Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1521218
Ball Art is a When A nything goes. That's my usual response w h e n a s k e d , "What should I wear to Art Ball?" For those uninitiated in Dallas' social mores, Art Ball is the shortened title of what this year was dubbed the Dallas Museum of Art's Art Ball — Momentum. My inbox often finds a story from GQ, Town & Country, or InStyle with a variation of this type of story: "What is black- tie appropriate today?" I've considered penning a Dallas version of such an instructional guide, since our calendar is laden with swellegant affairs — each of which has its own protocol — or, in social media lingo, vibes. Old-school affairs such as Crystal Charity Ball and the Sweetheart Ball call for long gowns and classic black tuxedos. It's best not to stray too far from those parameters. Museum events, however, given that they support creative institutions, have more nebulous attire guidelines. Thus, at Art Ball, it's always fun just to sit back and watch the parade of ensembles gliding into the museum. But more on that in a moment. The co-chairs of this year's 62nd Art Ball, Andy Smith and Paul von Wupperfeld, chose the Momentum theme to describe the forward motion and evolution at the museum: innovative programs, blockbuster exhibitions, and galleries filled to capacity on weekends, due to a new free admission on Sundays. In fact, Smith and Wupperfeld dug even deeper and proclaimed that the pre-party would be dubbed Onwards and the after- party, Upwards. The planning pair — a couple both in real life and for the purposes of the party — stuck with teams that had worked on the ball in years past: museum staffers who had been with the organization for many years, as well as Todd Events and Art 2 Catering. Well-heeled guests began their evening in a sleek tent adjacent the museum's Hamon Atrium. Scanning the tent's interior (where the cocktail hour and after-party occurred), one found black velvet drapes, latte-colored carpet, and three crystal-and- bronze chandeliers. Given that the roof was clear, there were breathtaking views of the Dallas skyline. Perhaps the most popular feature of the tent, though, was the photo booth, which was designed to look like an elevator at Neiman Marcus (the evening's presenting sponsor). Mechanical doors opened and closed so guests could script their own entry- making video. And who doesn't love making a dramatic entrance … over and over again. By Billy Fong. Photography Tamytha Cameron, Rebecca Patton/Beckley. Capera Ryan, Amir Taghi Rachel Koffsky Cam Hall, Micah Blehm, Cindy Hall Lloyd Princeton Sabrina Harrison Rich Pendleton Sanjay Hathiramani Agustin Arteaga Gowri N. Sharma Paul von Wupperfeld Andy Smith Nancy Dedman Brad Kelly 24