I headed to the Art Director’s Club on Monday evening for the tenth anniversary celebration of RxArt, a non-profit organization dedicated to placing original fine art in patient, procedure and examination rooms of healthcare facilities. Actor James Franco, photographer Terry Richardson and artist Rob Pruitt chaired the evening’s benefit.
Bravo Work of Arts’ Simon de Pury auctioned off 25 works from top contemporary artists including Yoshimoto Nara, Tony Feher, Terence Koh and Rob Pruitt, to benefit RxArt’s future projects. The event was a small component of what the organization has planned to fete its ten year anniversary. They’ve collabrated with over 200 artists through auctions, coloring books and unforgettable installations in healthcare facilities around the country.
Of course there were socialites, artists and their enthusiasts and fashion insiders galore but the main attraction for attendees, aside from contributing to a worthy cause, was being able to rub elbows with actor James Franco. Franco was a bit tardy for the party, but with good reason, of course. He is currently pursuing a PhD in English at Yale so he was stuck in class. The debonair actor, dressed casually in dark denim, a black utility jacket and his ginormous book bag perched on his back, got there just in time for the closing of the event. He’s extremely handsome, soulful and somewhat of an enigma. He exchanged pleasantries with everyone in the room and even had the time to take photos with guests.
I won’t profess the abundance of love I have for the actor; I mean he is one of the most talented actors of our generation and one who keeps himself challenged with new pursuits in education and arts. It’s refreshing to see the level of commitment he has to charities that involve the arts. I talked to him briefly about his role on the daytime soap General Hospital. He hinted at a reprisal of his character, serial killing artist Franco.
Another fabulous surprise was director Paul Sorvino showing up to the event before heading to dinner with a friend. Spotted in the crowd was socialite Genevieve Jones and her friends, Hawaii Five-O actor Scott Caan, socialite Karen Koeningsberg, fashion writers Derek Blasberg, among others.
