Rebecca Wang joins directors, trustees and other patrons at National Gallery black tie dinner

Rebecca Wang joins directors, trustees and other patrons at National Gallery black tie dinner

Thursday 20th November saw the National Gallery in London welcome patrons, trustees to an exclusive evening viewing of paintings including a new acquisition and Monet paintings, followed by dinner. The evening was held in recognition and appreciation of their longstanding and significant support for the institution and its work.

Among those attending were Nicholas Penny, Gallery Director, Mark Getty, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and longstanding patron Hollywood executive producer Rebecca Wang, who is passionate about all art forms. She said "it is a privilege and pleasure to be patron to such a historic gallery which has such a breath-taking public collection of works and which does so very much to make those works accessible and enjoyable for all."

The National Gallery is also the first public collection of art in the United Kingdom and opens free of charge to the public on 361 days of the year. As a non-departmental body in the government’s Culture Media and Sport department the gallery is an exempt charity. Private funding and donations have enabled major purchases and renovation or new work such as the recent west Sainsbury Wing extension while new significant acquisitions have been achieved via the help of major public appeals.

It came into existence in 1824, after ten paintings were gifted to the nation on the condition that the government also acquired a private collection of 38 works for this end, and find suitable exhibiting space. This was done and the 48 paintings were first shown in a town house in Pall Mall.

Work on the present building in Trafalgar Square began in 1832 and the central London location fufilled the gallery’s commitment to be accessible to all social classes. Today with Trafalgar Square a top tourist destination, the gallery is continually busy, both with visitors who chance upon it while in the square and with those for whom it is a place of pilgrimage. After the Louvre, the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery is the fourth most visited museum in the world.

The first works in the collection were mainly Renaissance, but numerous acquisitions and bequests have vastly extended its range. Today art lovers may see paintings from a collection of some 3,200 works which range from the 13th century to 1900. Among the exceptional and internationally known and loved paintings on view are Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin on the Rocks, Turner’s Fighting Temeraire, Monet’s Water Lily Pond and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. Visitors will also find works by Durer, El Greco, Rembrandt, Hogarth, Velazquez and many others.

As its collection of art has expanded, so has the gallery’s educational reach. There are talks, courses, workshops, school visits, teachers’ resources, access and outreach work, associate tenure schemes for contemporary artists, and a daily rolling programme of events. At any time groups of all ages may be seen in gallery rooms listening to and enjoying presentations on the artwork from on-site specialists.

All of which more than justifies the gratitude shown by Thursdays special event to those with the vision to keep the Gallery’s original aims strongly in motion.

Rebecca Wang chairs upcoming amfAR Inspiration Gala 2014 honoring longtime supporter Tom Ford

American fashion designer and film director Tom Ford will be honoured at the 2014 Los Angeles Inspiration Gala. amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, philanthropist Aileen Getty and MD of Creative Artists Agency Bryan Lourd will chair the 2014 Gala, alongside Hollywood executive producer Rebecca Wang to celebrate Ford’s indelible support of amfAR and the fight against AIDS.

The 2014 Inspiration Gala Los Angeles will take place at the Milk Studios, North Cahuenga Boulevard on the evening of Wednesday, October 29, to celebrate amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, and the organisation’s groundbreaking work.

International designer and film director Tom Ford is to be awarded an honour in recognition of his enduring support for amfAR and the battle against AIDS. Losing many friends to AIDS in the 1980s, Tom Ford has been a longtime supporter of initiatives against the illness. While at Gucci, in addition to overhauling the brand and turning its revenue from $200 million to $3 billion, he established Gucci's charitable work for people living with HIV and AIDS, which won him a Commitment to Life Award from AIDS Project Los Angeles.

AmfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, philanthropist Aileen Getty and MD of Creative Artists Agency Bryan Lourd will chair the 2014 Gala, alongside Hollywood executive producer Rebecca Wang who is thrilled to be lending her prominent support to such an important cause. They will be joined by the film producer and director J.J. Abrams, actress Katie McGrath and Tom Ford, all acting as Vice Chairs.

Speaking about the event, Ms. Wang enthused, "It gives me a great pleasure to support amfAR's stunningly creative Inspiration Galas and their impressive fundraising and, by so doing, play a very small part towards the goal of a world without AIDS."

Gwyneth Paltrow will host the black tie event which starts at 6.30pm with a cocktail reception prior to the fashion show. Dinner will follow at 8pm accompanied by live entertainment, including a rare American performance by renowned Welsh singer Shirley Bassey, before the evening's cornerstone activity, the live auction.

