“This is Coachella for old masters.” – Henry Campos
The Frick Garden Party is spread over two nights and as a member of the host committee, I attend both parties. Over 2,500 guests attend the two-night soirée. I get an exclusive look at the Frick’s newly renovated Fifth Avenue Garden. And another highlight is a preview of Vermeer’s “Love Letters,” the first exhibit in the new Ronald S. Lauder Exhibition Galleries. I’m captivated by the three masterpieces – “Mistress and Maid,” “The Love Letter” and “Woman Writing a Letter with Her Maid,” reunited for this unprecedented display. The last time I saw all three together was at the Vermeer retrospective at the Rijks Museum in 2023. I feel a deep connection to Vermeer’s intimate storytelling. I ask Aimee Ng, one of the Frick curators a million questions about the install of the exhibition.
Frick director Axel Ruger greets guests in the garden. I mingle with Casey Kohlberg, Polina Proskina, designer Bach Mai, Quinn Martinelli, Bailey Foote, artist Kent Monkman and Alex Levy. Lively jazz from The Flail, a NYC-based quartet, sets the mood.
Darkness falls and I explore the galleries filled with guests admiring masterpieces by Bellini, Fragonard, Rembrandt, Turner, and more. As I leave the museum, Henry Campos exclaims, “It is so crowded. This is Coachella for old masters.” – ALEXANDER HANKIN
