The soundtrack to the evening—the heavy breathes of Jacqueline Kiyomi Gordon—lead the way down the narrow alley to the backyard of Various Small Fires, where a trio of the artist’s inflatables were under siege. The oncoming troops were here to stare at these endlessly bloating and collapsing shapes, but also to pick apart the flatbread and floral topped dairy peaks left by chef Amanny Ahmad on tall tables that constituted the outdoor bar, stocked with Whispering Angel and Kikori Whisky. Inside, the breathing stopped for artist Calida Rawles‘s extraordinary painting debut with VSF. History felt both heavy and light when Amy Sherald toasted Rawles, who is not only her friend but a peer since college days. The whole evening contained a reunion type vibe, but with a mix of friends old and new, including Hunter Schafer, Mera and Don Rubell, Tyler Mitchell, Diedrick Brackens, Jason Bolden, Ashley Bickerton and Billy Al Bengston.
in your life?
