A Look at New York Botanical Garden's Long-Awaited Spring Gala

The flowers were blooming—and covered in polka dots—for New York Botanical Garden's Spring Gala 2021 for KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature. The highly anticipated exhibition from Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama was delayed for one year, and is now open with new sculptures like Dancing Pumpkin and I Want to Fly to the Universe as well as the artist’s first-ever obliteration greenhouse, Flower Obsession. A brand new Infinity Mirrored Room will open in August.

The evening, an in-person, black-tie affair, signalled the return to a more normal year for many, including guests Karlie Kloss, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Gillian Hearst, Alek Wek, Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl, Brooke Shields, Jodie Turner-Smith, Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier, designers Prabal Gurung, Laura Kim, and Fernando Garcia.

Veuve Clicquot, one of the evening's sponsors, served its newest vintage, the Kusama-designed La Grande Dame 2012, at a special cocktail hour prior to the gala as well as a toast during the night. The evening, also sponsored by De Beers Jewellers and Hearst, raised $1.3 million for NYBG and its programming.