Dancing into Spring

NEW YORK—Spring benefit season continues in full force in the art world, and one can only hope the weather will begin to play catch up. Last week, the Dia Art Foundation celebrated the fifth anniversary of Dia:Beacon's Riggio Galleries, which house the foundation's contemporary holdings, by hosting its 2008 benefit at the Beacon location on May 17. The event included the unveiling of a number of installations, including a six-film project by Tacita Dean that focuses on Merce Cunningham. The famed choreographer's company also performed at the benefit, as part of an ongoing series in which Cunningham is choreographing eight site-specific pieces based on the artworks of specific artists housed at Dia:Beacon. In attendance at the benefit were Cunningham and Dean, artist Kenny Sharf, and writer Jeffrey Eugenides, to name a few.

Also this week, ARTINFO catches up with two big New York exhibition openings from earlier this month: Zhang Huan's two part debut show of painting and sculpture at PaceWildenstein, "Blessings," which is on view at the gallery's 25th and 22nd street locations through July 25, and Tom Sachs's installation of large-scale sculpture, "Bronze Collection," in the lobby of the Lever House skyscaper, through September 8. Artists Chuck Close, Fred Wilson, and Brice Marden, as well as megacollector Aby Rosen and legendary dealer Irving Blum could be found mingling at the two events.

Check out the photo gallery to the left for some of the party pictures.