The art and fashion elite came together for a good cause on Monday, attending Acria’s 21st annual Unframed benefit at Chelsea’s Sean Kelly gallery. Acria, a non-profit organization hailed for its tireless dedication to HIV and AIDS research and education, selected Olivier Theyskens of fashion house Theory as guest host for the evening, along with guest curator and much lauded fashion photographer Stewart Shining to oversee the auction.
With temperatures outside soaring, it felt as if New York summertime had officially begun, with Vogue’s Meredith Melling Burke and style mavens Stella Schnabel and DJ Chelsea Leyland making an appearance in their finest summer attire.
Prabal Gurung, Johan Lindeberg== UNFRAMED: 2013 Focus on Photography== Sean Kelly Gallery, NYC== May 20, 2013== ©Patrick McMullan== Photo – Nicholas Hunt/PatrickMcMullan.com== ==
Attendees cooled down with cocktails and champagne as the silent auction, led by Artspace.com, took full swing. Works by renowned photographers Catherine Opie, Robert Mapplethorpe and Herb Ritts were all up for auction, lining the walls of the gallery to tempt a turnout that included Prabal Gurung, Michelle Harper and Sofia Sanchez Barrenechea.
Bidders competed throughout the evening over sought after works such as Arthur Elgort’s ‘Keira Knightly with Elephant, Kenya’, Ellen Von Unwerth’s ‘Peaches’ and Will Cotton’s ‘Jen with Meringue’, raising a spectacular total of over $250,000.
Oliver Theyskens== UNFRAMED: 2013 Focus on Photography== Sean Kelly Gallery, NYC== May 20, 2013== ©Patrick McMullan== Photo – Nicholas Hunt/PatrickMcMullan.com== ==
