The New York Academy of Art held its 26th annual "Take Home a Nude" benefit auction at Sotheby's Upper East Side headquarters, honoring artist John Alexander. The event featured 112 artists, including Ryan McGinness, Natalie Frank, Christo, Eric Fischl, and Kiki Smith, who each donated unique drawings made from the same nude models during Will Cotton's annual Drawing Party. The party, hosted at Cotton's studio, brought together New York artists to sketch live models, with this year's theme featuring the sons and daughters of art-world figures like Glenn O'Brien, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, Anne Pasternak, and Barbara Gladstone posing alongside the nudes.
The benefit is essential to the New York Academy of Art's continued success, celebrating the foundational practice of figure drawing that is often overlooked by professional artists. Academy president David Kratz described the event as a "celebration of the work that our artists are doing," while Cotton emphasized the importance of drawing from a live model to foster community and artistic growth. The auction also attracted celebrity attendees including Princess Beatrice of York, Brooke Shields, Chris Noth, Padma Lakshmi, and Naomi Watts, highlighting the intersection of art education, philanthropy, and high-profile support.