May 1

May 1 Toyin Ojih Odutola Honored at Third Annual Amref ArtBall in Brooklyn

Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, Toyin Ojih Odutola. Photo by BFA.

The third annual Amref ArtBall arrived in Brooklyn on April 28, 2018, where denizens from the worlds of art, fashion, music, celebrity, and philanthropy collided. Held at the expansive, chic yet raw, design space A/D/O/ located in Greenpoint, over 700 guests, including a surprise appearance by Chris Rock, mingled, danced, and celebrated contemporary African art. Jack Shainman of the Jack Shainman Gallery once again returned as the honorary host, and Young Paris served as the Benefit Committee Chair. New York legends Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys presented the gifted Nigerian painter Toyin Ojih Odutola with the Rees Visionary Award. The award is named after Amref’s late founder, the artist and plastic surgeon Dr. Tom Rees, and bestowed to artists shifting contemporary African culture. Past recipients of this award have included Wangechi Mutu and El Anatsui. Curators Atim Annette Oton and Alexandra Giniger curated a dynamic exhibition featuring 26 works including Lina Viktor and Odili Donald Odita, where guests could also bid on an Artsy auction. Revelers nibbled on African cuisine by Kenyan chef Ali Pandey and sonic stimulations were provided all night by DJ Cuppy, DJ Tunez, and DJ Tao. Notable guests included Time 100’s Nice Nailantei Leng’ete, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Delphine Diallo, and many others.