In previous years, the Ball spotlighted student work centered on current events and politics. This year, the Class of 2025 turned inward, exploring personal memory, cultural inheritance, and intimate themes. Holly Lowen, whose series of tennis court tableaux drew frequent attention, described her work as “more based on the psychology of tennis.”
“I grew up in a family of multi-generational tennis players—my grandparents played into their 90s,” she said. “I see tennis as a way to express this underlying aggression or sexual tension that gets released in a controlled environment. It’s an analogy for life. There are few places we’re allowed to let go.”

Just next door, Andrea Olivia took a more humorous route—without losing sight of emotional depth. “I paint African American culture from the standpoint of a Black American trans woman—myself,” she said, pointing to a painting of two barefoot nuns on a smoke break. “This one is just about two people talking. I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to depict nuns like this? You never see their feet, which feels illegal! I try to add humor to African American culture and lifestyle. And I couldn’t do it without this school. It has poured so much into me—and now I can pour into my work.”

After mingling in the studios, guests were ushered into the Academy’s main gallery, now dressed as an immersive, undersea dining room: marine frescoes on the walls, coral-shaped centerpieces on the tables. The crowd included longtime patrons like Helena Christensen, Liev Schreiber, Carol Alt, and Eileen Guggenheim, wearing a white gold and diamond “Palmyre” bracelet and earrings by the evening’s sponsor, Van Cleef & Arpels. They gathered not just to toast the students but to celebrate David Kratz, the outgoing president, concluding a remarkable 15-year tenure. As part of the sendoff, the school unveiled the new David Kratz International Center, dedicated to fostering global residencies and exchanges.

“The most important outcome is that students often get discovered tonight,” Kratz told Vogue. “Once, Thelma Golden walked into a student’s studio and said, ‘You’re ready for a solo show.’ That kind of validation from someone of her stature—it’s life-changing. And the fact that many students sell their work tonight? It gives them not only income, but collector relationships they take with them after graduation.”