosian Gallery's Andrea Crane, Kykuit curator Cynthia Bronson Altman and Guggenheim Foundation board chairman William Mack.
The cachet of the well-heeled gathering was due in part to the out-of-town visitors.
Underwritten by Bank of America, guests moved from the Beck Building lobby and Cullen Atrium, where the Guernica Tapestry served as a fitting Picasso-inspired salutation, to arrive on the second level Blaffer Galleries where dinner was served. Led by museum director Gary Tinterow, the program included remarks from Giménez, who curated the exhibition that opened at the Guggenheim in September.
City Kitchen served the dinner in the setting that echoed the exhibition theme with it silver tablecloths and black Chivari chairs. Splashes of color in the floral centerpieces came compliments of In Bloom.
Joining this very special evening were Anne and Peter Brown, Anne and Charles Duncan, Nancy Brown Negley, Louisa Stude Sarofim, Jeanie Kilroy, Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, Laurie and Reed Morian, Nancy and Mark Abendshein, Kathy and Marty Goossen, Clare Glassell and Christopher Gardner.
The exhibition runs through Memorial Day.
