The New York Botanical Garden hosted the Conservatory Ball on June 1, celebrating its summer exhibition, …things come to thrive…in the shedding…in the molting… by contemporary artist, Ebony G. Patterson. The site-specific exhibition features breathtaking and provocative displays of art and nature. Patterson’s work captivated guests with the beauty of exotic flora and garden-inspired installations – from a monumental peacock sculpture to swarms of glitter-encrusted vultures. Inspired by her immersion in NYBG’s collections, Patterson’s work explores entanglements of race, gender, and colonialism while inviting viewers to contemplate their own relationships with gardens and the natural world. The evening, supported by The Bancorp, Bartlett Tree Experts, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Hearst, Perrier Jouet, and French Bloom funds the Botanical Garden’s preeminent botanical research, Horticulture, and Children’s Education programs.
The black-tie affair kicked off with a lively cocktail hour as guests experienced Patterson’s immersive exhibition spread across NYBG’s iconic 250-acre landscape. Following cocktails, guests were ushered into the Conservatory Tent for a sit-down dinner and dancing, with music by DJ Runna.
This year’s attendees included Chairs, Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Bartlett Jr., Friederike K. Biggs, Georgina Bloomberg, Maureen K. and Richard L. Chilton, Jr., J. Barclay Collins II and Kristina Durr, Ravenel Curry and Jane Moss, Gillian Hearst, Sharon Jacob, Jill Joyce, Deborah Goodrich Royce, Tina and Steven R. Swartz and Sigourney Weaver. Vice chairs included Michael Kovner and Jean Doyen de Montaillou, Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Barbara Robinson, Jean Shafiroff, Elaine and Donald Textor, Douglas Dockery Thomas, and Mr. and Mrs. Edward K. Weld. This year’s junior chairs were Hope Chilton, Cecilia Jacob, Stella Jacob, Sean Joyce, Arielle Patrick, and Sophia Robert. Additional guests included Amy Fine Collins, Fe Fendi, Alex Lundquist, Eric Rutherford, Flora Collins, Shar Simpson, and Lili Buffett.
About The New York Botanical GardenFounded in 1891, The New York Botanical Garden is the most comprehensive botanical garden in the world and an integral part of the cultural fabric of New York City, anchored in the Bronx. Visitors come to the Garden to connect with nature for joy, beauty, and respite, and for renowned plant-based exhibitions, music and dance, and poetry and lectures. Innovative children’s education programs promote environmental sustainability and nutrition awareness, and graduate programs educate the next generation of botanists, while engaging classes inspire adults to remain lifelong learners. The 250-acre verdant landscape—which includes a 50-acre, old-growth forest—and the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory support living collections of more than one million plants. Unparalleled resources are also held in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, the world’s most important botanical and horticultural library with 11 million archival items spanning ten centuries, and William and Lynda Steere Herbarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere with 7.8 million plant and fungal specimens. Committed to protecting the planet’s biodiversity and natural resources, Garden scientists work on-site in cutting-edge molecular labs and in areas worldwide where biodiversity is most at risk.
