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Simon Doonan, former creative director
of Barneys New York, served as the
evening’s emcee, keeping the room in
constant laughter with his trademark
wit. “Jonathan rollerbladed into my life
in a cloud of clay dust — there were
lumps of dried clay in his hair, on his
little backpack, on his jeans. Clay
everywhere. He wasn’t just making pots —
he was starting a mega business and was
about to change the face of pottery,
making it cool and stylish. Underpinning
the style and glamour of his pottery was
a dialogue with the history of
twentieth-century craft,” said Doonan.
“When I was 28, I had failed at working
and realized I had no choice but to be a
potter. The very first place I
approached with my pots was the MAD gift
shop. They placed an order and took a
chance on an unknown potter. It was
incredible,” said Adler. “One rainy day,
I was feeling a little burnt out from
the business mishegoss, and I got a call
from MAD’s curator, Elissa Auther. Once
again, it was MAD to the rescue. I’m so
grateful to MAD
and to all the potters and craftspeople
who’ve made my mad,
mad world possible.”
Board Chair Michele Cohen presented
Adler with the Visionary Award, designed
by jeweler Laura Fortune, whose piece
referenced elements of Adler’s life.
“Jonathan once said that, ‘to do what I
do, you must have a bubbling sense of
possibilities,’” said Cohen. “What
better way to honor him than with an
award that quite literally bubbles over
— a gleaming sink filled to the brim
with imagination, humor, and joy.”
“Your presence here tonight really
affirms the importance of museums in
this world at this particular moment,”
said Tim Rodgers, MAD’s Nanette L.
Laitman Director. “There is a reason why
museums and artists are under attack
right now — it’s because we are the
people who believe in creative freedom
and freedom of expression. When you’re
under attack, it’s because you have
power.”
Guests visited open artist studios and
exhibitions during cocktails, with live
jazz throughout the museum. Dinner at
the Robert restaurant, sponsored by
Chair Emerita Barbara Tober, featured
centerpieces by Adler. Afterward,
Broadway baritone Nat Chandler (The
Phantom of the Opera, The Scarlet
Pimpernel) surprised guests with a
performance before the celebration
continued at The Masquerade, where
guests wore masks they created earlier
in the evening.
Doonan, whose quick wit kept the crowd
laughing throughout the evening,
quipped, “Before we get going, a little
personal request — please masticate very
carefully and very slowly, because I’m
much too short to give anyone the
Heimlich maneuver.”
Attending were board members Susan Ach,
and her husband Larry Ach, Glenn
Adamson, Marian Burke, and her husband
Russell Burke, Mike De Paola, Jeffrey
Manocherian, Luam Melake, Cheryl R.
Riley, Klara Silverstein, and Barbara
Waldman. Among the many guests were also
Amy Adler, Louise Chazen Banon, Janna
Bullock, Kathy Chazen, Liz Collins,
Rachelle Dang, Machine Dazzle, LaVon
Kellner, Jonathan Lucas, Debi Mazar,
Nicole Miller, Jamel Robinson, Kim
Taipale,
and Saya Woolfalk.
The exhibition The Mad MAD World of
Jonathan Adler runs through April 19,
2026 at the Museum of Arts and Design.
Adler will appear in two upcoming talks:
On the Couch with Jonathan Adler and
Rachel Federman on December 11, 2025,
and On the Couch with Jonathan Adler,
Elissa Auther, and Sarah Archer on
February 12, 2026.
The Museum of Arts and Design
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)
champions contemporary makers across
creative fields, presenting exhibitions
and programs that explore the
intersection of art, craft, and design.
Located at 2 Columbus Circle in New York
City, MAD provides artists with studio
space, supports innovation in materials
and techniques, and engages the public
through exhibitions, education, and
events. For further information, please
visit
www.madmuseum.org |