Art Arena™, the experiential platform elevating women in art and sport, celebrated the launch of the inaugural issue of Art Arena x CULTURED with an intimate cocktail event at Felix in SoHo. The evening marked the debut of Art Arena’s new annual print publication and celebrated its first-ever cover star, Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn, photographed by contemporary artist Sheree Hovsepian.
Notable attendees included Swizz Beatz, Rapsody, Mark Tallman, Mickalene Thomas, Sheree Hovsepian, Dystany Spurlock, Monica McNutt, Legacy Russell, Isolde Brielmaier, and Sarah Harrelson.
The publication is led by Work of Art Holdings® Founder and CEO Michi Jigarjian alongside CULTURED Founder and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson, with multidisciplinary artist and Art Arena Co-Founder Mickalene Thomas serving as Founding Creative Director and VOGUE alum Leah Faye Cooper as Guest Editor of the inaugural issue.
Guests gathered at the iconic French bistro, a longtime SoHo destination and spirited gathering place for sporting events, for an evening bringing together figures from across art, sport, fashion, and culture. Over cocktails and Parisian-inspired bites, guests toasted the inaugural cover and Art Arena’s newly minted editorial platform to create greater visibility and new storytelling opportunities for women across art and sport.
Attendees sported custom Art Arena™ hats with the slogan “Art & Sports Move People” while they flipped through the 200 pages of the first issue. Among those in attendance were producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, who came out to show his support; rapper Rapsody; actor Mark Tallman of the Apple TV series Your Friends & Neighbors; Monica McNutt, basketball analyst and voice of the New York Knicks; Emily Tisch Sussman, host of the award-winning podcast She Pivots; and Paula Ngon, an award-winning public relations and brand communications strategist for the NFL and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Artists in attendance included Sheree Hovsepian, Bony Ramirez, Sadie Barnette, Naima Green, and Jil Weinstock, among others.
Image credit: Yvonne Tnt/BFA
