The annual UMOCA Gala is one of our favorite yearly events for a few reasons. 1) We get the chance to celebrate and raise funds in the name of contemporary art, and 2) We get to bust into our costume box. This theme for this year’s fete was “Vicious”, and attendees were encouraged to dress in their most rebellious attire. Naturally, our COLLECTIVE crew slapped on our studs and headed out to the Complex, where a few hundred of SLC’s finest were dressed to the nines in PVC, plaid, and punk rock tees. A dim-lit venue, roaring tunes from Foster Body, a vast “God Save The UMOCA” display, and a live-installment/fashion show all lent to the hooligan-heavy vibe–and the ab fab display of UK-inspired treats (including bangers and mash and fish and chips) from The Blended Table was merely the lacing on the combat boots. DJ/DC kept the raucous tunes a-comin’, and auctioneer Richard O’Keef spit figures like nobody’s business. Many thanks to the events sponsors, donors, and to Mr. Gary Vlasic for spearheading one damn fine party. We danced, we noshed, we rocked the casbah. But most importantly, we contributed to the continuity of contemporary art in SLC–and for that cause, we’ll get vicious any day.
