Elegance, Eloquence, and Enlightenment through Art & Culture

Welcome to the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF): Trophée des Arts Gala 2016, a night of decadence, desire, and devotion to French culture. On Friday, October 28, 2016 FIFA invited their guests to ‘Meet Me at The Plaza’ to attend the gala amongst the splendor of the Plaza Hotel in New York city. A truly iconic New York institution, and home to the annual Trophée de Arts Gala, this year’s gala recognized the wondrous works of contemporary artist Jeff Koons, and the career of L’Oreal Chairman and CEO, Jean-Paul Agon. The night was not only dedicated to the glitz and glam of old New York, but was staged for the greater good, estimated to raise $1.3 million in support of FIAF’s educational and cultural programs.

What better place to embrace cultural significance than in one of the most diverse and multi-cultural cities in the world, New York City? FIAF allows New Yorkers the opportunity to submerge themselves in the richness of French culture through innovative programs in education and the arts. FIAF “seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross-cultural dialogue through partnerships and new platforms of expression.” The Trophée des Arts Gala truly represents what FIAF stands for as an institution. FIAF was created in 1992 to celebrate artists who exemplify their mission of French-American “cross-cultural exchange.” In the past, this honor has been bestowed on French and American artists and cultural icons, including François Cluzet, Alain Ducasse, Jacques Grange, Marc Jacobs, James Ivory, Angélique Kidjo, Philippe de Montebello, Charlie Rose, Robert Wilson, and most recently Françoise Gilot. This year, the Trophée des Arts was awarded to none other than, Jeff Koons.

Koons rose to prominence during the mid-1980s as part of a generation of artists who explored the meaning of art in a media-saturated era. He views art not as subjective or objective, but as circular. Koons was presented the Trophée des Arts by legendary art dealer, and friend of over 30 years, Larry Gagosian. It was an emotional acceptance that displayed his heart, integrity, and his undying devotion to artistry over the years. Koons highlighted the fact that French cultural heritage has made him a “better artist.” He reminisced by sharing, “I remember my first art history teacher bringing up a slide of Monet and talking about Olympia, the black cat, and a bouquet of flowers. I realized how lucky I was to be involved with art because it so effortlessly connected me to all of the human disciplines I could be involved in: philosophy and psychology, aesthetics and physics.” From lectures in class to the completion of his intervention at the (Château) de Versailles in 2008, it came full circle today for Jeff Koons after the series of events that led him to such a great honor in his career.

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Koons’ acceptance speech was only the beginning of proceedings. The night was young, and guests relished the touching moment in art history as two cultures joined together as one. An auction, to end all auctions, followed. Throughout the evening the silent auction was conducted through an app called, BidPal. First up, a fine bottle of Cheval Blanc sold to art deal extraordinaire, Larry Gagosain for a mere $8,000 (no big deal!). If your jaw just dropped, don’t worry, ours did too as we heard the mallet and the word SOLD! screamed out in perfect harmony.

Another highly priced item and favorite amongst the crowd was the one-of-a-kind Harley Davidson Motorcycle from their 1851 collection. The motorcycle sat on display as guests entered the ballroom and was a real focus of attention. While other items were up for grabs, such as lavish trips to Europe and the Caribbean, the pièce de résistance came from Jeff Koons’ exclusive Collection for Bernardaud and Monkey Train (Dots) Lithograph. All proceeds went to FIAF in efforts to foster cultural exchange programs between France and the United States.

The auction was a complete success, giving back to the community of artistic and cultural expansion. The night got into full swing when the second award recipient prepared to take the stage. The Pilier d’Or recognizes a leading business figure, diplomat, or philanthropist for outstanding contributions to the French-American community. Former honorees include Pierre Bellon (Sodexo), Thierry Breton (ATOS), Paul Desmarais Jr. (Power Corporation of Canada), Carlos Ghosn (Renault-Nissan Alliance), and Fabrice Grinda (internet entrepreneur and investor). This year, the honor was bestowed upon L’Oréal’s Chairman and CEO, Jean-Paul Agon. Agon is well known as a visionary for his views on the "universalization of beauty” and creating and enforcing a new philosophy of global marketing within the beauty industry. He has entered and excelled in “untested markets, tapping into unfamiliar cultures, seeking out differences in human behavior and shaping a new world of beauty consumerism,” all the while staying true to the core esthetic of L’Oréal.

Before his acceptance speech, a brief montage was shown of L’Oreal’s transformation as a brand, its perch atop the beauty industry, and as a force to be reckoned with over the years. It was a truly breathtaking moment when Jean-Paul Agon, an individual who has been with L’Oreal since 1978 and has spent his entire career within prominent sales & marketing positions, took the stage. He began by congratulating his fellow honoree saying, “Congratulations Jeff, because, ‘You’re Worth it’.” The room erupted with laughter as everyone recognized the L’Oreal catch phrase.

Like Koons, Agon emphasized the need for “creative cultural ties” and the importance of “cross-cultural dialogue and understanding”. The theme involving an ‘art and beauty connection’ was common throughout the night. Agon went on to describe that beauty, like art, is multicultural and is meant for the masses, not just for a privileged few. He expressed that, “Together we celebrate beauty and art, two aspirations that converge on the same idea of expression: expressing who you are, what you want to be and what you want to say – and show it to the world.”

After Agon’s acceptance speech, guests were left to enjoy the night with friends and colleagues and to rejoice and appreciate the night’s beautiful series of events over coffee, tea, and delectable desserts. This was the perfect ending to a night of elegance, eloquence, and enlightenment through art, beauty, and culture.