“I used to think Bob Colacello was the most popular person I knew, but now I think Kenny might be,” said David Kratz, the president of the New York Academy of Art, who named Kenny Scharf, the artist and contemporary. by Keith Haring, hon. and Jean-Michel Basquiat, at the TriBeCa ball on Tuesday.
Mr. Colacello took the barb with long strides. “I’ll be merciful and say it’s not so bad being number 2,” he said.
The ball took place on all five floors of the school building on Franklin Street, bequeathed to the school by Andy Warhol. By 6 p.m., guests began exploring the students’ paint-spattered studios on the upper floors.
“It’s all about the artists,” said Eileen Guggenheim, the school’s president. “These are artists who may have never sold work before and who are showing the work to all these collectors and gallerists and supporters of the school.”
Among the crowd were prominent collectors such as Ashley Abess and Beth Rudin DeWoody, as well as artists such as Brian Donnelly (better known as Kaws), who spent some time in Telvin Wallace’s studio, whose work includes pastels depicting scenes from Wes Anderson films featuring young black figures.
Model Helena Christensen examined the work of Hope Buzzelli, who used colored pencils to depict a rabbit being dissected; and Jed Smith, who paints watercolors of cowboys inspired by his home in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Did Mrs. Christensen acquire anything? “I have to buy a new wall to put them on,” she said.
And Mrs. Guggenheim? “I saw a painting that I really wanted, and it had just sold,” she said. “But it’s been sold to friends of mine.”
At 8 p.m., the 250 guests, including actresses Naomi Watts and Brooke Shields, gathered on the ground floor for dinner. “These go back at midnight,” said Ms. Shields, referring to her diamond-encrusted earrings she got from Van Cleef & Arpels, a ball sponsor.
After an asparagus risotto appetizer, guests mingled between the pink-and-orange columns. The mood was chatty, even cheerful. “Benefits are quite boring to be honest,” said Mr. Colacello, who was dining. “But this is really fun, and it’s getting a lot of artists coming out, which is great.”
Tony Shafrazi, a pioneer of downtown dealerships, pinched Mr. Scharf’s cheek before planting a fatherly kiss. Beside him, Francesco Clemente tore artichokes with his hands, while Leonard McGurr, aka Futura, drew on his napkin with a Sharpie. (Later he put the masterpiece in his jacket pocket.)
After the main course of bass, Mrs. Guggenheim made a toast to Mr. Scharf. “This is the artist who created his own scene,” she said. Mr. Scharf returned the favor, telling how, before Mrs. Guggenheim taught him at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he was only interested in studying what he called the “three Bs: bongs, beers, and babes.” Mr Scharf was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate to much applause.
Mr. Clemente offered another compliment before the evening ended. “Kenny is the best human who ever lived,” he said. “He’s the nicest and funniest person.” Popular, indeed.