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Moving Pictures The Phillips Collection brings Hollywood glamour to its annual gala BY SAMIA FAROUKI
The Phillips Collection is one of my favorite places in Washington. In a city filled with museums, it is uniquely intimate and charming. This year marks the 85th anniversary of the Phillips, and what a year it has been! Last spring the beautiful new Sant building opened with expanded exhibition space, a 180-seat auditorium and a state-of-the-art library. On display right now is an example of how The Phillips is marrying the past with the future. Moving Pictures: American Art and Early Film is a fascinating look at how the earliest filmmakers used American art as their inspiration. There are more than 44 flatscreen televisions installed throughout the museum, juxtaposed with 85 paintings, illustrations, photographs, posters and flipbooks from 1880- 1910 that inspired these films. Moving Pictures reveals how the powerful relationship between film and the visual arts created a radically new vision of modern life. When George Vradenburg, chairman of the Phillips' board of trustees, asked me to serve as one of the co-chairs of the 2007 Annual Gala on May 4th, I was thrilled by the idea of constructing an evening around this exhibit. I knew that the 2007 gala had to be exquisite in order to maintain the high standards set by last year's event. My friend David Tutera, a New York designer and television personality, created an incredible affair by transforming a tent on the grounds of Katharine Graham's former estate into a French-themed masterpiece. David is once again on board to create an aura of magic for the Phillips' largest annual fundraiser. A red carpet, feather boas and klieg lights will welcome blackand- white clad guests as they are transported to an early Hollywood movie premiere. After witnessing the Moving Pictures exhibit, we will be seated in one of fifteen different galleries to dine amid masterworks of modern art. After dinner, the party moves one short block to historic Anderson House for a dessert reception - and, of course, dancing! Splashed in shades of red, the finale will rival any glamorous Hollywood after-party. The most significant and enduring aspect of the evening will be the impact it has on the museum's education and outreach initiatives. The Phillips has introduced more than 75,000 students, teachers and families to modern art though award-winning educational programs. The funds raised from the Gala will ensure that the Phillips can continue providing our community with meaningful art experiences. For more information on The Phillips Collection gala call (202) 387-3151 ext. 315 or visit www.phillipcollection.org
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