The 55th edition of Montreal¹s beloved Fine Arts Museum Gala on Nov. 21 was a swinging success. I¹m not surprised ¬ the museum has been on a roll, and blockbuster shows like a recent Rodin retrospective and fashionfocused fare like the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition have made it Canada¹s only art museum to top the one-million-visitor mark. It¹s also the Canadian museum with the most members, close to 100,000 and counting. Also interesting is that the museum is largely self-funded (54%) and boasts one of the highest levels of self-funding in the country; events like this latest sold-out gala, which raised an impressive $1-million, are vital to the success of future exhibitions.
Surveying MMFA’s galas past, this one felt, to me, the most modern and inclusive. The gen-next heavy committee, chaired by Tania Dupont, included 15 movers and shakers from the art, culture and business sectors, and the event celebrated and included the future of museum supporters by making 100 tickets for a post-dinner dance (which saw young and young-at-heart tearing up the dance floor until 3 a.m.!) available for the first time. On the creative front, a crop of local up-and-comers in expressive fields were invited to transform 15 of the museum’s galleries into one off-dining spaces inspired by the event theme, “Live Art Loud.”
Montreal artist and business woman Lysanne Pepin was tasked with creative direction and worked alongside the new creative guard to realize their visions, including Oliver Stenberg, who cleverly covered his room in gold dots while matching gold orbs hung like mobiles above diners. Mélissa Matos and Andrew Ly took inspiration from the sky for their space, suspending spectacular faux clouds above lit-from-within tables that added to the dream-like environment. Annie Legault hung pastel crochet lamps above rustic farm tables and steel chairs painted in corresponding shades. Attention was paid to every detail, making for an immersive, experiential, and above all, roaring good party.
Co-presidents for the evening included Victor G. Dodig, president and CEO of CIBC, who attended with his wife Maureen; Calin Rovinescu, president and CEO of Air Canada, who attended with his wife Elaine; and Richard Speer, president of Attraction, who attended with his fiancée, fragrance entrepreneur Ruby Brown. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec chairman Robert Tessier was the ball’s guest of honour.
Also out: the CEO set including Paul Pathy, co-CEO and president of Fednav Limited and his wife Marie Michelle Pathy; Jean– François Bouchard, Sid Lee’s CEO and senior partner and his wife, Videotron’s president and CEO Manon Brouillette; Mitch Garber, CEO of Caesars Acquisition Company and chairman and part owner of Cirque du Soleil; chairwomen including the wildly elegant chair of the board of Transcontinental Inc. Isabelle Marcoux, and Sun Life Financial’s executive chair, Quebec and senior vice-president of Client Solutions Isabelle Hudon; creative types including artist Marc Séguin, Want Les Essentiels co-founders Byron Peart who attend with his partner Stefan Weisgerber, and Dexter Peart who attended with his wife, ZOÏ Agency founder and gala committee member Maria Varvarikos; scene regulars including Paul Desmarais III and Mary-Dailey Desmarais, director and chief curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Nathalie Bondil; and Margaret Trudeau and her daughter in-law Zoë Trudeau.
