Though it may seem that Armory Week and Frieze Week get all the action, the reality is that there is never a dull moment in the New York art world. From the East Side to the West Side, there’s always something happening at the city’s museums, galleries, and various event spaces. This week was no exception.

Independent Curator’s International 2016 Annual Benefit & Auction at Cedar Lake
When gallerist Marian Goodman was honored by the Independent Curators International (ICI) with the Leo Award on October 26 at its annual fundraising event, she gave a heartwarming speech in which she recalled riding on the back of Larry Rivers’s motorcycle and called herself the “queen of subway travel.” Moments later, surprising the audience, she gave her award away, to philanthropist Agnes Gund. “When I think of Aggie,” Goodman said holding the Tony Matelli-designed award, “I think of the most generous person in the art world.”

Guests joining ICI executive director Renaud Proch for the occasion included director of the Perez Art Museum Miami Franklin Sirmans, MoMA director Glenn Lowry, MoMA PS1 director Klaus Biesenbach, artists Rashid Johnson, Julie Mehretu, Maurizio Cattelan, and Robert Longo, curators Neville Wakefield, Isolde Brielmaier, and Kate Fowle of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow.

In addition to a live and silent auction, the evening, which brought in $452,000 for ICI, also saw Sirmans present Miguel A. Lopez with the Gerrit Lansing Independent Vision Award for emerging curators.

Marian Goodman, Agnes Gund, Klaus Biesenbach, and Renaud Proch at the ICI Benefit Auction. Courtesy of BFA.

Robert Longo, Rashid Johnson, and Kate Fowle at the ICI Benefit Auction. Courtesy of BFA.

Franklin Sirmans and Patterson Sims at the ICI Benefit Auction. Courtesy of BFA.

Renaud Proch and Noreen Ahmad at the ICI Benefit Auction. Courtesy of BFA.

Art in Support of the Hillary Victory Fund Auction at the home of Nouriel Roubini
As the finish line approaches in the presidential election, economist Nouriel Roubini and Mana Contemporary’s Eugene Lemay and Shai Baitel teamed up to host a private auction in support of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on October 22.

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The sale, which included 18 works from Moishe Mana’s private collection, featured such artists as Robert Indiana, Cey Adams, and Carole Feuerman. The over 150 attendees raised nearly $100,000 for the cause.

Cey Adams, Nouriel Roubini, Shai Baitel, Laetitia Garriott, Harley Lippman, and David Milch at the Art in Support of the Hillary Victory Fund event. Courtesy of the at the Art in Support of the Hillary Victory Fund.

Dear Bill: 2016 Aperture Foundation Benefit Party and Auction at the Edison Ballroom
Held on October 24, the 2016 Aperture benefit was co-hosted by, among others, the Talking Heads’ David Byrne, actor Jeff Garlin, and gallerist David Zwirner. Guests, who were instructed to don “colorful attire,” included artists Bob Gruen and Zanele Muholi and Aperture editor Michael Famighetti.

Among the festivities were musical performances from Bettye LaVette, Weyes Blood, and Alessio Baxin, set to a backdrop of photographs by event honoree William Eggleston.

David Raymond and Tony White at the Aperture Foundation 2016 Fall Benefit. Courtesy of photographer Jared Siskin, © Patrick McMullan.

Tony White, Pat Irwin, and Lesley Martin at the Aperture Foundation 2016 Fall Benefit. Courtesy of photographer Jared Siskin, © Patrick McMullan.

Kate Owen and Sam Shannon at the Aperture Foundation 2016 Fall Benefit. Courtesy of photographer Jared Siskin, © Patrick McMullan.

Studio Museum in Harlem Gala at Cipriani Wall Street
A record-breaking $2 million was raised at the annual gala for New York’s Studio Museum in Harlem on October 24. The event honored the Ford Foundation, and also saw museum director and chief curator Thelma Golden announce Derrick Adams as the 2016 winner of the $50,000 Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize.

