Power Ball, September 17, Toronto
Power Ball, founded in 1999 to support Toronto’s The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, returned on the evening of Sept. 17 following a seven-year hiatus. To mark the occasion, as has been the case in years past, a series of one-night-only installations took over the gallery. A party for key sponsors kicked things off, and as guests jockeyed for a spot in line at the bar, the first works emerged. A group called Imaginary Percussion Ensemble, and later, singer, poet, vocal coach and improviser Shaghayegh Bagheri and composer and pianist Kasra Faridi, contributed to a sound installation. Carolyn Vesely, the executive director of The Power Plant, as well as the evening’s co-chairs, Victoria Webster and David Palumbo, the latter of whom also serves as vice president of the Board of Directors, delivered remarks. Corrie Jackson, RBC senior curator, spoke on behalf of the bank, which was one of the night’s sponsors. Later, several hundred more contemporary art enthusiasts flooded the gallery for the main party. An installation of Ella Gonzales’s painted fabric panels were installed in the gallery’s soaring hall leading to the sprawling terrace, where guests packed the dance floor. Back inside, artists Rah Eleh and Sami Tsang, under the creative direction of Adelina Vlas, The Power Plant’s artistic director, took over the gallery’s two main spaces. Among those in attendance were artist and key supporter Ray Mantella; fashion designer Kirk Pickersgill; artists Oluseye, Derek Liddington and Kendra Yee; Alica Hall, executive director of Nia Centre for the Arts; and committee members Derreck Martin, Kulin Matchhar and Jennen Phelan. The evening raised more than $525,000.
Le Bal du MAC, September 25, Montreal
The Fondation du Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal held its most important annual fundraiser – a highlight on the city’s cultural calendar – in late September. The ball raised funds of $1.4-million to support the MAC’s collection. Titled “L’éclat d’un soir” (“the brilliance of an evening”), this year’s event was inspired by the radiance and intensity of contemporary art, as well as the essential role it plays in our lives. The theme came to life with a selection of works assembled by curator Erika Del Vecchio, including those by artists Arta Ajeti, Geneviève Cadieux, Wanda Koop and Suzy Lake (the pieces were also up for auction). In the middle of the dance floor, an audio-reactive visual installation titled Avec la langue, by artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, emerged, each sound triggering a kiss on a giant screen. There was also a surprise gospel performance. Marc Barbeau, executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Air Canada; Guy Côté, senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager at National Bank Financial; and Roger T. Duguay, managing partner at Boyden and leader of the Canadian practice of CEO and board recruitment, served as the evenings co-presidents. Also in attendance: Industry Minister Mélanie Joly; Montreal mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada; Philippe and Nanette de Gaspé Beaubien; artist Pascale Bourbeau; Claridge inc. executive chairman Stephen Bronfman and his wife, Claudine Blondin Bronfman; and MAC director Stéphan La Roche. The MAC, currently in the midst of a major renovation, is scheduled to reopen at its main Place des Arts location in 2028. It’s currently operating in a temporary space at Place Ville Marie.