Among those whose attendance has been confirmed are Sharon Stone, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Dita Von Teese, Paltrow’s ex-husband Chris Martin and fellow Coldplay member Jonny Buckland, and Sex and the City actress Kristin Davis.

Title Sponsors for the gala are cosmetics brand MAC VIVA GLAM and financial company Wells Fargo. The event will be produced by Josh Wood Productions.

Launched in 2010, amfAR Inspiration Series celebrates men's fashion and style, while simultaneously raising funds for their AIDS research programs. To date, Inspiration Galas have been held in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janiero, Toronto, and Miami.

Via the Inspiration series and other high-profile fundraising events, amfAR has, since its founding in 1985, invested over $338 million into its programs and awarded over 3,300 grants to research teams worldwide.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation celebrates 21 Years with Woodside The End Of Summer Party

Rebecca Wang, Sir Ian Mackellen, Ellie Goulding and David Walliams were among those attending the dazzling Woodside summer party hosted by Elton John and David Furnish to mark the 21st birthday of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish opened Woodside, their Windsor home on Thursday September 4th 2014 to host friends, supporters and A-list celebrities for the End of Summer Party.

The exclusive party took place in the landscaped and specially decorated gardens of the expansive Queen Anne style mansion which lies adjacent to the grounds of Windsor Castle. Conceived as a new and unique fundraising event to mark the 21st birthday and achievements of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the intimate gathering welcomed friends and supporters to enjoy superb food, entertainment and music against a stunning backdrop of flower bedecked statues and extraordinary lighting effects.
Among the long-term supporters of the Elton John AIDS Foundation were world renowned actor Sir Ian Mackellen, and Hollywood executive producer Rebecca Wang, who expressed her support and sentiments in a “birthday” message for the foundation.

“Congratulations on the shining example to us all of your courage, dedication and persistence for an AIDS-free world,” she said. “The phenomenal global achievement of your HIV treatment, prevention and education programmes is exemplary. I am proud to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation and its amazing work.”

In association with Chopard, and supported by Grey Goose and Audi, the evening, requesting a dress code of summertime chic, opened with a champagne cocktail reception in the exquisite gardens, where a stellar array of British talent including Gary Barlow, Tom Odell, James Blunt, Chrissie Hynde, Alfie Boe and Elton John gave a series of fabulous “pop-up performances”.

Following a warm welcome from Elton John, guests then proceeded to the dining area, passing tableaux of models wearing priceless Chopard jewellery who posed motionless against statues garlanded in roses and hydrangeas.

A classic English meal paved the way for the live auction. This is a regular feature of the Foundation’s fundraising events, and, as always, offered an abundance of exclusive and singular lots, including a kiss from actress Elizabeth Hurley which fetched £50,000. A first for this event was guests and those at home being able to pledge funds or messages of support via texts which were beamed up on a screen for all those present.

The evening culminated with the unveiling of an incredible nightclub which included a performance from Cirque du Soleil, and a live set from special guest DJ Fatboy Slim, where guests danced late into the night.

Rebecca Wang Attends Elton John's End Of Summer Party

The End of Summer Party joins other superlative events regularly organized by the Foundation to further its work toward “creating an AIDS-free future.” In the US, EJAF’s annual Academy Awards Viewing Party in Hollywood has developed its own reputation as one of the most prestigious events held during Oscars week, while in the UK the summer White Tie and Tiara Ball has long been favorably documented in the media.

The foundation also holds “Enduring Vision” evenings in New York, which honour those who have shown outstanding dedication or made special contributions to advance the foundation’s cause.

About the Elton John AIDS Foundation
Established by the musician in 1992, the Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the largest privately-funded institutions for AIDS in the world. In 20 years it has raised over £193 million ($300 million) to support more than 1,200 projects across four continents. Funding has helped leverage a further £228 million ($355 million) for programme partners, enabling them to reach millions of people affected by or at risk for HIV.

Rebecca Wang, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Bradley Cooper and Keira Knightley Attend the Serpentine Summer Party

Tuesday, July 1st Saw the Art World’s Most Prestigious Party, the Serpentine Summer Party, Take Place by the Serpentine Galleries Amid the Oxygenated Greenery of Hyde Park, ”The Lungs of London"

The Serpentine Galleries are two contemporary art galleries in Kensington Garden, Hyde Park. Comprising the original Serpentine Gallery, and the new Serpentine Sackler Gallery designed by Zaha Hadid architects which opened in September 2013, they are linked by the bridge over Serpentine Lake from which the galleries get their names, they are among London’s best loved art venues. Up to 1.2 million visitors annually enjoy the parallel exhibitions at both galleries which comprise prestigious collections of modern and contemporary art, along with their impressive Exhibition, Architecture, Design, Education and Public Programmes.

