Hank Thomas and Deborah Willis. Courtesy of Patrick McMullan/PMC © Patrick McMullan

Last night, The Aperture Foundation hosted a gala to celebrate the opening of its Fall 2018 theme: family, and how photography shapes and expands our view of it. Held at Cedar Lake in Manhattan, the 68th-anniversary gala welcomed major philanthropist Agnes Gund and her daughter, activist and filmmaker Catherine Gund; NYU photography professor and chair Dr. Deborah Willis and her son, Hank Willis Thomas, who recently launched a public art campaign; and Catherine Opie, a UCLA scholar acclaimed for work documenting LGBTQ families in Southern California.

Chris Boot. Patrick McMullan/PMC © Patrick McMullan

These featured guests not only represented the physical bonds of family, but the extensive community centered around art and photography that Aperture fosters as well. Magnum Prints partnered with Aperture to offer high-quality photo prints at a discounted price. In addition to the above-mentioned honorees, notable appearances were made by Sir Elton John, Judy and Leonard Lauder, Nion McEvoy, and Jessica Nagle, who co-hosted the gala.