The Guggenheim Honors Rashid Johnson, the National Basketball Association, and the National Basketball Players Association at the 2025 Annual Benefit, Under the Oculus: A Celebration of Visionaries

Last night, the Guggenheim New York celebrated its 2025 benefit, Under the Oculus: A Celebration of Visionaries. The event honored the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and artist Rashid Johnson for their deep commitment to youth programs. This year’s Under the Oculus: A Celebration of Visionaries raised $2.4 million in support of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. 

Held in the museum’s iconic Frank Lloyd Wright–designed rotunda, the event began with a cocktail reception featuring a DJ set by Aku Orraca-Tetteh and an exhibition viewing of Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers. Poet Daemond Arrindell then opened the evening’s dinner with a piece of spoken word poetry. Arrindell previously appeared at the Guggenheim as part of the Rashid Johnson exhibition performance series. A three-course menu curated by Marcus Samuelsson was then served. Mariët Westermann, Director and CEO of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation; Wendy Fisher, President of the Board of Trustees; and J. Tomilson Hill, Chairman, paid tribute to Johnson, the NBA, and the NBPA. They celebrated the honorees’ deep commitment to creating opportunities for younger generations, including Johnson’s support of the Guggenheim’s new free Teen Circle membership program and the NBA and NBPA’s work with organizations that promote school-to-career employment opportunities. Honorees Rashid Johnson, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and NBPA Executive Director and four-time NBA Champion Andre Iguodala also spoke. The dinner concluded with a special performance by Grammy Award–winning musical group The Roots.  

Guests at the benefit dinner included Questlove, Black Thought, Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Her Excellency Amna Almheiri, Richard Armstrong, Naomi Beckwith, Malcolm Brogdon,  Rujeko Hockley, Flavin Judd, Phyllis Kao, Tina Kim, David Kordansky, Thomas Krens, Christine Mack, Alexander Roth, Francesca Scorsese, Kimora Lee Simmons, Jennifer Stockman, Olivia Washington, and Jordyn Woods. Artists in attendance included Elian Almeida, Sanford Biggers, Carol Bove, Jordan Casteel, Sarah Crowner, Alteronce Gumby, Oded Halahmy, Megan Gabrielle Harris, Yu Hong, Sheree Hovsepian, Maya Lin, Angel Otero, Paul Pfeiffer, Taryn Simon, Tavares Strachan, and Hank Willis Thomas. 

As the museum’s signature annual fundraising event, the benefit greatly supports the advancement of an array of internationally acclaimed exhibitions, educational programs, and forward-thinking initiatives, while honoring the visionary individuals and organizations who share the Guggenheim’s dedication to building a brighter future for all.  

2025 Under the Oculus: A Celebration of Visionaries cochairs are Abigail and Joseph Baratta, Wendy Fisher, Guggenheim Partners, Andrew Gundlach, Janine and J. Tomilson Hill, Francesca Lavazza, Phyllis and Bill Mack, Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, the National Basketball Association, the National Basketball Players Association, Pilar Crespi Robert and Stephen Robert, Samira and Jeff Sine, and Clara Wu Tsai and Joseph Tsai. Vice-chairs are Peter O. Lawson-Johnston, Sr., Jessica and Brian Robinson, Susy and Jack Wadsworth, Mariët Westermann and Charles Pardoe, and Frank Yu. The Host Committee of Under the Oculus is composed of David Kordansky Gallery, Gail and Alfred Engelberg, Hauser & Wirth, Katrin and Christoph Henkel, and Sacha Janke and Andrew McCormack.  

About the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation 

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was established in 1937 and is dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art through exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives, and publications. The international constellation of museums includes the Guggenheim New York; the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; the Guggenheim Bilbao; and the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. A “temple of spirit” where radical art and architecture meet, the Guggenheim New York is among a group of eight Frank Lloyd Wright structures in the United States designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. To learn more about the Guggenheim New York and the Guggenheim’s activities around the world, visit guggenheim.org.