It’s a Modern, colorful world inside MFAH’s $1.9 million gala
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s annual Grand Gala Ball often tips its hat to the past. Recent themes have celebrated Truman Capote’s legendary Black and White Ball, Degas’ dancers and “Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits.”
Imagine patrons’ surprise, then, when invitations to the 2019 black-tie benefit revealed “Abstraction: Moving into Modern” as this year’s motif.
Glee best describes the mood outside the Caroline Wiess Law Building last Friday as some 300 guests arrived via a hot-pink carpet. Here’s a theory: It’s impossible not to have a smashing good time with such an optimistic shade setting the tone. Thus, from the entrance on, color played a starring role in the night’s success.
Take Susanne Pritchard, who served as chairman alongside husband
Bill Pritchard, and wore a watermelon hue for the occasion. With its goldflecked shoulder detail, her capelike frock radiated sunshine every time she moved — which, fortunately, was often.
That’s because the Pritchards chose to spotlight music (hey, it’s an art medium, too) in a big way. They persuaded Grammy Award-winning singer/ songwriter/pianist Bruce
Hornsby to make a pit stop in Houston en route to the first weekend of Austin City Limits Music Festival. VIPs were privy to a 10-minute meet-andgreet with the renowned performer in the Law building’s African Gold Gallery before he graced the main stage in Cullinan Hall.
Hornsby’s three-song set kicked off with his biggest hit to date, “The Way It Is,” which famously depicts aspects of homelessness, the American civil rights movement and institutional racism. At least six rap artists, including the late Tupac Shakur, have sampled the well-known track.
His opening number produced a full-circle moment and fitting complement to Houston-based, African-American artist
Trenton Doyle Hancock’s 54-by-18-foot backdrop, “Good Vegan Procession #5,” which swathed the dinner space. The artwork, originally created for Ballet Austin’s “Cult of Color: Call to Color,” brought a brightly colored forest glade to life with silhouettes of more than 100 trees dancing across a field, deploying the palette and visual energy of Abstract Expressionism.
In contrast, The Events Co.’s Lucite tables and chairs added a contemporary touch to the rainbow of wildflower centerpieces. All the better to frame City Kitchen’s cauliflower soup with preserved lemon and parsley, pan-roasted Maine Lobster and beef tenderloin medallion, and lemon meringue tart with raspberry sorbet.
Color. Color. Color. Presenting sponsor Harry Winston doubled the sweet treats by placing chocolate-filled “jewelry boxes” at each place setting.
The extra desserts came in handy once Jessie’s Girls got the dance floor hopping. Per usual, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor bested the crowd as king and queen of cutting a rug, though Drs. Ishwaria and
Vivek Subbiah gave the reigning couple a run for their money.
By night’s end, galagoers raised $1.9 million. As representatives from the Harry Winston Bright Futures Charitable Program noted, the company is dedicated to supporting organizations, including the MFAH, which strive to remove barriers for disadvantaged youth and enable healthy futures.
Maybe that’s why the parting scene of a predominantly African-American cover band leading revelers through the “Cupid Shuffle” and “Old Town Road” felt fresh, fun and, yes, a move into modern.