Museum Ball still setting records in its 55th year

While it’s no secret that the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) is an august cultural bijou, what’s perhaps not as widely known is its tendency to set major records. For example, it’s currently Canada’s only museum to garner a million visitors and has the largest membership, with 300,000 plus members benefiting from the collection of over 41,000 works of art.

Not too shabby. And none of this fabulosity would be possible without the commitment of the community at large, responsible for most of the privately funded institution’s operating budget.

Which brings us to this week’s spotlight soirée: the MMFA’s biggest annual fundraising event, the much anticipated, muchloved annual Museum Ball. Did 2015’s “Living Art Loud” event live up to the hype? You bet …

In fact, this year’s 55th edition continued the record-breaking with a record number of guests — over 850, a record number of young professionals representing the museum’s Young Philanthropists Circle and a sold-out ball by mid-October, coups that had a lot to do with the infusion of fresh talent on the organizing team.

Indeed, dynamic, forwardthinking chairs Victor G. Dodig, CIBC president/CEO (attending with wife Maureen A. Dodig), Calin Rovinescu Air Canada chief, (with wife Elaine), and Richard Speer, president of Attraction (with fiancée Ruby Brown), worked closely with the game-on steering committee chaired by Tania Dupont (with husband Eric Michaud) who made a point of mixing things up for 2015 by seeking clever creative collaborations with the likes of Lysanne Pepin.

A visionary artist, and entrepreneur (her atelier/shop Espace Pepin is a long-standing favourite on the Montreal shopscape), Pepin took up the reins as art director for 2015, and along with talented creative director Isabelle Long, of Ssense, brought a slew of native creatives on board to run with the theme and make their marks on museum rooms.

The results were fabuloso. Cheers to Judith Portier, Mélissa Matos and Andrew Ly (of Trusst), Oliver Stenberg, Eric Mackay, Annie Legault, Azamit, Emilie Grenier, Sophie Julien, A785, France Rudman, Laurent Veilleux, and Alex Lesage for rocking their artistic A-games and adding ample magic.

As for the food, entertainment and guests, all were the museum’s usual first-rate.

Dinner was a feast created by chef Helena Loureiro (of Helena and Portus Calle) in culinary collab with the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth’s Marc Lantanf and whiz pastry chef Patrice Demers (accompanied by SAQ wines). Entertainment was varied and compelling, featuring French hornist Maude Lussier with DJ Stéphane Cocke at cocktails, Shaharah and her band, Soulvation during dessert, DJ Zo at the after party; and dance performances by École de danse contemporaine grads.

And oh that glam-powerful guest list topped by honouree, Caisse chairman, Robert Tessier with wife Denyse; Margaret Trudeau and daughter in-law Zoë Trudeau; Hélène Desmarais; Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly and husband Frédéric Drouin; Stingray chief Eric Boyko with love Audrey Vallières; Fednav’s Paul Pathy and wife Marie Michelle; WANT Les Essentiels co-founders, Dexter Peart, with wife, committee member Maria Varvarikos, and Byron Peart, with partner Stefan Weisgerber; SID LEE CEO Jean-François Bouchard and wife, Vidéotron president/ CEO Manon Brouillette, Cirque part-owner and Caesars Acquisition CEO Mitch Garber with wife Anne-Marie Boucher; artist Marc Séguin; Balnea Spa founder Stéphanie Émond; Sun Life Financial’s Isabelle Hudon with love Gilles Coulombe; Transcontinental power pair Isabelle Marcoux and François Olivier; vedettes à la Mitsou and Julie du Page; museum top brass, director/ chief curator Nathalie Bondil, and board chair Brian M. Levitt; committee members and key planners not yet mentioned Marie-Annick Boisvert, Ruby Brown, Danielle Champagne, Pascale Chassé, Alexandra MacDougall, Hadia Nahfaoui, Michèle Plourde, Caroline Savic, Katia Robillard, Roula Rossy, Julie-Katerine Turcotte, Mélanie Vaugeois, Claire Webster, Anne-Marie Côté, Véronique Thibault — and so many more.

The dazzler raised a cool million. BRAVO.

JIMMY HAMELIN MODEL MOMENT Leading ladies Myriam Normand, Marie-Josée Rivard, Tania Dupont and Isabelle Chevalier show off good fash and fab at the annual MMFA Museum Ball.

AGNIESZKA STALKOPER COCKTAIL BONDING Jonathan Rotstein, Byron Peart, Sareka Sehgal and Stefan Weisgerber catch up at cocktails at the recent MMFA ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN DRIVING IT RIGHT Bravo to the 2015 steering committee who rocked it outta the park at the annual MMFA Museum Ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN POWER PACK Museum board chair Brian M. Levitt, ball chair Calin Rovinescu, steering committee president Tania Dupont, museum director and chief curator Nathalie Bondil and ball chairs Victor G. Dodig and Richard Speer stand proud at the 2015 MMFA...

AGNIESZKA STALKOPER NOW THAT’S DOT Guests revel in the whimsical event experience created by Lysanne Pepin designed by Oliver Stenberg and art directed by Eric Mackay at the 2015 Museum Ball.

AGNIESZKA STALKOPER COOL KIDS Herby Moreau and Ruby Brown pose with purpose at the 2015 MMFA Museum Ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN WELL HELLO THERE Nathalie Bondil, Michel de la Chenelière and Mélanie Joly enjoy the dotacular at the MMFA Museum Ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN MUSEUM STYLE DINING Electronic Arts Motive Studios founder Jade Raymond and husband Dan Velan, vice-pres of marketing at Velan, have a hoot at the ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN PHOTOGRAPHER LIKE WOW Paul Desmarais III and Mary-Dailey Desmarais make the grandest of entrances at the MMFA Museum Ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN STYLE CENTRAL Stylist and event artist Azamit looks her usual gorge in Tavan & Mitto at the 2015 Museum ball.

JIMMY HAMELIN RAISING THE STYLE BAR Committee member and owner of Zoï Agency Maria Varvarikos and Loulou fashion director Claude Laframboise strike a pose at the Museum Ball.