Houston Center for Photography Kickoff Turns a Beautiful H-Town Home Into a Photo Wonderland
Boosting Artists and Introducing a New Executive Director
BY Caitlin Hsu // 02.21.23
Jereann Chaney, Johanne Beaulieu Gatto at the Houston Center for Photography 42nd Print Auction Kickoff (Photo by Johnny Than)
In anticipation of the Houston Center for Photography’s 42nd Print Auction, an elegant kickoff took place at the beautiful home of co-chair Johanne Beaulieu Gatto. More than 100 guests gathered for a lovely cocktail hour, delicious hors d’oeuvres and most excitingly, a sneak peek preview of some of the works that will be available at the upcoming auction set for March 2nd.
Austin based caterer Che Cazzo provided the Texan-Italian-inspired cuisine for the evening: truffled chili relish spaghetti, beef tartare, cauliflower cacio e pepe and nduja-stuffed fried olives. Another Austin based caterer dubbed Cantaloupe Island poured specialty cocktails like a negroni s’bagliato and blood orange margarita. Photo lovers enjoyed these light bites and drinks while previewing the auction pieces. Out of the 70 works that will be bid on at the Houston Center for Photography 42nd print auction, nine were put on display in Gatto’s home.
Around the third hour, Gatto delivered remarks — thanking Houston Center for Photography, the sponsors and her husband Joe Gatto. She also introduced HCP’s new executive director Anne Leighton Massoni, formerly of the International Center of Photography in New York City. Massoni then took the stage and thanked the honoree of this year’s auction Joan Morgenstern, a collector and philanthropist and longtime leader in Houston’s photography scene.
“The generosity of our auction attendees and online bidders means financial support for HCP’s programming, from our exhibitions and public programming to community outreach and photographic education,” Massoni says. “Honoring Joan Morgenstern, who mirrors that generosity for countless individual artists and photography organizations, could not be a more fitting pairing for the 42nd HCP Annual Print Auction.”
PC Seen: Co-chair Katherine Robinson; Houston Center for Photography president of board Nancy O’Connor and board member Mary Magsamen with husband, artist Stephan Hillerbrand; Contemporary Arts Museum Houston executive director Hesse McGraw and wife Cobi; artists Emily Peacock, Libbie Masterson; Jessica Phifer; MFAH’s Malcolm Daniel; CAMH curators Rebecca Matalon and Patricia Restrepo; Assembly’s Ashlyn Davis Burns; Jereann Chaney; gallerists Barbara Davis, Bryn Larsen and Adam Marnie; FotoFest executive director Steven Evans; Beverly and Howard Robinson; Gin Braverman; Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl; Whitney Guarisco; and Alecia Harris
The Houston Center for Photography’s 42nd Print Auction will take place next Thursday, March 2 at The Briar Club. For more information and tickets, click here. View lots and register here.
