At the annual ChaShaMa Gala, over 1,000 guests learned to lasso with Josef Pinlac, painted the walls with Mirena Rhee, posed with Darrell Thorne’s Beautiful Beings, danced with the alien Vilma Hodo, had their hair styled with owls and merry-go-rounds by Edisa Weeks, got spanked in the Adult Funhouse and so much more. One of New York City’s most spectacular celebrations of the arts, the gala provided a rare paid opportunity for creative expression from over 300 artists. It’s the perfect expression of ChaShaMa’s mission to provide affordable studio space and exhibition opportunities to New York artists.
Each year, the ChaShaMa Gala brings together NYC’s most innovative and forward-thinking leaders, landowners, corporate executives and art professionals to support the creative communities that make this city magical. This year ChaShaMa and its founder Anita Durst honored Martin Dunn of Dunn Development Corp., who generously provides space in Queens and the Bronx where artists get space in exchange for teaching, and James Fuentes of James Fuentes Gallery in the Lower East Side who represents diverse artists and types of art.
All NYC and CDC guidelines and protocols were strictly enforced at the event.
In addition to the gala, the organization also hosted ChaShaMa Rama, an art extravaganza with interactive performances, open to the public. Please visit chashama.org for more information.
