A few nights ago, art world heavyweights, such as Claes Oldenburg, Frank Stella, Christo, Cindy Sherman, David Hockney, Martin Puryear and John Baldessari, gathered in New York to honor Martin Friedman, the former director of the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN. Described as “the best-loved arts advocate you may have never heard of,” Friedman was instrumental in providing a stage for modern sculpture, developing the Walker’s now famous sculpture garden, as well as establishing the Madison Square Park’s public art program. 

Here are some images from the celebration:

Deborah Sale, Mary Beebe, Martin Friedman, Mickey Friedman, Debbie Landau, and Dorothy Lichtenstein

David Hockney and Arne Glimcher 

Frank Gehry, Claes Oldenburg, and John Baldessari

Chuck Close and Mark di Suvero

Philip Glass 

Read more on Martin Friedman and the event through ArtInfo

Images via ArtInfo, © BFA