The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London celebrated its 70th birthday in both grand and grungy style last night (8 June). The bifurcated gala dinner found half the guests overlooking the Mall to the sound of a string quartet in the high-end, West End-themed Nash Room, with the rest getting down and dirty out back to a throbbing disco in the East End-styled Brandon Room. Hosting the West-Enders was the impeccably-credentialed, former Christie’s director (and half brother to Prime Minister’s wife Samantha Cameron) “High Rolling Robbie Sheffield”. Over in the Brandon Room, channelling her inner-badass, was the ICA council member “Sarf London [Alia Al] Senussi”. And presiding over the entire proceedings from a central throne room (complete with corgi) was your own correspondent, blurring all boundaries by cross-dressing in white-tie-and-tails, with one lapel sparkling with Andrew Logan gems and the other dotted with hardcore slogan badges.
The three of us whipped up the bids from both ends of town in an animated auction of specially devised experiences, all of which way surpassed estimates and raised valuable funds for the ICA’s programmes. Among the offerings were a private tour of Louise Bourgeois’s home with her long-time assistant Jerry Gorovoy; a fashion-tastic encounter with both Roksanda Ilincic and Erdem Moralioglu; a visit to Celia Hempton’s studio followed by a Bistrotheque dinner; and a behind-the-scenes look at the Fondation Beyeler’s Roni Horn show with the director Sam Keller.
Another more refined element in the action-packed extravaganza, was a series of exquisite bespoke performances by the honoured artist of the evening, Pablo Bronstein, who had also made ten (quickly snapped up) drawings especially for the ICA’s anniversary. At certain points during the evening, Madame Buck’s central chamber became transformed into an exquisite salon where batches of guests were treated to a brief, exquisite rendition of Bronstein’s new work. The Birth of Venus was performed by a trio of dancers bedecked in giant pearl necklaces, similar to those in the artist’s current piece in Tate Britain’s Duveen Galleries. All in all, a multifarious evening and proof positive that no organisation can simultaneously encompass so many different elements—whether cultural or geographic—as the ICA. Long may it continue!