Judie Malmgren, the chair person responsible for the selection of art, provided a tour of some art works displayed at Neiman Marcus on April 7. The event ended with wine and cheese at Mariposa.

CLICK HERE FOR SOME PHOTOS OF THE TOUR

ConTempo 2011  April 16

So. Fresh.  ConTempo’s enduring legacy year after year is that it’s not your every-day, run-of-the-mill, just-above-average museum fundraiser.  When the committee forms each time, all bets are off.  They begin anew to re-invent, re-package, and re—invigorate The Contemporary Museum’s only major fundraiser. In a nutshell, that’s the success of ConTempo and why it’s often the most talked-about party of the year. It never goes stale. Just like the modern art the event supports, ConTempo is always a fresh, out-of-the-box experience.

 “If the guests don’t go home saying, “O what a night!” then we haven’t done our job,” says Cherye Pierce who is chairing the 2011 event yet again after a most successful 2008 event that defied all fundraising expectations--even in light of the worst stock market disaster in most of our collective memories.

 “ To say she’s a legend in her own time, is probably an understatement,” says TCM’s Executive Director Allison Wong.  “We’re delighted she has such a passion for art, for community service, and for ConTempo.  It was Cherye Pierce who chaired the very first ConTempo nearly two decades ago.”

How does she do it?  At a recent breakfast meeting hosted by Neiman Marcus, where the Preview Party will once again be held the evening of Tuesday, April 5, Cherye Pierce assembled a collection of fundraising passionistas that cross a broad spectrum of Honolulu society, from artists like Diane Chen-KW, to graphic designers like Allison Higa, to small business entrepreneurs like MuuMuus From Heaven’s Deb Mascia, to legendary fundraising arm-twisters and socialites like Sharon Twigg-Smith and Violet Loo.  There are even a few “men of style” on the committee like retired museum professional Tim Choy, Neiman Marcus’ Al Tomonari, and TCM’s own Gordon Wong. If it’s one thing Pierce knows how to do, it’s how to pick a peck of party people.  Say that fast three times.

Another key to Pierce’s success is location, location, location.  The 2011 event will be held Saturday, April 16, at Waikiki’s newest modern tropical paradise, Marriott’s The Waikiki EDITION hotel on Ala Moana Boulevard. Think where great design meets innovation and toss in a collection of creative contemporary art for auction and you see where the buzz is going. The hotel should be just hitting its stride after its October 2010 grand opening to rave reviews.

The Waikiki EDITION is Marriott’s new line of lifestyle home-tels, mixing good design with the comforts of home (like imported linens by Frette, and bathrooms with over-sized glass-enclosed showers and Terrazzo countertops) and innovative new features like an outdoor movie theatre, spa, and ocean views. (Room, anyone?) 

This year the committee is reaching out to the young, the hip, and the passionate for art, enticing a new generation of patrons to reserve their seats and take their place on the RSVP list of people who like to party with style.  They are also reaching out for one-of-a-kind auction items and will be inviting a hand-picked selection of internationally-known artists to submit artwork for bidding. Some of the names being dropped include Deborah Butterfield (known for her fabulous life-size horse sculptures) And we can list other artists here;

You can reserve an invitation or a premium table by emailing Gordon Wong at contempo2011@tcmhi.org.  Individual tickets will be the same price as last year, $500 per person. Premium tables start at $5000, but the sky’s the limit!

Proceeds from ConTempo support a myriad of programs at The Contemporary Museum including exhibitions, children’s art activities, and the care of the beautiful gardens and historic homes at its top-of-the-hill residential location in Makiki Heights.  The Contemporary Museum celebrated 22 years in October and is Hawaii’s only museum dedicated to presenting the art of today by the famous artists of tomorrow. For more information, visit the museum’s web site at http://www.tcmhi.org or follow TCM on Twitter @TCMHonolulu or @TCMConTempo.