Cate Blanchett and More Than 500 Guests Joined Hamburger Bahnhof for Its Inaugural Gala

Berlin doesn’t do subtle—and for its 30th anniversary, Hamburger Bahnhof soared to new heights with “A Night in Berlin,” convening 500-plus cultural power players for a look at the institution’s next 30 years. The evening also launched four new awards: the Studio Award to artists Abdulhamid Kircher, Monilola Olayemi Ilupeju, and Jonas Roßmeißl; the Lifetime Achievement Award to artist Mona Hatoum; the Global Arts Patronage Award to collector Kiran Nadar; and the Changemaker Award to arts nonprofit the Delfina Foundation.

The Occasion: The first-ever benefit gala for Hamburger Bahnhof, kicking off a yearlong 30th anniversary program that will include eight exhibitions, a Chanel commission, and an anniversary weekend in November featuring a continuous 30-hour public opening.

The Scene: A landmark benefit buzzing with activations throughout the space. The evening’s schedule unfolded across several acts inside the museum’s 2,500-square-meter hall with performances, spatial installations, and the presentation of the four awards.

The Crowd: More than 500 cultural leaders across art, film, music, fashion, and philanthropy joined in the revelry, including arts leaders Frances Morris, Aaron Cezar, Füsun Eczacıbaşı, and Glenn Lowry; actor Cate Blanchett; patrons Monique Burger, Christine Würfel-Stauss, and Kiran Nadar; artists Mona Hatoum, Abdulhamid Kircher, Monilola Olayemi Ilupeju, Jonas Roßmeißl, and Katharina Grosse; and Hamburger Bahnhof co-directors Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath.

The Locale: Hamburger Bahnhof’s historic hall—a monumental former train station turned temple of contemporary art—packed with tables, artist activations, and a red neon sculpture by Monica Bonvicini that read, “Own Your Own Desire.”