Miami Art Week nightlife is the stuff of legend. This year, CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson and Ruffino kicked off the week's events with a festive cocktail party. Guests piled into Faena Hotel’s Saxony Bar last night for an evening dedicated to fine wine and art.
Attendees—including Gagosian's Sophia Cohen, the New Museum's Isolde Brielmaier, entrepreneur Martha Graeff, artist Hilary Pecis, Various Small Fires gallerist Esther Kim Varet, and artist Devin N. Morris—sampled the delights on offer from the more than 140-year-old Italian winery, renowned for its Chianti Classico and fine Tuscan blends.
Known for embodying the fine Italian art of winemaking, Ruffino wines showcase rich heritage and culture through their enchanting Tuscan estates. Founded in 1877 and marked by its dedication to enduring Italian craftsmanship, Ruffino marries heritage with innovation starting with their beloved Riserva Ducale Oro, an impressive and elegant Chianti Classico.
Following the cocktail hour, an intimate group of invitees—including author Carole Radziwill, philanthropist Katrina Aleksa Ryemill, model Inés Rivero, Entourage Collection Creative Director Lily Liebel, Tappan Founder Chelsea Neman Nassib, journalist Sloan Barnett, businessman Eddie Lampert and philanthropist Kinga Lampert, Petzel Gallery's Francesco Longenecker, and designer Rogan Gregory—arrived at the private residence of artist Rachel Lee Hovnanian for a dinner by Michelin-starred Chef Jeremy Ford of Miami’s Stubborn Seed. The Top Chef winner opened the American eatery in 2017 and is already preparing for the imminent opening of a Las Vegas outpost.
Chef Ford prepared a feast of cured hamachi, pan-roasted Florida snapper, Japanese wagyu, and more which paired perfectly with Ruffino’s Italian wines. Hovnanian’s lush garden served as the perfect backdrop while guests dined at a table overflowing with greenery. Ford greeted his audience tableside to introduce the meal.
Hovnanian, who mingled with guests alongside CULTURED's Editor-in-Chief, is currently showing work across the city during Miami Art Week with “PERCEPTION,” a studio presentation curated by Bakul Patki, and with her Body Armor II installation in the Ann Norton Sculpture Garden’s “The Divine Feminine” exhibition.
The artist’s towering bodice sculptures, situated around her property reminded guests of the delights that the week ahead will hold—a sentiment that Harrelson touched on in her toast to the upcoming festivities. All those gathered joined their glasses to kick off a night of raucous fun.
