The Facts
On November 10, 2026, the Guggenheim held its annual benefit, Under the Oculus: A Celebration of Visionaries, at its Frank Lloyd Wright–designed rotunda in New York. The event honored artist Alex Katz and His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and paid tribute to the late architect Frank Gehry. The evening included a cocktail reception and exhibition viewing of Taryn Simon | Father Country I Do Love You, followed by a performance by Janelle Monáe. Funds raised support the museum’s exhibitions, education programs, and collection preservation. The benefit also highlighted the upcoming December opening of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The Signal
The benefit underscores the Guggenheim’s strategic focus on international expansion, particularly the forthcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Honoring Al Mubarak, who has been instrumental in the project, and the tribute to Gehry, who designed both the Bilbao and future Abu Dhabi museums, link the institution’s past achievements with its future ambitions. The event also reinforces the museum’s commitment to postwar and contemporary art, as exemplified by Katz’s retrospective and the current Taryn Simon exhibition.
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- Artists: Alex Katz, Taryn Simon, Leonardo Drew, Jeffrey Gibson, Alteronce Gumby, Jamian Juliano-Villani, Deana Lawson, Glenn Ligon, Kylie Manning, Oscar Murillo, Marc Quinn, Avery Singer
- People: Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Frank Gehry, Janelle Monáe, Melissa Chiu, Mariët Westermann, J. Tomilson Hill, Wendy Fisher
- Galleries: Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery
- Museums: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Guggenheim Foundation, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Guggenheim Bilbao
- Locations: New York
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