On the evening of June 11, 2025, New York’s cultural and philanthropic elite gathered beneath the storied ceilings of The Pool at the Seagram Building to honor one of the most influential champions of the arts: the late Tony Bechara. El Museo del Barrio’s annual gala, held in the heart of Manhattan, paid a moving tribute to Bechara’s lifetime of artistic innovation and unwavering support for Latinx cultural institutions, raising $1.1 million in the process to bolster the museum’s exhibitions, education initiatives, and permanent collection.
Bechara, a celebrated visual artist and a driving force behind El Museo’s evolution into a nationally and internationally respected institution, was posthumously awarded the Excellence in the Arts and Outstanding Patron Award. It was a fitting honor for a figure whose work shaped both canvases and communities.
This year’s gala was chaired by a distinguished roster of supporters: Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky, Victoria Espinosa, Agnes Gund, Karla Harwich, Karla Martinez de Salas, María Eugenia Maury, Yolanda Santos, and Désirée von la Valette. Guests were welcomed with cocktails curated by Dobel Tequila, culminating in a toast featuring their latest Extra Añejo release—Dobel Atelier Animales Endémicos Edition—designed to reflect the evening’s spirit of celebration and refinement.
The program featured a stirring performance by Puerto Rican opera singer Larisa Martínez and a poignant reading by U.S. Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco. Sotheby’s conducted an art auction showcasing more than 25 exceptional works from leading Latin American and Latinx artists, with pieces contributed by some of the world’s top galleries.
The evening brought together a diverse cross-section of the arts, culture, fashion, and civic communities. Among the notable attendees were artist Candida Alvarez; model and actress Juana Burga; U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, who appeared via video with a heartfelt message; City Council Member Tiffany Cabán; American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Isaac Hernandez; artist Coco Fusco; Ford Foundation curator Thelma Golden; designer Gabriela Hearst; fashion icon Carolina Herrera; and journalist Ana Navarro.
Also in attendance were museum curators, actors, philanthropists, and prominent cultural leaders including Naomi Beckwith, Carlos Picón, Maria Elena Salinas, Ruben Toledo, Jean Shafiroff, and Claudia Peña-Salinas. Their presence underscored Bechara’s profound and enduring impact on both the art world and the broader cultural landscape.
Born in Puerto Rico in 1942, Tony Bechara moved to New York City, where he pursued a multidisciplinary education spanning Georgetown Law, NYU, the Sorbonne, and the School of Visual Art. His artistic career flourished in the 1970s and ’80s, with exhibitions across major institutions including El Museo del Barrio, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Sheldon Museum of Art, and Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico.
Yet it was Bechara’s role as a builder of institutions that distinguished his legacy. His service to El Museo del Barrio began in 1993 when he joined the Board of Trustees. By 2000, he had become Board Chair, a position he held for 15 years, before being named Chairman Emeritus in 2016. His board involvement extended to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Instituto Cervantes, and Studio in a School—each reflective of his commitment to broadening cultural access and representation.
“Tony's legacy will continue not just through what he created on canvas—but through what he built for generations to come.”Patrick Charpenel, El Museo’s Executive Director
El Museo del Barrio remains the leading institution dedicated to Latinx and Latin American art in the United States. Located at 1230 Fifth Avenue, the museum invites visitors of all backgrounds to engage with its permanent collection, multilingual exhibitions, and dynamic public programming. Events like this gala reinforce El Museo’s role not only as a cultural beacon, but as a steward of legacies like Bechara’s—complex, visionary, and deeply intertwined with the spirit of New York City.