Friday, March 14, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., 583 Park Avenue at 63rd Street, New York, NY. In its thirteenth year, the International Asian Art Fair(March 15–18, 2008) is the cornerstone of Asia Week in New York and features masterpieces of Asian art from around the globe and across the centuries. Asia Society is the beneficiary of the special Opening Night Benefit Preview evening which is also the very first chance to see these offerings. The Fair leads Asia Week in New York and will be held for the first time in a new venue: 583 Park Avenue, on the Northeast corner of 63rd Street. Designed by William Adams Delano and Chester Holmes Aldrich, also the architects of the nearby Colony and Knickerbocker Clubs, the newly renovated landmark building is becoming a destination event venue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The International Asian Art Fair is the first art and antique fair to take place in the building since its conversion. Founded in 1996, the International Asian Art Fair has consistently brought together a large group of the world’s leading dealers in Near Eastern, Indian, Himalayan, Tibetan, South East Asian and Far Eastern works of art. It attracts institutional and private buyers from the United States, Europe and the Far East, presenting them with the opportunity to view and buy from among the rarest and most important Asian art on the market, from the earliest pieces through to contemporary. Opening Benefit Preview and Dinner for The International Asian Art Fair is a highlight of the New York social season. The Honorary Gala Chairs for the evening are John B. Coleman, Bebe Neuwirth, Vivienne Tam and Miranda Wong Tang. Benefit Chairs are Reiko Takahashi Lee & Chong-moon Lee, Ruth & Harold Newman, Susy & Jack Wadsworth and Lulu & Anthony Wang. Vice Chairmen include Susan E. Lynch and Cynthia Hazen Polsky & Leon B. Polsky. Co-Chairs include Fred Eychaner, Marie-Chantal & Robert W. Miller and Preeti & Sanjay Swani. The Lead Dinner Sponsor is Rohit M. D'Souza, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.. Expected guests include Young Patrons Vice Chairs Diana Hsu, Rachna Khosla, Ida H. Liu, Fiona J.B. Salmon; Collector Vice Chairsare Rachel Bardhan,Susan C. Shin and Young Patrons Melissa D. Berkelhammer, Joan Ai, Jonathan Moss, Mukang Cho. Also Laura Begley, Corrial Charriol & Dennis Paul, Bijon Mehta and Charles Rockefeller. Also attending were Lewis Bernard, Anne Bass, Betsy Z. Cohen & Edward Cohen, Carloyn Hsu-Balcer & Rene Balcer, Oz & Inger Elliott, Brice Marden, Gita & Sonny Mehta, Alison Minton, Tinsley Mortimer, Donald & Shelly Rubin, Paola Isabella Tornito, Andrew & Denise Saul and Elizabeth Strong-Cuevas. PHOTO CREDIT: ©Manhattan Society.com 2008 by Gregory Partanio |tel:718.614.7740 | e-mail: PrinceGregory@manhattansociety.com