On 26 February, Oprah Winfrey and Agnes Gund came together at Sotheby’s New York to celebrate By Women, For Tomorrow’s Women, an auction, which features exclusively Contemporary women artists, to benefit financial aid at Miss Porter’s School. Several artists in the sale, including Roni Horn, Ghada Amer, Lily Stockman, Katherine Bradford and April Gornik, were in attendance. As two legendary female leaders themselves, Winfrey and Gund did not only honor women artists but also women at large. As Dr. Katherine Windsor, Head of Miss Porter's School, told a packed crowd, the DJ is a woman – DJ Zuri Marley. The chef is a woman – Michelin-starred Executive Chef Missy Robbins of Lilia and Misi. And, the designer of Windsor’s dress was a woman.
Between opening and closing remarks by Sotheby’s Charlotte Van Dercook and Saara Pritchard, Gund and Winfrey spoke, further empowering the audience. At a time when more than ever, institutions are reconsidering their collections’ diversity, Winfrey stressed the importance of an individual reassessing his or her own collecting tendencies. “I hope you buy a lot, but even if you don't, I hope that your idea about what it means to be a woman artist, and in your own collections expanding that to be more inclusive of women artists,” an always inspiring Winfrey said. “Over the years I bought a lot of wonderful art, but I never thought about was it by a woman or a man – I just thought, I like it. And now my whole perspective has changed, and so I am going to consciously be looking for women by women. So if we all do that, then this will be a big success.” To take Oprah’s words to heart, click here to view the catalogue for By Women, For Tomorrow’s Women, and click ahead for images from the powerful evening. –Stephanie Sporn
