Enchanting El Museo Del Barrio Gala Honors Late Artist And Arts Patron Tony Bechara

Amplifying fellow artists such as Carmen Herrera and Leon Polk Smith, generously donating to arts organizations, and drawing from myriad art historical references to hone his inimitable approach to color theory, Tony Bechara created an impact in all facets of life and career. The highly educated, Puerto Rico-born, New York-City based artist who died in April on his 83rd birthday, was honored last night at the glamorous annual gala for El Museo del Barrio, where he served as Chairman Emeritus.

The joyous event raised $1.1 million to support exhibitions, educational programs, and the preservation of the permanent collection of the oldest museum in the United States dedicated to Latino art and culture. The East Harlem museum spans pre-Columbian Taíno art to contemporary works, with a focus on Puerto Rican artists and the Puerto Rican community in New York.

“Like so many of you here tonight, I held a deep admiration and respect for Tony—his vision, his generosity, and his unwavering dedication to El Museo and our community,” Chair of El Museo Board of Trustees Karla Harwich, told the well-heeled crowd filling elegant mid-century modern restaurant, The Pool, to feast on exceptional seafood in the landmarked Seagram Building in New York City.

Bechara’s singular art borrowed from the palettes of Henri Matisse (bold, emotional) and Édouard Vuillard (warm and muted) and the meticulous Pointillism of Georges Seurat and Paul Signac, while looking beyond France for inspiration from crafters and weavers, abstraction, and the intricacy and vivacity of Byzantine-era mosaics in Ravenna, Italy. Last June, Lisson Gallery announced it is representing Bechara, following his inaugural solo exhibition with the gallery.

Making an impact far beyond his artistic practice, Bechara was a tireless advocate for artists who risked marginalization. His creative leadership and enduring influence of art and culture helped to grow El Museo’s national and international reputation. He served on the boards of several leading cultural organizations including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Instituto Cervantes, and Studio in a School. He joined El Museo del Barrio’s Board of Trustees in 1993, became co-chair in 1997, served as Board chair from 2000 to 2015, and was named chairman emeritus in 2016.

“Tony’s legacy will continue not just through what he created on canvas—but through what he built for generations to come. We miss him deeply. And we celebrate him with immense gratitude and love tonight,” said El Museo Executive Director Patrick Charpenel.

Born in 1942, Bechara spent most of his life in New York City. He attended Georgetown Law School and New York University, and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and the New York School of Visual Art. His work is featured in public and private collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, El Museo del Barrio, and Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico.

“Tony’s life and legacy will always be an inspiration to all of us. A devoted advocate, leader, beloved by everyone. He was relentless with his passion for many different cultural organizations. Tony loved his community, this city, and this museum. It is one of the many things we have in common,” U.S. Senator Charles Ellis “Chuck” Schumer, D-New York, said via video.

Puerto Rican opera soprano Larisa Martínez sang, Cuban-American Richard Blanco, the fifth inaugural poet of the United States, shared a poem, and Sotheby’s led an auction of more than 25 artworks from preeminent Latin American and Latinx artists and world-leading galleries. Guests indulged in specialty cocktails from Dobel Tequila, and a toast with Dobel’s newest limited edition Extra Añejo release, Dobel Atelier Animales Endémicos Edition, showcasing ​​six hand-painted bottles inspired by native Mexican species: axolotl, jaguar, monarch butterfly, and dwarf jay.

This year’s gala was chaired by: Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky, Victoria Espinosa, Agnes Gund, Harwich, Karla Martinez de Salas, María Eugenia Maury, Yolanda Santos, and Désirée von la Valette. Other notable attendees included: artists Candida Alvarez, Coco Fusco, Claudia Peña-Salinas, Lee Quinones, and Ruben Toledo; author Daisy Auger Dominguez; curators and collectors Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky; model and actress Juana Burga; New York City Council Member Tiffany Cabán; El Museo del Barrio’s Executive Director Patrick Charpenel; New York City Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs Laurie Cumbo; Argentine model Valentina Ferrer; Guggenheim Museum Curator Naomi Beckwith; Ford Foundation Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum Thelma Golden; Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre Isaac Hernandez; film director and activist Paola Mendoza; Dominican models Hiandra Martinez and Lineisy Montero; Mexican actor and Mauricio Martinez; Latino activist Henry Muñoz; curator Carlos Picón; artist; philanthropist and author Jean Shafiroff; designer Stephanie Suberville; Museum of Arts and Design Chair Emeritus Barbara Tober; artist and architect Jean-Pierre Villafañe; museum director Julián Zugazagoitia; New York State Director of Latino Affairs in the Executive Chamber of Governor Kathy Hochul, Sophia Zayas; and El Museo Interim Chief Curator Susanna Temkin.