New Museum Spring Gala 2026 Draws Chloë Sevigny, John Waters & More

The art crowd gathered at Cipriani South Street on Monday evening to send off New Museum director Lisa Phillips, who is set to retire, at the museum’s annual Spring Gala.

Phillips was the woman of the hour, in constant rotation between the step-and-repeat and cocktail hour, where just about every guest wanted a photo with her. The crowd, dressed in sparkles, pink and metallics, milled about the cherry-blossom-filled room. Chloë Sevigny and John Waters made small talk while Dustin Yellin and Mickalene Thomas caught up. Other guests included Joan Jonas, Barbara Kruger, Judy Chicago, Thelma Golden, Jeff Koons, John Leguizamo, Marilyn Minter, Miles Greenberg, Rashid Johnson, Hilton Als, Matt Dillon and more.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Phillips of being honored at the spring benefit. “It has been 51 years in the art world. That’s a long time. It’s a lifetime achievement award of sorts. I’m just overwhelmed by seeing people from the past 50 years of my life here, from all over the country, all over the world.”

The evening had her reflecting on her career with the museum.

“It feels hopeful and I think optimistic for the next chapter, for all of us, for the museum and for me,” she said. “We were founded by a young curator, Marcia Tucker, who had no money, no collection, just an idea. And it was three people who worked for free in a single room on Hudson Street. It just evolved over time into what it is today, which is a major international institution. So I was very proud to have been a big part of that.”