Creative Time Spring Gala 2016 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Last week, the Creative Time Spring Gala was held at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which will soon be the new Mast Brothers Chocolate factory (the brothers are also Creative Times supporters). Guests in attendance celebrated the new Executive Director of Creative Time, Katie Hollander, and honorees like Craig Robins and Rirkrit Tiravanija. With inspiration from the gala’s Miami Design theme, the night’s festive atmosphere offered an essence of South Beach, with delicate sweet and salty details cropping up as the night progressed.

Upon arrival, attendees were welcomed by a large wooden structure, beaming “CREATIVE TIME” from lights within, installed by The Gathery founders Nicky Balestrieri and Luigi Tadini. With time, guests made their way around several other special installations and treats, lounging on lawn chairs and enjoying creative edibles.

The night’s pre-dinner cocktail hour, provided by the evening’s presenting partner Bombay Sapphire Gin, included a DIY Gin n’ Tonic station, where guests could pick their toppings, and behind a separate immersive pool bar, South Beach-inspired cocktails were theatrically mixed—edible clouds (cotton candy), sand (sugar), and oceanic water (a light rose water spray) included. Another fun touch of the night: honoree Tiravanija’s bit-sized fish sauce ice cream cones and the “Negroni 5 Ways” amuse pairing (the glass it was served in was edible, too).

Dinner was designed by Creative Edge Parties, including artistic dishes like a Rubik’s cube-looking salad of watermelon and feta cheese and turnips on a bed of salt. During the mela, notable guests like Duke Riley, Christian Slater, Athena Calerone, Anya Rubik, Tim Sachs, and Sarah Hoover engaged in an auction at the front of the room with hosts like Yves Béhar, Paula Crown, Kara Walker, Jeffrey Deitch, Christian Louboutin, Michael and Rick Mast, and Ivana Berendika. After cake and ice cream (and a few more South Beach cocktails), the crowd made their way onto the dance floor, closing out Creative Time’s gala with a breeze.