Artwalk NY Raises $1 Million to Support the Coalition for the Homeless
Presented by Max Mara at The Grill and The Pool, the annual gala honored Sheree Hovsepian and Michelle Hellman with an evening of art, philanthropy, and community spirit
On November 4, hundreds of artists, collectors, and supporters gathered for Artwalk NY, the city’s premier art auction and gala benefiting the Coalition for the Homeless. The landmark evening raised more than $1 million to fund the coalition’s programs, which assist thousands of homeless and low-income New Yorkers daily. Presented by Max Mara, the celebration unfolded at The Grill | The Pool in the Seagram Building and honored artist Sheree Hovsepian alongside Michelle Hellman, founder of the Artist Plate Project.
The evening opened with a cocktail reception at The Grill and a silent auction of Artist Plate Project works presented with The Auction Collective. DJ AKU set the tone as guests bid on nearly 100 one-of-a-kind artworks, each painted on fine bone china by celebrated artists. Highlights included plates by Cecily Brown, Katharina Grosse, Hank Willis Thomas, José Parlá, KAWS, Lily Stockman, Rashid Johnson, Sean Scully, Karon Davis, Urs Fisher, Jenny Holzer, and Yoshitomo Nara.
Guests then moved into The Pool for dinner, where Coalition for the Homeless executive director Dave Giffen opened the program. “At a time when hunger and homelessness are increasing so dramatically, all of us at the Coalition for the Homeless are thankful that there are people like Michelle Hellman, Sheree Hovsepian, and all of the artists who give so much of their time and talent to helping New Yorkers in need. The $8 million raised by the Artist Plate Project over the past five years has already had an immense impact on the lives of homeless New Yorkers, and this year’s Artwalk NY is such a wonderful opportunity to save even more lives.”
Giffen introduced Rashid Johnson, who presented the evening’s first honor to his wife and fellow artist Sheree Hovsepian, recognizing her creativity, activism, and generosity. “Sherry” by the Four Seasons played as she took the stage to accept her award. “I’m deeply honored to be recognized tonight by the Coalition for the Homeless and Artwalk NY,” she remarked. “It’s a reminder that art is not only about beauty and expression, but also about empathy and action.”
Artwalk NY art advisory board chair Mike De Paola then presented the philanthropic honor to Michelle Hellman for her continued support of Artwalk NY as a longtime core member of the Art Advisory Board and for helming the Artist Plate Project. “The generosity of so many artists who’ve joined this project has moved me more than I can say,” she shared. “I’ve seen artists give their time, their creativity, and their hearts to help New Yorkers who are struggling simply because they believe in kindness. That kind of generosity is the real art.” Auctioneer Aileen Agopian later led a spirited live auction featuring works by Sheree Hovsepian and Ed Ruscha.
Notable attendees included Thelma Golden, Zoe Buckman, Angel Otero, Nazy Nazhand, Rachel Uffner, Mickalene Thomas, Dustin Yellin, Rujeko Hockley, Kyle DeWoody, Hayal Pozanti, and more. Scroll below for more highlights from the evening.
