At the Rainbow Room, Storm King Center Hosted its Annual Gala

At around 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday night, through the wide windows of the Rainbow Room, Manhattan’s jagged skyline glittered. Inside, a crowd of young artists and patrons—encircled by the Mark Dion and Richard Serra paintings up for silent auction—shimmered as brightly as the towers outside.

A few hours before, a more mature sector of the art world filled the venue for the annual Storm King Art Center gala. This year, the fête toasted two remarkable women: Lynda Benglis, the artist known for her wax paintings and poured latex sculptures, and Nancy A. Nasher, the renowned collectsor and philanthropist.

After the grand affair, Molly Krause and Afrodet Zuri—the founding co-chairs of Storm King’s young patrons group, the Storm King Circle—hosted a rambunctious soirée. As DJ April Hunt spun tracks, the pretty crowd danced and drank.

“With both the Circle and after-party,” Krause, who helmed the event for the third year, explained, “We work to usher in the next generation of long-term loyalty to the institution.”

Shining in a sequined gown, Zuri spoke of all she hopes to accomplish; “building a community through artist-led tours, intimate dinners and cocktail parties at my home, VIP art fair perks, and seasonal chartered trips to Storm King.”

In the shadow of the mountain which gave the outdoor museum its name, the Storm King Art Center, an hour’s drive north of Manhattan, offers a pastoral setting for contemporary art and design—nestled into the lush landscape are works by Alexander Calder, Sol LeWitt, and other modern masters.

“It’s the museum for people who hate museums,” joked menswear designer Timo Weiland.

Mingling with his fellow artists, Austin Lee, newly blond, exuded the same irreverent charisma as his massive works, inspired by the saturated aesthetics of early 2000s technology. At 77 years old, Lynda Benglis, with a scarf around her neck, brought her cocktail to the step-and-repeat and, surrounded by friends and supporters, grinned as the cameras flashed.