Awards Season

NEW YORK—'Tis the season for giving awards and special honors in the New York art world, as city arts organizations handed out statues to a number of big names over the past two weeks. Most notably, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council brought Mayor Michael Bloomberg down to the World Trade Center on May 6 to be honored at the council's annual Downtown Dinner benefit. The mayor was joined by fellow honorees First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris as well as playwright Edward Albee and artist Kiki Smith. As if these celebs weren't enough, artist Chuck Close and actresses Kathleen Turner and Edie Falco were all also in attendance at the dinner, which raised $900,000 for the LMCC.

A few days later and a little further uptown at Pier Sixty/Chelsea Piers, the International Center of Photography presented its 24th annual Infinity Awards. Winners included Malian photographer Malick Sidibé, who was given a Lifetime Achievement award, and Diane Keaton as the recipient of a Trustees award. Fashionistas Calvin Klein and Helena Christensen turned up at the ceremony, which was also a dinner and a fundraising benefit, as did author Salman Rushdie.

Check out the photo gallery at left for some standout pictures from the events.