The Night Stella McCartney Fell In Love with Performance Art

Artist Rashid Johnson and philanthropist Dasha Zhukova were honored on November 1 at the opening night gala for Performa, the biennial of performance art, held at Stage 37 in Manhattan. The evening, which also honored the legacy of artist and choreographer Oskar Schlemmer, marked the opening of the 19th Performa, which was founded by RoseLee Goldberg andh runs in venues throughout New York City through November 24.

Guests including Cindy Sherman, Laurie Simmons, Wendi Murdoch, Stavros Niarchos, Richie Jackson, and Jordan Roth were encouraged to make art at the event before enjoying a creative dinner by chef Scott Skey, musical performances curated by Thuthuka Siblisi, and a balloon-popping fundraiser that took in $629,000 for the non-profit.

When she took the stage to accept her honor, Zhukova said, “As I stand here tonight, I am thankful to have grown up in a family and community that truly values creative expression, and have been extraordinarily fortunate to learn from the artists, archivists, and historians transforming the art collection and curation space in the 21st Centur. Just as the Bauhaus created a platform of creative convergence 100 years ago, we as artists, architects, designers, and entrepreneurs have the opportunity to affect social change.”