On The Town: By Rose Hartman

Several hundred photo aficionados, photo collectors, photographers and performers gathered at Cipriani Wall Street ‘s grand ballroom last week to pay homage to the brilliant and innovative photographer Gordon Parks whose long and illustrious career took him from the favelas of Rio to the world of high fashion. Swiss Beatz hosted the Gordon Parks Foundation Awards Dinner and Photo Auction that honored designer Vera Wang, artist and photographer Lorna Simpson, director Ed Zwick, and jazz musician Curtis Mayfield for their courage, vision, compassion and heart–and raised $500,000. for student scholarships, etc. In addition, filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, Hobson who donated $25 million to the University of Chicago to construct the Gordon Parks Arts Hall, the first named after an African-American.

 Gayle King