Rebecca Wang, Bradley Cooper and Pharrell Williams attend the 2014 Serpentine Summer Party – London

The Serpentine Summer Party is an annual fund-raiser for the galleries, helping to further their educational remit. It extends on the wide and strong support and patronage enjoyed by the galleries and has long held the reputation of being a sumptuous and glamorous evening, on a par with Ascot, Wimbledon and the Chelsea Flower Show as one of the quintessential outdoor events during London’s summer months.

Co-hosts for this year’s party were of a particularly high-powered variety: joining Gallery Director Julia Peyton-Jones and Co-Director Hans Ulrich Obrist, Chairman and former Mayor of New York Michael R Bloomberg, Chairman and CEO of luxury brand Kering Francois-Henri Pinault, and international hotelier Andre Balazs.
Among those attending were the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Bradley Cooper, Keira Knightly and her husband James Righton, Bryan Ferry, Orlando Bloom, Lily Allen, Ben Goldsmith, Pharrell Williams, who performed a live music set, and gallery patrons and trustees including executive Hollywood film producer Rebecca Wang and international architect Zaha Hadid.

Rebecca Wang is a dedicated supporter of all art forms. In addition to her roles as patron to the Tate Modern, National Gallery, and Serpentine, she is a member of both the Academy Circle for BAFTA (the British Academy of Film and Television Awards) and also Director of the Circle at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Zaha Hadid is a globally renowned architect who created the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics. She has also been one of the previously chosen architects for the Serpentine Pavilion and has recently become the first woman to win the Design Museum’s Design of the Year award for the Heyder Aliyev culture centre in Baku.

Tuesday evening also offered guests the opportunity to enjoy the 2014 Serpentine Summer Pavilion.

Unique to the Serpentine Galleries, this pioneering annual commission offers internationally renowned architects an opportunity to create their first built structure in England. Previous architects who have participated in designing a pavilion for the summer months have included Frank Gehry, Oscar Niemeyer and Jean Nouvel.

This year’s architect, Smiljan Radic from Chile, has created the 14th pavilion which will extend some 350 square metres across the lawn. He sees his design as being in the tradition of the popular follies built in parks or large gardens between the 16th and 19th centuries, and describes it as: “a fragile shell suspended on large quarry stones. This shell, white, translucent and made of fibreglass will house an interior organised around a patio. At night, thanks to the semi-transparency of the shell, the amber-tinted light will attract the attention of passers-by, like lamps attracting moths.”

From the patio inside the pavilion, the natural setting will seem lower, with the sensation that the entire volume is floating.

During its four month tenure in the park, the Pavilion will serve as a flexible multi-purpose social space with a café inside, and on Fridays will be the stage for the Galleries Park Nights – eight specific events incorporating art, poetry, music, film, literature and theory along with three new commissions by emerging artists.

The evening was sponsored by luxury Italian brand Brioni and organised by Events Fusion.

Rebecca Wang Will Be among Those Chairing amfAR’s 2014 Inspiration Gala in New York City on June 10th

Rebecca Wang Will Be among Those Chairing amfAR’s 2014 Inspiration Gala in New York City on June 10th

The black tie event will honor Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, the Calvin Klein Collection, and HBO for their proactive contributions to the fight against AIDS, following hot on the heels of last month’s Cinema Against AIDS party which raised a record-breaking $35 million.

Rebecca Wang Chairs for amfAR’s 2014 Inspiration Gala in New York City

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, the Calvin Klein Collection and cable satellite network HBO will be honored for their contributions to the fight against AIDS at amfAR’s 2014 New York Inspiration Gala on June 10th.

amfAR’s Inspiration Gala Series events are held in various leading international cities, and their creative arts emphasis is evident through the artistic content and production process in which the evenings are created.

Celebrating men’s fashion and style, the Gala equally focuses on acknowledging and honoring individuals who have made an especial contribution in the fight against AIDS. Previous recipients include philanthropist Aileen Getty, designer Valentino, actress Goldie Hawn and entertainer Jennifer Lopez.

This month will see the 2014 New York Inspiration Gala unroll on June 10th at the iconic Plaza Hotel in the city.

Among the Chairs for this Gala are designers Thom Browne and Thakoon Panchgui; actors Robert de Niro, Alan Cumming and Jennifer Lopez; Hollywood executive producer Rebecca Wang and amfAR trustee R Martin Chavez and his husband Adam Norbury.

