PARTYING WITH THE ART: The National Portrait Gallery’s 2024 gala drew in a crowd with attendance by Tracey Emin, Alexa Chung, Bella Freud, Courtney Love, Erdem Moralıoğlu, Sir Grayson Perry, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Sturridge, Es Devlin and more.
Even though the affair included mingling and air kisses, the cause was to raise funds for the gallery’s future exhibitions.
Edward Enninful and Malala Yousafzai cohosted the dinner — the first of its kind since the gallery’s reopening last summer.
Guests had a look at the exhibition “The Time Is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure,” which is opened through May 19.
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“Stories can change the world. I know this because mine did. There is a great responsibility in determining whose stories are told and how — a responsibility I know the National Portrait Gallery takes very seriously. I’ve seen firsthand how the collection is growing to better capture our world and those who shape it,” Yousafzai said in a speech.
“My own portraits were added to the gallery in 2018 and I couldn’t be more honored to have them hanging alongside women like Nicola Adams, Athene Donald, Noor Inayat Khan and Margaret Busby,” she added.
Items up for bidding on the night included a virtual talk from Yousafzai to the winning bidder’s choice of school; a front row ticket to Erdem’s next show during London Fashion Week; a set of limited-edition prints by Emin, and a tour of Paul Smith’s art collection and tea with the fashion designer.
An after dinner party was cohosted by Sophie Goodwin and Charles Rosier, chief executive officer of Augustinus Bader with Love on the DJ set.