Foundation president Darren Walker was presented with a gift of artwork by Jordan Casteel, a 2015–16 Studio Museum artist in residence and one of artnet News’s millennial artists to watch. In a moving speech, he praised art for its ability to help to fight inequality.

Darren Walker and Thelma Golden at the Studio Museum in Harlem Gala. Courtesy of Scott Rudd.

Chloe Wise Book Release Party at Brooklyn Bread Lab 
Artist Chloe Wise, who creates delightful knock-offs of designer handbags with a breakfast food twist, celebrated the release of her new eponymous monograph with a private reception on October 24.

Wise signed books while guests, including art dealer Jeffrey Deitch, comedians Eric Wareheim and Asis Ansari, actors Robert Pattinson and Hari Nef, models Ruby Aldridge and Barbie Ferreira, and artist Carly Mark, enjoyed pizza, lasagna, and chocolate chip cookies, as well as Stella Artois beer and cider.

Chloe Wise with her new book and Jeffrey Deitch. Courtesy of Jimmy Tagliaferri.

Carly Mark at Chloe Wise’s book party. Courtesy of Jimmy Tagliaferri.

Chloe Wise signs her new book for Aziz Ansari. Courtesy of Jimmy Tagliaferri.

Chloe Wise with her new book. Courtesy of Jimmy Tagliaferri.

MASS MoCA Fall Benefit at Tribeca Rooftop
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art headed to New York on October 25 for its annual benefit, which brought in over $850,000. The institution placed a special emphasis on raising money as it looks to complete its new building, to be named for longtime staffer Jennifer Trainer Thompson, soon to be head of the Hancock Shaker Village in the Berkshires.

Artists in attendance included Nick Cave, who whose exhibition “Until” just opened at the museum, and James Turrell, who personally pledged $5,000 to the facility. “What makes MASS MoCA special,” Cave told artnet News, is the relationship between its curators and artists. “They allow us to dream. It’s really special when you can realize an idea to its fullest.”

The top lot on the night’s art auction was a stunning, precisely-rendered concave drawing of the lobby of Chicago’s Field Museum by Ryan and Trevor Oakes. MoCA board member Charlie Thurston, a Comcast executive, snapped up the work, estimated at just $8,500, for $22,000 following a heated bidding war.

“I think it’s brilliant,” said Thurston to artnet News of the work, explaining that the piece was a stand-out at the brothers’ recent MASS MoCA exhibition. The work will be a highlight of Thurston’s self-described “modest” collection, and he has high expectations for the artists going forward: “I think they’re going to do wonderful things.”

Exhibiting artist Nick Cave, his partner and projects manager Bob Faust, MASS MoCA board chair Hans Morris, and curator Denise Markonish at the MASS MoCA fall benefit. Courtesy of Joanna Williams/MASS MoCA.

Nancy Maier, Dianne Steinberg, and MASS MoCA’s Jennifer Trainer Thompson at the MASS MoCA fall benefit. Courtesy of Joanna Williams/MASS MoCA.

Ryan and Trevor Oakes, Have No Narrow Perspectives: Field Museum (2011). Courtesy of the House of Nobleman.

New York-based dance troupe Lava perform at the MASS MoCA fall benefit. Courtesy of Joanna Williams/MASS MoCA.

Archives of American Art 2016 Benefit at 583 Park Avenue
Artist Catherine Opie and comedian, author, art collector, and newly-minted curator Steve Martin were honored by the Archives of American Art with the Archives of American Art Medal at their benefit on October 25. New York University Institute of Fine Arts professor Thomas Crow was also recognized with the Lawrence A. Fleischman Award for Scholarly Excellence in the Field of American Art History.

Guests included Agnes Gund and artists Robert Gober, Eric Fischl, and Christo.

David Skorton, Barbara Fleischman, Arthur Cohen, and Kate Haw at the Archives of American Art Gala. Courtesy of Michael Seto Photography.

