Vaunted Montrose Museum’s Reopening Party Brings Out the Houston VIPs: Inside the Rebirth of The Menil

What: The Menil Collection Reopening Celebration for Members

Where: The Menil Collection

PC Moment: In a buzzy, intimate evening, members of The Menil Collection flocked to a preview of the long-awaited reopening of the museum’s main Renzo Piano-designed building on Sul Ross. Ahead of the public unveiling, more than 900 supporters, including museum sponsors and trustees, patrons and collector types, gallerists, and artists, came together to witness firsthand the Menil’s newly refreshed digs, after a six-month reset.

Menil director, Rebecca Rabinow, addressed the crowd first. Also contributing remarks were Doug Lawing, president of the board of trustees; Brian Sharpe, managing director of U.S. Trust; and Shamika Johnson, the boutique director of Van Cleef & Arpels in Houston.

Bank of America stepped up as the lead sponsor of the reinstallation of the permanent collection, while Van Cleef & Arpels exclusively sponsored the beautiful reopening cocktail party.

Who: Bank of America execs Craig Massey and David Ruiz; Michelle White, senior curator at The Menil Collection; board chair Janet Hobby; Lynn Wyatt; the Menil’s Steve McConathy; MFAH’s Chris Goins with husband Josh Pazda of Hiram Butler Gallery; CAMH’s Patricia Restrepo with parents Candace Baggett and Ronald Restrepo; Jacqueline and Leon Kinloch; Melissa and Marc Romero; art advisor Sara Cain; Sarah Beth and Paul Seifert; Elizabeth and Bill Kroger; Katie McNearney; gallerist Sarah Foltz; Judy Clement and daughter Capera Clement Norinsky; Carrie and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl; Margaret Vaughan-Cox and Jonathan Cox; Mark Wawro; designer Elizabeth Satel Young; and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft’s Natalie Svacina.