Friday, May 3, 2024
7:30 - 10 pm
Residence/collection in the upper east side of Manhattan; address to be sent before event

Join us for an exclusive benefit event marking a new chapter in our 16-year journey and support our exploration of death, life, and the enigmatic spaces in between.

We invite you into the New York City home of collector Dr. Robert Lerch for an evening devoted to art, culture, and conversation. Located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, this historic brownstone’s three floors are filled with unique and unusual objects including:

• A collection of circus and sideshow photography by famed artist Edward J Kelty (1888-1967)

• Rare paintings of three-faced representation of the Holy Trinity c. 1650, displayed together for the first time

• A room filled with rare wooden Moorish fretwork by master artisan Moses Younglove Ransom (1884-1907)

• A room lined with hundreds of exceptional Bakelite pieces

• A menagerie of animals—real and imagined!—around every corner in the form of sculpture, painting, vintage advertising, and more

• One-of-a-kind contraptions such as a prototype egg cooker within a mechanical chicken

• Historic penny arcade coin-operated machines

Surrounded by the treasures of this astounding private collection, we will enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a performance by Berlin based Madame Le Pustra—featured artist on TV’s Babylon Berlin—who will bring a touch of Weimar cabaret with his musical stylings, elaborate costumes, and dark humor. You will also have the chance to “meet the others”—like-minded supporters of Morbid Anatomy: connoisseurs of the overlooked, the unusual, the forgotten and the macabre.  

All proceeds go to supporting our affordable and accessible classes, lectures, and free, open-to-the-public research library.

Top-tier tickets will include a limited-edition signed art print by the renowned artist Mark Dion (more on that here) .

We hope to see you for an unforgettable evening!

We are eternally thankful for our community. Any questions? We'd love to chat! Please email Creative Director Joanna Ebenstein (joanna@morbidanatomy) or Executive Director Megan Fitzpatrick (megan@morbidanatomy).

Admission Options:

• $250 Bella Donna Guest (Entrance for one from 8 pm-10:30 pm)

• $500 Heliotrope Supporter (Entrance for one plus champagne toast from 7:30 pm-8pm and exclusive Mark Dion print)

• $2000 Wolfsbane Benefactor (Entrance for up to five to soirée, exclusive Mark Dion print, acknowledgement as a Morbid Anatomy major benefactor)

• $5000+ Hemlock Circle (Entrance for up to five to soirée and champagne toast, exclusive Mark Dion print, acknowledgement as a Morbid Anatomy major benefactor)

*If you would like your ticket purchase of over $1,000 to be tax deductible, or if you would like to make an additional tax-deductible donation of over $1,000, please visit our sponsorship page here. You will receive a grateful email from us shortly thereafter with more details!

*Ticket purchases are classified as donations and are non-refundable