The intimate gathering at Zero Bond was attended by Fanatics billionaire Michael Rubin, gallerist Adam Cohen and his wife curator Michelle Hellman, NBA star Karl‑Anthony Towns and his wife Jordyn Woods, artists George Condo and Rashid Johnson, photographer Sophie Elgort, comedian Keegan‑Michael Key, media personality Gayle King, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, former Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, media executive Wendi Deng Murdoch, entrepreneur Zack Bia, Zero Bond co‑founder Scott Sartiano, venture capitalist Gary Vaynerchuk and numerous other high‑profile guests.
Fishel, who is Rubin’s partner, is represented by Adam Cohen, a former Gagosian associate who launched the Manhattan gallery A Hug From the Art World to champion emerging talent. Cohen said he first saw the paintings a year ago and opened his own space specifically to work with artists like Fishel.
All eight paintings from the “Bending Over Backwards” series were on display, with four slated for exhibition at Booth 128 during the Armory Show. According to sources, several of the works were already purchased before the show opened, underscoring the market buzz generated by the preview.
The same evening, Towns and Woods discussed their recent curatorial project for Sotheby’s, a Contemporary Curated auction that featured works by Condo, Johnson, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Helen Frankenthaler, Alma Thomas and John Chamberlain. The auction’s VIP dinner was held at the Sotheby’s Breuer building, and Towns spoke about the potential multi‑million‑dollar values of the Warhol pieces on display.
Rubin, who launched Fanatics Studios earlier this year in partnership with entertainment firm OBB, confirmed he will return to the Javits Center this weekend to support Fishel’s public debut, which opens on Oct. 2 at the Breuer and will be followed by a live auction on Oct. 7. The event highlights the growing crossover between sports, entertainment and the contemporary art market.