Bigger in Texas: $10 Million Was Raised at Final Two x Two Fundraiser in Dallas
On Saturday night, at the 25th and final Two x Two benefit, Cindy and Howard Rachofsky proved, once again, that everything is bigger in Texas. The crème de la crème of Dallas society—along with artists, collectors, and philanthropists from around the world—gathered for a dinner and auction that raised more than $10 million to support two causes: amFAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and the Dallas Museum of Art.
Since 1999, Cindy and Howard Rachofsky have lent their home, resources, and network to promote contemporary art and assist in the fight against AIDS. After finding great success on Wall Street in the 1990s, Howard Rachofsky hired Richard Meier to design the translucent, glass-walled home, now a cultural landmark in Texas. The architectural masterpiece, entirely different from the faux European mansions that line Preston Road, reflects its owners’ forward thinking. Meier later went on to create the Getty Center, the Hague City Hall, and Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art. The first charity auction at TWO x TWO raised over $100,000 and made clear the appetite for contemporary art among Dallas’ elite. Over a quarter century, the gala has honored some of the most renowned artists in the world, including Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha, Julian Schnabel, Christopher Wool, Rashid Johnson, Alex Katz, and Ellsworth Kelly.
This year, the benefit, presented by Saks, provided attendees with an emotional and inspiring night filled with music and laughter. As the 2024 honoree, Nicolas Party, a Swiss painter represented by Hauser Wirth, joined the pantheon.
Todd Fiscus transformed the house and grounds for the occasion. As in years before, Fiscus erected a 7,000-square-foot geodesic tent to serve as a dining and ballroom. Outside, famed florist Jeff Leatham created a 30-foot dress from red roses, an homage to the AIDS awareness ribbon. Atop the tower of scarlet petals, DJ Lucy Wrubel turned tracks while trays of “Cindy’s Margarita,” featuring Casa Dragones Blanco tequila, circulated the crowd. A few feet away, the new electric Escalade IQ from Cadillac, another of the event’s sponsors, shimmered in the fading sun. Cameras flashed as guests posed the silver step-and-repeat.
Inside the Rachofsky home, fashion designers (Laura Kim, Fernando Garcia, Adam Lippes), philanthropists (Jerry Jones, Nancy C. Rogers, Cornelia Guest), and art fixtures (Scott Rothkopf, Dr. Agustín Arteaga) surveyed the 92 donated works to be auctioned off. Admirers gathered in front of Studio Still Life by Jonas Wood, whose work is currently exhibited at Gagosian, London. The sublime picture of potted plants on a metal shelf, rendered in gouache and colored pencil on paper, showcases the artist’s quasi-abstract logic. In Pine Cone Rivers, the Haas brothers, who had an acclaimed solo show at Marianne Boesky Gallery earlier this year, exemplified their signature whimsy and technical daring. Experiences, too, were available for purchase, including “The Gucci Experience,” which promised an invitation to the show, a three-night stay in Milan, and business airfare. A private cooking class with chef Adam Ross, a curated shopping spree at Saks, and a Grecian holiday at the One&Only resort generated significant buzz.
At 8:00 p.m., attendees—many of whom literally sparkled in their enormous diamonds, sequined gowns, beaded bags, and shellacked bouffants— filtered into the tent. At each place setting sat a box of tissues, a hint of the tearful evening ahead.
Alan Cumming (who else?) reigned as the program’s Master of Ceremonies. The multi-hyphenate Scotsman, who has swaggered on stage and screen for forty years, treated the audience to song, dance, and many naughty jokes about Fiscus’s tent. Chef Juan Garrido prepared a multi-course feast that combined luxury (caviar!) with southern comfort food (fried chicken!). Tuxedoed waiters carried bottles of 00 Chardonnay and the Mascot Cabernet Sauvignon.
After dinner, Chaka Khan and her three backup singers took to the stage. As the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee performed her greatest hits, revelers danced and cheered. Khan boasted with the energy and appearance of a performer half her age. Triumphant anthems like “I’m Every Woman” and “ Ain’t Nobody” echoed the crowd’s exhilaration and determination.
