Institute of Contemporary Arts

2008 Figures of Speech Gala

Kwame Kwei-Armah. Photo © Nick Harvey.

For more information or to book tickets please contact Rosie Allerhand, rosie@ica.org.uk / 020 7766 1404.

During the ICA's second annual fundraising gala, Figures of Speech, ten leading cultural figures introduced and explained an object they could not live without.

Hosted by the inimitable Graham Norton, ten very special guest speakers kept a high-profile audience enthralled with their witty, warm, poignant and revealing presentations of their most significant possession.

Peter Serafinowicz chose Codex Seraphinianus a fantastical cornucopia of fictional fact; Gavin Turk regaled with a tale of a chip fork that he'd 'liberated' on the way to the event to illustrate that one person's rubbish can be another's treasure; Sally Phillips wowed with her very own invention: the great Combined Mechanical Knock-Down Ginger Ukulele Duo and Cake Fork shown in (almost) full working order; Kwame Kwei-Armah preserved his mother's 1962 boat ticket which brought her to the UK from Grenada and which she gave to him only shortly before she died; Nigella Lawson similarly wrought tender reflection with her object: a 'couscousière' given to her by her late sister Thomasina.

Jodie Harsh waxed lyrical over a razor, a vital part of her transformation into a show-stopping diva; Michael Nyman chose his opera based on Oliver Sacks' study The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat, whom he'd first encountered at the ICA; Natalie Press brought nostalgia with a bag of aniseed twists which she sweetly threw to a delighted crowd; Shami Chakrabati chose a loud hailer as a vital and profound symbol of free speech in all its forms; Harry Enfield parked a bike on stage - one that had been left to him by his father in place of a more legitimate but less needed inheritance left to his sisters and entertained artfully before getting on it and riding off into the night.

Sotheby's auctioneer Adrian Biddell encouraged guests to spend, spend, spend to benefit the ICA's New Commissions Fund, on an auction of 'money can't buy' prizes and experiences such as a portrait by Gavin Turk that went for £22,000, and a unique collector's item of 85 framed prints that sold for £30,000.and helped the evening raise in excess of £200k

An exhibition of specially commissioned pieces from designers such as Mater, Tom Dixon, Moritz Waldemeyer, Jordi Canudas, Timorous Beasties, Martino Gamper and Oscar Diaz was on show during the Veuve Clicquot reception.

Dinner was a delectable feast of:

Ballontine of Salmon with Avocado, Red Pepper Salsa and a Tequila and Lime dressing
Pan fried Fillet of Cornish Sea bass with Saffron, Leek, and Cockle Tart and herb Emulsion
Valrhona Chocolate Torte with Passion fruit Mousse

Champagne flowed courtesy of Veuve Clicquot.

Carriages were ordered for 11.30 and took away such glamourous revelers as Elle McPherson, Jerry Hall, Norman Rosenthal, Ivor Braka, Immodesty Blaize, Hannah Rothschild, Stephen Bayley, Alison Jacques, Stephen Frears, Alan Yentob, Florence Brudenell-Bruce, Sophia Hesketh and Alison

The ICA is extremely grateful for the generous support of the Figures of Speech sponsors, SpinVox.

"The 2008 ICA Gala, Figures of Speech has been a resounding success on every level. Working with SpinVox gave the ICA an opportunity to create a platform for free speaking which produced revealing, often hilarious and sometimes deeply poignant performances from our very special guests. We are extremetly grateful for Spinvox's wholehearted generous support and look forward to a very successful ongoing relationship." Ekow Eshun

All photos © Nick Harvey.

Nigella Lawson.

Natasha Plowright, Alan Yentob and Graham Norton.

Michael Nyman and Alison Jackson.

Sally Phillips.

Gavin Turk.

Peter Serafinowicz.

Ekow Eshun and Tom Dixon.

Elle MacPherson.

Natalie Press.

Immodesty Blaize and Jodie Harsh.