Awards will be presented to Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway for her proactive engagement with AIDS projects across the world, the Calvin Klein Collection for their long history of support for AIDS organizations, and cable satellite network HBO who have always been prepared to pioneer broadcasting around AIDS, most significantly with the transmission in the late eighties of the film “And the Band Played On.”

The black tie event will start with a cocktail reception and will be followed by a fashion show in the Palm Court, featuring designs from leading men’s top end designers. Afterwards, dinner guests will enjoy a live performance from British rock band New Order, before the renowned live auction is held.

Josh Duhamel will host the evening and long-term amfAR supporter Sarah Jessica Parker will act as presenter. Title Sponsor for the evening is MAC Cosmetics, while Kevin Klein and HBO are Gold and Silver Sponsors, respectively. Hotel Sponsor is The Plaza, and the evening will be produced by Josh Wood Productions.

amfAR’s most recent Gala evening was their Cinema Against AIDS party, which is held annually during the Cannes International Film Festival and holds the reputation as the most popular soiree held during the festival fortnight. It combines a unique and one-off fashion show, live performances and a live auction which features both lots and bids of jaw-dropping proportions.

Last month’s Gala ran an exclusive “Red Collection” fashion show, comprising creations in red from leading fashion houses, which was auctioned as a lot for $5 million. Also up for offer in the live auction were an exclusively designed Bulgari Serpenti necklace and a gilded woolly mammoth skeleton by Damian Hirst. The latter fetched $15 million, contributing to a total sum of $35 million raised during the evening, a record high in amfAR’s fundraising history. Among those attending were Carla Bruni Sarkowzy, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jessica Chastain and Jane Campion.

Rebecca Wang Explores The World of Faberge Easter Eggs

Rebecca Wang is passionate about the finest art forms and unsurpassed craftsmanship, so she appreciates the fascination and motivation of the admiring queue of enthusiasts who have continuously filed through a select showroom in London’s Mayfair in the period leading up to the Easter weekend. The showroom belongs to the Faberge specialist Wartski, and the goal of the visitors has been the unique privilege of seeing a small exquisitely crafted golden egg, on display for the first time in 112 years.

Third in the series of the 50 Imperial Faberge Easter Eggs

Sitting on a tripod whose legs have been intricately worked into lion paw feet, the top half of the ridged outer yellow gold shell is opened back from a diamond push piece, while around the centre of the lower half are scooped garlands worked in contrasting gold, their bows studded with tiny cabochon sapphires and rose diamonds. Inside the outer shell is the oval of an inner golden egg and within that sits a jewelled ladies watch crafted by the Geneva watchmakers Constantin Vacheron.

The egg is the third in the series of the 50 Imperial Faberge Easter Eggs, and has recently been established as the 43rd known to be in existence. Rediscovered in the most unlikely of circumstances, it was last seen in a 1964 auction catalogue where it had sold for $2450. In the eighties a part time dealer acquired it for around $14,000 at a bric a brac market. He intended to sell it on for scrap, but as he had overestimated the scrap value, had no success. He began to search on Google and found a 2011 article describing the egg where the Wartski Faberge expert estimated it value could reach £20 million. He contacted Wartski who flew out to the mid-West and confirmed the validity.

Specially created by the House of Faberge for the Russian Imperial Family during the final thirty years of their rule, it was made at the request of Tsar Alexander III as an Easter gift for his wife Maria Feodorovna. The first egg made in 1885 had so delighted the Royal family that the tradition continued; with the only condition being that each one should contain a surprise.

Each egg took a year from first design to its completion for delivery on Good Friday, and over the years “surprises “ included a ruby egg hanging from a miniature of the Imperial Crown, or, to reflect the creation of the Trans Siberian Railway, the longest rail route in the world, miniature rolling stock in gold.

The House of Faberge had been founded some sixty years previously by Gustave, who arrived from Estonia in St Petersburg to train as goldsmith. He built a sound business and by the time his son Peter Carl took over, the House of Faberge was creating exclusive masterpieces of jewellery and ornamental objects for a highly exclusive clientele. Such was the skill, prestige and renown of its workmanship that by the early twentieth century, it had established outlets in Odessa, Kiev, Moscow and London.

Peter Carl had enjoyed a full and broad formation, including business study in Paris and Dresden, training with goldsmiths in England, France and Germany, and the undertaking of a Grand Tour, all of which helped shape his skill and vision: it was under his leadership that House of Faberge reached the reputation it still enjoys today.

