Houston’s Underground Art Party Manages to Make Black-Tie Edgy: $685,000 Night Pushes Boundaries With CAMH Flair

What: Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s Gala + Art Auction: Underground

Where: The CAMH

PC Moment: It was a buzz-worthy evening of social glamour and art in four parts, as the CAMH toasted to another year and another edition of its vaunted Gala + Art Auction, this year christened Underground. Chaired by the winsome trio Blakely Griggs, Melissa Mithoff and Katherine Phelps, the art-centric evening began with a chic cocktail hour, then segued into a seated dinner by Jackson & Company (featuring beef short ribs and followed by a delectable sampling of “tiny tempting desserts”).

Bergner and Johnson realized the decor with silver stalactites hanging from the ceiling and projected views of lavender-colored crystals flickering on the walls.

Then, a live auction ensued. Christie’s VP Steven Zick, in from the auction house’s Chicago office, continued CAMH Gala tradition, holding court with the gavel. Five live lots were hammered down, in addition to the 20 works offered in the silent auction. Blue-chip artists aplenty included Jenny Holzer, represented by a text-inscribed bench, nabbed by a private Houston collector, as well as other collectable fare. Many Houston talents were showcased including Libbie Masterson, Jan Rattia, Dario Robleto, Amy Blakemore, Debra Barrera, Josh Pazda, and Angel Oloshove.

Lastly on the agenda was the raucous After Party, co-chaired by Matt Johns and Margaret Naeve Parker, held in the CAMH’s cavernously cool underground lounge — a perfectly electric coda to a night simultaneously black-tie and edgy. About $685,000 was raised for the CAMH, and its ongoing eclectic schedule of shows and exhibitions, as well as public programming and outreach efforts (like Teen Council), that, as always, are free.

Who: CAMH board chairman Jereann Chaney and museum director Bill Arning; chair husbands Trey Griggs, Michael Mithoff, and Bill Phelps; longtime CAMH supporters Sissy and Denny Kempner and Leigh and Reggie Smith; Erica and Benjy Levit; Lucinda Loya in an entrance-making jumpsuit by David Koma, with husband Javier Loya; John and Becca Cason Thrash; Greg Fourticq and John Cone; Nancy and Erik Littlejohn; Isabel and Danny David; Diane Lokey Farb with Mark Sullivan; Monsour Taghdisi (resplendent in a David Webb brooch) and Henry Richardson; Stuart Rosenberg; gallerist Kerry Inman; Valerie Sarofim; Christie’s Jessica Phifer; architect Dillon Kyle and Sam Lasseter; Candace Baggett and Ron Restrepo; art advisor Melissa Grobmyer and husband Albert Grobmyer IV; Elizabeth and Barry Young; Betty and Stephen Newton; in from Wimberley, artist McKay Otto and husband Keith Coffee; gallerist Laura Rathe with artist beau Gil Bruvel; Jim Kastleman holding court at the PaperCity table with wife Zuzana and compatriots Cindy Yielding and Art Donovan, and Kari Gonzales and John Dagley ; Texas Contemporary Art Fair’s Max Fishko and Kelly Freeman, in from NYC; Elizabeth and Gary Petersen; Cece and Mack Fowler; Anne and Jack Moriniere; Cabrina and Steven Owsley; Kelly and Nick Silvers; and the night’s talent – DJ John Tran and performance artist/comedian Britt Vasicek who wowed with her illuminated purple butterfly wings.

Additional reporting by Catherine D. Anspon.