Last Saturday, the idyllic haven of Bridgehampton, New York, played host to the second edition of Ballroom Marfa’s much anticipated Summer Party. Hosted by co-founders Fairfax Dorn and Virginia Lebermann, with the help of executive director Daisy Nam, the starlit evening celebrated an important milestone for the organization.
The Texas-based contemporary art space is nestled in an art capital that counts fewer than 2,000 residents, but has gained an outsized reputation for its unique programming and enduring advocacy on behalf of working artists, musicians, and other creatives. Aptly located in a 1920s-era ballroom, the non-collecting museum is always free and open to the public. This summer, Ballroom Marfa's 20th anniversary offered founders, staff, and art lovers a chance for reflection and rallying.
Taking place at Lebermann's own home, the fundraising event received support from Farfetch Private Client and sponsors Meruert Tolegen and Orveda Skincare. The companies rallied behind the event, with profits going to support the museum's new commissions, regular performances, and its Farther Place residency program.
A who's who of tastemakers arrived in style, including Sheree Hovsepian and Rashid Johnson, Arden Wohl and Jonah Freeman, Lisa and Richard Perry, Hank Willis Thomas and Rujeko Hockley, Samanthe and Darin Rubell, Adam Pendleton, Meredith Darrow, Mary Weatherford, Robert Longo, and Matthew Day Jackson.
Guests were treated to Perrier-Jouët champagne, rosé from Sainte Marguerite en Provence, and cocktails made with Bertha González Nieves’s Casa Dragones tequila and Julie Macklowe’s The Macklowe American single malt whiskey. Next, partygoers moved beneath the tulip trees to enjoy an al fresco dinner crafted by chef Yann Nury. The meal was set on limited edition tableware designed especially for the Summer Party by Carla Fernández.
The Mexico City-based artist and designer served as the creative mastermind behind the evening, and is known for her decor and tablescapes inspired by the historical textiles of Mexico’s Indigenous and Mestizo populations. Also employed for the night's festivities were saxophonist Sofía Zumbado and DJ Rupture, who played sets that brought the crowd to their feet. By the final dance, only the lanterns hanging in the low-slung tree line lit the evening soirée, and guests retired for a final cocktail.