In addition to the eggs, the company produced a full range of other precious items, each subject to scrupulous approval from Carl or his son Eugene- the tiniest of faults would result in rejection. Subjects included miniature flora, fauna and people, and inspiration was drawn from previous craft and national traditions as well as the most careful observation, sketching and modelling from nature. The firm extended stylistically on previous enamel work developed in France, and took the Italian and German cultural tradition along with Russian nobility’s love of folk, peasant or national characters for figurines.

Flowers and animals were observed and copied from life, with careful studies being made from nature to achieve realistic effects: a dandelion of spun asbestos fibres and green nephrite was set in a vase and “water” of clear crystal; hand stone carvings were inspired by farm animals at the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Special or favoured clients might be invited to make their own input into the design process.

All changed dramatically in 1917 when the Bolshevik revolution came to Russia. The company was nationalised, the family scattered across Europe and priceless pieces were confiscated, taken or disappeared. Across the Atlantic in the USA, the company name was registered for toiletries by an American, and then became absorbed in various business takeovers, but most significantly, for almost one hundred years there was no involvement from the Faberge family in the products that bore their name.

Happily at the most recent takeover in 2007, successful initiatives were begun to reunify firm and family, and incorporate the heritage of experience into current production. Faberge re-launched in 2009 under the experienced creative and managing directorship of Katharina Flohr. She works in close contact with Carl’s great granddaughters Sarah and Tatiana Faberge who sit on the Faberge Heritage Council and offer expertise and guidance to the company.

Still engaged in creating magnificence from precious metals and gemstones, Faberge has updated its Easter egg message with the Big Egg Hunt initiative which has run in recent years and sees contemporary world class artists and designers design unique eggs which are hidden across a city for participants to find. This year’s lucky winners in New York stand to win one of three Faberge jewelled eggs on pendants.

Rebecca Wang Joins A-list Celebrities Front-Row at Chanel Paris Fashion Show

Chanel’s 2014 AW collection unfolded on the morning of Tuesday 4th March at 10.30am in the impressive the Grand Palais in the 8me district of Paris.

Tuesday’s show, always one of the most highly anticipated events of Paris Fashion Week, took place against the stunning backdrop of the Grand Palais. Built in 1900 for the World Fair, the building is a mixture of classicist stone facade, art nouveau iron work and glass and is best known for its enormous glass roof which affords plenty of natural light.

Among the show’s attendees were Keira Knightly, Anna Wintour, Melanie Griffith, Rihanna and Rebecca Wang. Helmsman of creativity at Chanel is Karl Lagerfeld, perhaps the most famous designer of international renown who has headed up the design team there for the last thirty years. Lagerfeld not only leads and oversees the creations for each collection, but also photographs the advertising campaigns for all the houses under his direction each season. He is also to design limited edition homes on La Moda, the world’s first dedicated fashion island. Over his time at Chanel, Lagerfeld has retained the brand’s signature features such as tweed, gold accents and chains, but has also chosen to break away with the traditional lady-like look and experiment with different styles. Coco Mademoiselle and In Between Wear, both of which target younger women, have been launched under his direction in the last decade.

His show opened in lively and active mode: the Palais had been turned into one giant hyper market. Aisles of shelves were stacked high with bright supermarket products, many of them bearing the Chanel logo or labels that linked with the brand. Fresh fruit and vegetables, along with “Chanel” doormats, hammers, cleaning liquids and tins of tea and coffee were among the items on view.

Among these aisles moved the models, showing their clothes and simultaneously getting on with their daily lives, shopping for products. The sudden appearance of an older couple, she in pink boucle suit and he with mustache and jacket, both laden with rue de Cambon bags, served to hint at the diversity and sweep of the designs.

Rebecca Wang Joins A-list Celebrities Front-Row at Chanel Paris Fashion Show

The collection’s range ran from conservative love for a suit, through sophisticated tailoring and simple separates to edgy casual. Oversize shoulders, cage waists and a good amount of pastel tweeds were out in force. Footwear was flat and interpreted with many colored trainers, some of which reached calf-high as front lace boots. Hair was in sleek pony tails which at the back sported extension braids in fabrics hinting at youth, rebellion and ethnic street style.

Rebecca Wang and Karl Lagerfeld

Colors were rich and varied and chief among the themes were layering, contrast and variety. Encompassing casual, smart, conventional and edgy, the relaxed collection showed a multiplicity of designs in daily action, offering something for each and every woman.

The end of the show saw a mad grab by attendees for the displayed products, along with assurance that the food on display would later be distributed among the homeless of Paris. Chanel delivered- a sustainable and totally contemporary show.