1,000 Words

2010 May 11

Sandra Brant, Calvin Klein, Stefano Tonchi, Ingrid Sischy, Mark Seliger
CLINT SPAULDING/PatrickMcMullan.com View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Pier Sixty erupted into flashes of light last night, as a sea of photographers found themselves on the other side of the lens during the 26th annual International Center of Photography Infinity Awards. Up-and-coming shutterbugs and veterans alike congregated for an evening of celebrating the art form. Distinguished guests including Stefano Tonchi, Glenda Bailey, Cathie Black, Calvin Klein and Ingrid Sischy sipped white wine and perused the photographs on display, but this was far from a stuffy evening. Friends laughed and indulged in mini paper cones teeming with friend calamari. Event chair Kim Vernon smiled, “This isn’t the Met party or the Oscars. It’s all about the talent of these extraordinary people. It’s a stress-free evening. You can wear whatever you want! Well, not literally, of course.”

Hearst had quite the evening, as Gilbert Maurer received the ICP Trustees Award. A proud Bailey beamed, “What’s amazing about Gil is that he’s not only a great business man, but a fantastic artist. He has just unbelievable taste. We are so proud!” She continued, “Because of the business I’m in, I’m spoiled for choice when it comes to beautiful photographs and images.” Cathie Black seconded Bailey’s emotion. “We’re on fire!” she declared. “We just had the Oprah Winfrey 10th Anniversary Celebration this past weekend and tonight Gil is honored. It’s a big night for us.”

The fashion editorial world came out in droves to support the cause, and Tonchi and Lynn Hirschberg sidled up to one another, and then quickly found their seat in the dining room. Guests applauded the honorees over a Mario Batali-created meal of sweet pea flan and braised beef shortrib. Moby explained that he felt very in his element. “Strangely enough, I have more friends in New York who are photographers than musicians. My uncle was a staff photographer for the New York Times for a really long time, and when I was younger he would give me his hand-me-down equipment, and so I’ve actually been doing photography for as long as I’ve been doing music.” He laughed and added, “I just got back from South America three days ago, and now it’s that old readjustment of facing the day-to-day quotidian.”
EMILY POPP

2010 INFINITY AWARDS RECIPIENTS:

John G. Morris, Lifetime Acheivement
Gilbert Maurer, ICP Trustees Award
Peter Magubane, Cornell Capa Award
Raphael Dallaporta, Young Photographer
Sarah Greenough, Publication
Luc Sante, Writing
Lorna Simpson, Art
Reza, Photojournalism
Daniele Tamagni, Fashion Photography