Eric Fischl, Anne Stringfield, Steve Martin, April Gornik, Catherine Opie, and Arthur Cohen at the Archives of American Art Gala. Courtesy of Michael Seto. Photography.

Christo, Dorothy Lichtenstein, and Irving Blum at the Archives of American Art Gala. Courtesy of Michael Seto Photography.

Opening Reception for “Dan Colen: First they exchanged anecdotes and inclinations” at Vito Schnabel Projects
An exhibition of six mixed media works by Dan Colen opened on October 25 at Vito Schnabel’s 43 Clarkson Street space. The artist and gallerist were both in attendance, along withwriter Bob Colacello, Alice + Olivia creative director Stacey Bendet, and artists Nate Lowman and Jessica Craig-Martin,

Maks Ezrin, Gaby Rosen, and Bob Colacello at the opening of “Dan Colen: First they exchanged anecdotes and inclinations” at Vito Schnabel Projects. Courtesy of BFA.

Stacey Bendet at the opening of “Dan Colen: First they exchanged anecdotes and inclinations” at Vito Schnabel Projects. Courtesy of BFA.

Kate Greer at the opening of “Dan Colen: First they exchanged anecdotes and inclinations” at Vito Schnabel Projects. Courtesy of BFA.

Dan Colen, Vito Schnabel, and Ron Gorchov at the opening of “Dan Colen: First they exchanged anecdotes and inclinations” at Vito Schnabel Projects. Courtesy of BFA.

Luncheon for the opening of “Ena Swansea: New Paintings” at Albertz Benda
Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis helped celebrate the opening of Ena Swansea’s first exhibition at Albertz Benda (on view through December 17) with a luncheon at the gallery on October 27. Guests included Queens Museum director Laura Raicovich, Sotheby’s Eric Shiner, collector Suzanne Hort, and fashion personality André Leon Tally.

Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis at the luncheon for “Ena Swansea: New Paintings” at Albertz Benda. Courtesy of Sylvain Gaboury, © Patrick McMullan.

Thorsten Albertz, Marc Benda, Ena Swansea, Antoine Guerrero, and Carter Foster at the luncheon for “Ena Swansea: New Paintings” at Albertz Benda. Courtesy of Sylvain Gaboury, © Patrick McMullan.

Global Fine Art Awards Finalists Announcement at the Baccarat Hotel
Guests enjoyed champagne and hors d’ oeuvres at Le Petit Salon in the Baccarat Hotel on October 25 as the Global Fine Art Awards held a ceremony announcing its 2016 finalists for the world’s best art and design exhibitions.

Culled from over 2,000 shows from around the world, the 33 finalists included exhibitions from five New York institutions: Whitney Museum of American Art, for “Human Interests: Portraits;” the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, for “Maholy-Nagy: Future Present;” The Jewish Museum, for “Roberto Burle Marx: Brazilian Modernist;” the Museum of Arts and Design for “Atmosphere for Enjoyment: Harry Bertoia’s Environment for Sound;” and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for its hit Costume Institute “Manus x Machina” show, Diane Arbus photography exhibition, and “Pergamon and the Hellenistic Kingdoms of the Ancient World.”

The Global Fine Art Awards Finalists Announcement. Courtesy of the Global Fine Art Awards.

The Global Fine Art Awards Finalists Announcement. Courtesy of the Global Fine Art Awards.

Pixels of Fury New York City Competition at Irving Plaza
Six graphic designers from New York city agencies faced off at a live design competition on October 27.

Contestants had just 20 minutes to create original designs in front of an audience. Designing furiously to the sounds of classic boy bands and Britney Spears, Cryssy Cheung faced down David Reyes in the final round, taking home the Furious Pixel Trophy.

Designers compete at Pixels of Fury. Courtesy of Pixels of Fury.

Cryssy Cheung, winner of Pixels of Fury. Courtesy of Pixels of Fury.