At the American Academy in Rome’s Fall Gala, nearly three hundred guests gathered at the Metropolitan Club to honor the cultural achievements of iconic actor, director, and producer Robert De Niro, and to celebrate returning 2018 Rome Prize Fellows. Luminaries from the worlds of art, fashion, film, business, and politics enjoyed cocktails in the President’s Foyer and the J. P. Morgan Room, followed by dinner in the President’s Ballroom.
Dinner guests were welcomed by Academy President Mark Robbins and Board Chair Mary Margaret Jones, whose term ends in December. AAR Director John Ochsendorf shared several magical moments from Rome that illustrate the vibrant and varied richness of the Academy. This served as a perfect lead-in to a short film, created by Gael Towey & Co. and Doyle Partners (with music provided by 2017 Fellow Jonathan Berger), in which several Fellows discussed the impact of the Rome Prize on their work.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Centennial Medal to Robert De Niro by artist, critic, professor, and AAR Trustee Robert Storr, who recently retired as Dean of the Yale University School of Art. Mr. De Niro joked that he immediately agreed to be honored, thinking the event was held in Rome. Nevertheless, he was very thankful for the the Academy’s mission of supporting artists and scholars and brought the room to a standing ovation with an impassioned plea to support the arts and the sanctity of truth. Gala Co-Chairs and Trustees Alessia Antinori and Calvin Tsao closed out the evening, inviting guests to a dessert buffet and dancing in the J. P. Morgan Room. It was a fun and festive evening for the Academy’s largest annual US fundraiser.