Staying Alive at the MTV RE:DEFINE Art Auction

Last year I met fellow Brits Ed Bartlett and Paul Missing, just day’s prior to the first MTV RE:DEFINE event. By sheer coincidence, we met at the Nasher Sculpture Center while “ohhing, and ahhing” at the statuesque Tony Cragg exhibition.  Naturally, I couldn’t help but overhear their oh-so-familiar accents, and had to chat with them—only to find out they were visiting Dallas as the curators for the Goss Michael Foundation event MTV RE:DEFINE, which I was attending that Saturday evening.

Georgia Arnold, Paul Missing, Anna-Sophia van Zweden, Simon de Pury, Jessica Olsson-Nowitzki, Ed Barlett, Joyce Goss.

Roll on 2012, and after great success from last year, Ed and Paul from The Future Tense, lucked out again, this time, the art exhibition and auction raised over $1,000,000 for the MTV Staying Alive Foundation—and only in its second year!  The sold out event was spectacular, my favorites pieces: of course, the Marc Quinn exclusive never-before-seen orchid painting that fetched $260,000, Ralf Kaspers over-sized digital photo titled Summerland III, my to die-for, must-have piece that doubled its estimate was from Brit artistic duo Kai and Sunny, and French photographer Gérard Rancinan—Les Banquet des Idoles, which sold for $115,000.

Anna-Sophia van Zweden, Nha Khnah, Jessica Olsson-Nowitzki, Lauren Preston.

Tanner McElroy and Josh Henderson.

Christie Allardyce, Jason Ziegler.

Vinoodh Matadin and Inez van Lamsweerde.

Co-chair Jessica Olsson-Nowitzki, enjoyed the event with new hubby, Dirk Nowitzki, and co-chair Anna-Sophia van Zweden, shared the event with her father, Jaap van Zweden—with local musician Jonathan Tyler rocking a live performance.  To my delight, I did spot actor Josh Henderson in the crowd—aka, John Ross Ewing III from the TNT show Dallas, and as always auctioneer Simon de Pury, from Phillips de Pury & Company was mesmerizing.

Jaap van Zweden, Anna-Sophia van Zweden, and Georgia Arnold.

Anna-Sophia van Zweden, Jesse Schroeder, and Jim Schroeder.

Alexa Cervantes, Laura Noble, Olivia Lowery.

Prior to the evenings escapades headline sponsor The Joule Hotel commissioned a vibrant mural, which coincided with its sponsorship for the MTV RED:DEFINE event.  Take a walk down the pedestrian corridor between Main St. and Elm St., and you will view the stunning 100ft public art installation by British artist Lee Baker.  From public murals to live performance art, Dave White, yes, another, British artist unleashed his inner eagle on canvas, and created a dramatic piece of art that sold that evening for $20,000.

British artist Lee Baker.

The Joule Hotel commissioned public mural by Lee Baker.

For as much fun as we all had that evening, the most important celebration, really, is to know that the funds from this event, will service the Staying Alive Foundation.

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