On
Tuesday, October 6, 2009, The Hispanic Society of America celebrated
its annual Gala at the emblematic 583 Park Avenue in New York City.
This year, the following institutions and individuals were honored
for their exceptional contributions to Hispanic arts and letters:
Fundación
E. Arocena accepted by Eneko Belausteguigoitia
Arocena
and José Pinto
Mazal Fernando d’Ornellas Silva Blanca Pons-Sorolla Antonio del
Valle Ruiz
Since its founding in 1904 by the American scholar and philanthropist
Archer M. Huntington, the Hispanic Society has promoted the study of
the rich arts and culture of Spain and its areas of influence in Latin
America and throughout the world. The Society’s museum and library
collections include nearly a million works, unparalleled in their scope
and quality in the United States.
The Sorolla Medal is awarded annually
by The Hispanic Society of America to distinguished individuals and
institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the world
of Hispanic arts and letters. The first medal was awarded in 1924 and
others were granted sporadically until 1988. Her majesty Queen Sofia
was the last person to receive the medal during this period in the
Society’s History.
The night began with a cocktail which was
followed by dinner and dancing to the music of Bob Hardwick’s
Latin Band. Over three hundred distinguished guests from Spain and
the Americas attended this celebration of the Society’s long
history, enduring excellence and ambitious plans for the future. Noted
guests included: fashion designer Agatha Ruiz
de la Prada; filmmaker
and actress Domenica Cameron-Scorsese; fashion designer Vivienne
Tam;
Spanish singer and model Triana Bautista; Mexican
singer Jimena
Gallego,
Soprano Soloist Lola Montenegro of El Escorial Monastery;
fashion designer
Bibhu Mohapatra; Spanish artists Victoria
Febrer and Hugo Fontela;
architect Richard Meier; NY socialites Mayra
Hernandez and Alexandra
Lind Rose; fashion designer Sally Wu of Milly;
jewelry designer Bianca
Pratt, New York real estate broker Serena
Boardman; Spanish socialites
Chiquinquirá Figueroa, Amparo
Corsini and Alicia Viladomat;
the Countess of Godó; The
Barons of Albi; H.E. Antonio Yáñez-Barnuevo,
Ambassador Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations;
H.E. Fernando Villalonga, General Consul of Spain
in New York; H.E.
Iñigo Ramírez de Haro, the
Marquis of Caxaxa en Africa,
Consul Cultural Affairs of Spain in New York; Manolo
Falcó,
head officer of Citigroup in Spain; Fernando Quiroz
Robles, Institutional
Clients Group Head for Citi in Latin America; Eduardo
Cepeda, managing
director of J.P. Morgan Chase-Mexico; Roberto
G. Mendoza, Director
of Western Union; Carlos Ponce, financial advisor, Merrill Lynch; and Jaime
Yordan, recently retired managing director and chairman of Goldman
Sachs.
The 2009 Gala co-chairs were Mariette Arguimbau
Scott and Edward Barton Scott V and Kathie and
George Moore. The Young Committee co-chairs were Bianca
Pratt, Right Hon. Ramón Baiget Viale de Montebello, and Michel
Heredia.
