AFMO Autumn in Paris Gala
On October 19 – 22, the American Friends Musée d’Orsay welcomed over 80 guests to walk with us through time and places and to discover private Paris homes, collections, and national treasures.
We honored our patron Jeffrey Katzenberg at a gala evening at the museum’s Belle Epoque ballroom. Surrounded by 130 guests, former Minister of Culture Audrey Azoulay inducted him into the Legion of Honor.
We begin our weekend with a cocktail in celebration of Spencer Hays at the Guttklein Fine Art Gallery, remembering our co-chair and donor among his favorite artists.
A cocktail reception hosted by Minister of Culture Francoise Nyssen at her 17th century ministry overlooking the inner courtyard of the Palais Royal follows. We enjoy one of the irresistible signature dishes of the Bristol’s Triple Michelin-Stared chef Eric Frechon.
Dada Africa at the Musée de l’Orangerie and Gauguin, The Alchemist, at the Grand Palais, begin a day, that includes the Banque de France’s Golden Gallery, lunch at the Hôtel des Invalides,and a private look at our ambassadors’ portraits at the U.S. Embassy. Difficult to choose between “The Art of Mixology” with famed bartender Colin Field at the Hemingway Bar and a privileged floral design atelier with Anne Vitchen, Dame des Fleurs , both of the Ritz Paris.
A cocktail reception at the stunning Marais home of Pilar and Pablo Molyneux, before guests explore Paris restaurants. . .
Saturday choices include: Unseen art collections in the homes of Florence de Voldère ,Hélène Nguyen Ban, and Florence and Daniel Guerlain, a private tour and brunch at Thaddaeus Ropac’s Pantin gallery, a walk through medieval Senlis with a visit of the cathedral, the art museum, and a light lunch at the château of Baroness von Hammerstein-Loxten. Diana Widmaier-Picasso guides us through Picasso and Maya: Father and Daughter, at the Gagosian Gallery.
On Sunday, we say good bye with a breakfast at the Bristol and a Luxembourg garden tour with Amy Kupec-Larue.
Please enjoy Barbara Gerber’s article for France Today Magazine!
Thank You!
An immense thank you to our wonderful guests who come to Paris to enjoy art and friendship. We already look forward to welcoming you back in 2018.
Thank you to our generous hosts for opening your doors!
Thank you to our sponsors Christie’s, Le Bristol Paris, Le Ritz Paris, The New York Times, Champagne Bollinger, L’Arganique Beauté, Guttklein Fine Art Gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery, Gagosian Gallery.
And last not least, we acknowledge the leadership, collaboration, and friendship of Laurence des Cars, President of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie , Cecile Debray, Directrice of the Musée de l’Orangerie, the administrators, curators, and all our wonderful colleagues at the museum, with whom we have the pleasure to work.
Thank you, Krystal, for beautifully capturing many special moments – www.krystalkenney.com
- AFMO Board of Directors
- Elizabeth Kehler, Susan Schoenfeld Harrington, Nancy Staniar, Verena Thornton, Kate Kies
- Maureen Higdon, Kevin Oram and Iliana Pappas, Glenn and Gayle Tilles
- Elizabeth Kehler, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Verena Thornton
- Andrea Labov Clark
- Nancy Goodes, Peter and Susan Solomon
- French Ministry of Culture
- Mary Lee Turner and Ethan Koh
- AFMO Chairman Elizabeth Kehler
- Minister of Culture Françoise Nyssen
- Françoise Nyssen, Minister of Culture, Marlene Hays, Laurence des Cars, President of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Elizabeth Kehler, AFMO Chairman, Brent Hardt, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires
- Minister of Culture Françoise Nyssen and Jeffrey Katzenberg
- Minister of Culture Françoise Nyssen and Marlene Hays
- Lisa and Richard Witten and Andrea and Paul Vizcarrondo
- Peggy Brim Bewkes, Susan Efron, Nancy Goodes, Capera Ryan and Elaine Pearlman
- Banque de France, Golden Gallery
- Patricia Abramson
- Verena Thornton and Joan Schnitzer Levy
- Dôme des Invalides
- AFMO Guests in the Hôtel des Invalides
- Kate and David Kies
- Lunch in the Hôtel des Invalides
- Suzanne Moore and Marlene Hays
- AFMO Guests
- Floral Design Atelier with Anne Vitchen, Le Ritz Paris
- Louise Harpel
- Floral Design Atelier with Anne Vitchen, Le Ritz Paris
- “The Art of Mixology” with famed bartender Colin Field at the Hemingway Bar, Le Ritz Paris
- Barbara Gerber
- Dean Kehler
- AFMO Guests and Colin Field
- Vicki and Steve Hart with Ellen and Mason Hart
- Nancy Blank, Lisa and Richard Witten, Karen and Paul Levy, Patricia and Alan Abramson
- Pilar and Juan Pablo Molyneux
- AFMO Guests at the home of Pilar and Juan Pablo Molyneux
- Home of Pilar and Juan Pablo Molyneux
- Elizabeth and Dean Kehler
- Cathedral of Senlis
- Mary and Stanford Mabry
- Marina Peredo and Ava Shamban
- AFMO Guests at the Senlis Museum of Art and Archeology
- Baroness Jacqueline Von Hammerstein-Loxten
- Deborah Ryan, Capera Ryan, Leslie and Bart Gordon
- ©AFMO/Krystal Kenney
- Diana Widmaier-Picasso
- Diana Widmaier-Picasso and Zuade Kaufman
- Musée d’Orsay
- Sally Ketchum, AFMO Director of Institutional Advancement, Laurence des Cars, President of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie and Verena Thorton, AFMO Executive Director
- Sherry Johnson, AFMO Vice-Chair France and Robert Johnson
- Leslie and Barton Gordon
- Dominique Mielle and Juan Carrillo
- Polly and Jonathan Levine
- Laurence des Cars, President of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie
- Elizabeth Kehler, AFMO Chairman
- AFMO Guests
- Audrey Azoulay, former Minister of Culture and Director-General of UNESCO and Jeffrey Katzenberg
- Audrey Azoulay inducting Jeffrey Katzenberg into the Legion of honor
- Jeffrey Katzenberg
- Elizabeth Kehler, AFMO Chairman, Lauirence des Cars, President of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Audrey Azoulay, former Minister of Culture, Director-General of UNESCO and Jeffrey Katzenberg
- AFMO Gala Dinner in the Musée d’Orsay’s Ballroom
- Anita Volz Wien and Byron Wien
- Caroline and Antoine Tchekhoff with Suzanne Moore
- Melissa Kaish with her son Robert Dorfman and husband Jonathan Dorfman
- AFMO Gala Dinner in the Musée d’Orsay’s Ballroom
- Luxembourg Gardens
- Amy Kupec-Larue
- Missy VanBuren-Brown and Maureen Higdon
- Mary Mabry
ALL PICTURES ©AFMO/Krystal Kenney