The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is looking mighty fine having celebrated its centennial birthday. No question, the cat’s pajamas of the Museum District has brought a wealth of art, culture, enrichment, and educational opportunities through its collection of more than 80,000 pieces. And as if local shebas and sheiks needed another reason to party, the 100-year milestone was the perfect excuse for a night to remember.
And so more than 375 attended the sold-out roaring ‘20s-themed bash, an evening that paid homage to the museum’s storied past while offering a stylish nod to its roaring origins.
Arriving A-listers stepped into the Caroline Wiess Law Building through a tented entry into an immersive flapper-era-inspired reception, an elegant speakeasy setting that transported the black-tie crowd back to the glitter and glam of the Mad Decade. Lush black-and-gold decor with eye-catching white feather centerpieces adorned the custom bar, setting the scene for specialty cocktails crafted in true Jazz Age style. Old Fashioneds and Manhattans made their way to hands holding silk gloves. The David Caceres jazz trio serenaded the room, adding a swinging soundtrack to the swanky atmosphere inside the 1958 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe addition.
Forty-foot walls swathed in hunter green velvet, shimmering with gold accents, created a dramatic backdrop for white and green floral arrangements and crystal centerpieces atop mirrored tables with art deco linens.
Museum director Gary Tinterow, board chairman Anne S. Duncan, and Lugano CEO Moti Ferder, the principal underwriter, each took the stage to add context to the soirée. A historic $3.5 million raised from the table and ticket sales. Special tributes included a $1 million gift from Nancy and Rich Kinder, and the establishment of the Jan and J. Venn Leeds Grand Gala Ball Operating Endowment, a $2-million fund that will sustain annual contributions to MFAH’s fundraising efforts. Underwriters included Cherie and Jim Flores, Lynne and Joe Hudson, Fayez Sarofim and Co. and Susan D. Sarofim.
Life Trustees and longtime MFAH supporters, Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, along with Sara and Bill Morgan, generously poured wines from their celebrated Aperture winery in Sonoma County, pairing with dinner from City Kitchen that included chilled poached lobster, beef tenderloin steak Diane, and a classic crème brûlée.
Between courses, guests were swept into the museum’s journey with a family album film showcasing the museum’s growth, expansion, and evolution over the years. Videos and slideshows brought to life the people, places, and pivotal moments that helped shape the landmark institution over the last century. An especially poignant highlight was the focus on generations of visionaries, particularly the women whose dedication laid the foundation for the museum’s legacy.
Brandon Wattz from Los Angeles serenaded the dining hall with soulful vocals, and the Astarte Creative dance troupe offered a thematic performance that had guests captivated by their sleek moves. By the time DJ Kiss took to the turntables, the dance floor was buzzing with well-dressed patrons shimmying in celebration.
Dames and gents present included Idit and Moti Ferder, Stuart Winston, Josh Gaynor, Tiffany McCauley, Franci Neely, Leslie and Brad Bucher, Cyvia Wolff, Lynn Wyatt, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, Tina and Joe Pyne, Durga and Sushila Agrawal, Pershant and Nidhika Mehta, Eddie and Chinhui Allen, Lil and Matthew Kades, Amy and Robert Urquhart, Liz and David Anders, Laura and Keefer Lehner, Lauren and Max Barrett, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Margaret Alkek Williams, Veronika and Marc Adler, Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees, Nancy and Butch Abendshein, Ann and John Bookout, Sara Dodd Denton and Will Denton, Lisa and Downing Mears, Sharyn and Jim Weaver, Polly and Murry Bowden, Kathy and Marty Goossen, Shelli and Steven Lindley, Lisa and Barron Wallace, Lisa and George Dodd, Logan and Charles Dresser, Jason Ryan, Sally Anne Schmidt and Marc Tabolsky, Carey Kirkpatrick, and Nancy Giles.
Photo by Jenny Antill Clifton
Franci Neely and Nancy Kinder.
