High Line, High Times

The phenomenal IAC Building, designed by Frank Gehry, was the center of the action for a benefit held tonight to raise funds and awareness for the High Line, the abandoned elevated railway along Tenth Avenue in West Chelsea that's one year away from becoming the most celebrated slice of green in New York since Olmsted and Vaux debuted Central Park, in 1873. Following dinner at the nearby David Zwirner gallery, guests at the soirée gathered for a glittery reception in the dramatically illuminated high-rise, an edifice that continues to turn the heads of startled drivers along the West Side Highway. While some attendees headed straight for the dance floor, others waited in line to have their photos taken in front of a backdrop of the weed-strewn High Line. The images will become part of The High Line Portrait project, which now counts pictures of nearly 1,000 individuals, each of whom has been photographed in the same "spot." (See here.) Though the faux backdrop is about as photorealistic as those pull-down screens made famous by the Sears Portrait Studio back in the day, it will be the next best thing until we can all clamber atop the High Line for real. I'm counting the days. %%showphotos [setid=72157602747721220]%%