The Rema Hort Mann Fund Gathers a Constellation of Artists and Cultural Patrons in Tribeca to Toast 30 Years of Support for Emerging Artists, Cancer Patients and the Dawn of Its Next Chapter—the Artists Living with Cancer Grant

The Fund honored founder and emerging artist champion Susan Hort; philanthropic leaders George Wells & Manfred Rantner; and the inspiration behind its expansion, interdisciplinary artist Jacolby Satterwhite.

New York, Oct. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Left to Right: Honoree Jacolby Satterwhite; Presenter Mickalene Thomas, with Honorees George Wells and Manfred “Manny” Rantner and RHMF Board Chair Carole Server; Presenter Dr. Shoshana Hort and Honoree and Fund founder, Susan Hort

 

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(NEW YORK, NY—October 30, 2026)— On Wednesday, October 28, 2026, the Rema Hort Mann Fund (RHMF) convened over 300 cultural patrons, art world luminaries, philanthropists, and friends at Tribeca Rooftop (2 Desbrosses St, New York) to celebrate its 30-year legacy, during which it has provided $9.5 million through rapid-response grants to 650+ emerging artists at decisive junctures in their careers and 2,400 cancer patients and their families for quality-of-life care. 

 

RHMF launched its first major expansion since its inception to mark this milestone—the Artists Living with Cancer Grant. To commemorate this extension of its mission, the Fund proudly recognized its visionary honorees—the organization’s founder, Susan Hort, an emerging artist advocate whose legacy includes a collection of over 5,000 artworks; interdisciplinary artist Jacolby Satterwhite, whose work is held in permanent collections nationwide and whose story inspired the Fund to expand its services; as well as collectors, friends, and philanthropists George Wells and Manfred Rantner. 

 

Held once every five years, the special evening is the organization’s most important fundraising vehicle. It raised $1.5 million in crucial proceeds toward its programming and three-pillar grant portfolio, which comprises the Emerging Artists Fellowship Grant, the Peter Hort Quality of Life Grant, and now the Artists Living with Cancer Grant. Satterwhite’s A Metta Prayer, his 2023 Great Hall Commission for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, was featured throughout the evening, captivating attendees with his surrealist, ritualistic, fantasy-filled, immersive work. 

 

To punctuate the celebration, RHMF partnered with Phillips for its acclaimed art auction, showcasing over 80 works through an online sale, with the artworks exhibited throughout the cocktail space alongside the evening’s live sale lots. Works were generously donated by emerging and established artists alike, including RHMF’s Emerging Artists Fellowship Grant alums Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Cynthia Daignault, Keltie Ferris, Luis Gispert, Allison Janae Hamilton, Van Hanos, Cheyenne Julien, Aliza Nisenbaum, Haejin Park, Erik Parker, Dana Schutz (new board appointee), Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Mickalene Thomas, and Kehinde Wiley. 

 

Top Left to Right: Filippo Giusti and Kehinde Wiley; Michael Hort and Dana Schutz;

Bottom Left to Right: Cristina BanBan and Susan Hort; Russell Craig and Mickalene Thomas

 

Significant contributions from RHMF’s esteemed community of supportive artists also included works by Derrick Adams, Farley Aguilar, Gina Beavers, Katherine Bradford, Sascha Braunig, Kadar Brock, Melissa Brown, Russell Craig, Mira Dancy, KidSuper, Nick Doyle, Sharif Farrag, Alex Gardner, Filippo Giusti, Sheree Hovsepian, Marcus Jahmal, Leasho Johnson, Melike Kara, Cindy Ji Hye Kim, Seffa Klein, Jin Han Lee, Brandon Lipchik, Jessie Makinson, Anina Major, Lee Mary Manning, Eddie Martinez, Keith Mayerson, John McAllister, RJ Messineo, Luke Murphy, Danielle Orchard, Robert Peterson, Zak Prekop, Rob Pruitt, Rebecca Purdum, Calida Rawles, Hasani Sahlehe, David Salle, Beatrice Scaccia, Terron Cooper Sorrells, Emily Sundblad, Marika Thunders, Jim Watt and Rachel Eulena Williams. 

 

The evening commenced with a buzzing cocktail reception, where guests browsed and bid on the Fund's lauded auction hosted on Phillips’ online platform. Elysia Borowy, RHMF’s Executive Director, captivated dinner guests with resonant remarks, thanking sponsors, partners, its board of directors, and toasting its new appointees: Augusto Arbizo (artist, gallerist, and curator), Dana Schutz (Emerging Artists Fellowship Grant Winner), and Scott Ziegler, Esq. She acknowledged Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the Fund's Certificate of Recognition and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal for the Commendation, both of whom recognized RHMF for its work with artists and cancer patients. She also gave heartfelt thanks to Board Chair Carole Server Frankel for her tireless work ideating the Fund's new grant. Borowy, who joined the Fund in 2024, spearheaded the organization’s updated name and brand identity, website overhaul, and launch of the Artists Living with Cancer Grant for the anniversary. 

 

Borowy shared, “This was a big team effort. It really, really was, and I want to thank you for being here tonight. We do this only every five years, so tonight is a big night for us. We’re celebrating 30 years of art and care, and we’re launching our new grant for artists living with cancer. That’s a big, big deal for everyone.”

 

Continuing that momentum, renowned artist Mickalene Thomas, a 2022 RHMF honoree, Emerging Artists Fellowship Grant winner (2007), and donating artist, presented the RHMF Philanthropic Leadership Award to longtime friends, philanthropists, and collectors George Wells and Manfred “Manny” Rantner in recognition of their steadfast support of BIPOC and queer artists and their expanding philanthropic footprint. The civic-minded pair were early sponsors for the Fund's Artists Living with Cancer Grant, putting their values into practice. Mickalene explained, “George's generosity is about much more than the size of a check. It reflects a deep understanding that investing in people, culture, and creativity can create a legacy that extends far beyond the boardroom.”

 

While accepting their award, Rantner reinforced the evening’s theme of compassionate care, sharing a heartfelt anecdote from his 30 years as a registered nurse in the PICU at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Together, they embody the principles of art and care on which RHMF was founded. 

 

Rantner recalled, “In a room filled with machines, art opened the door. It didn't heal the illness, but it healed something deeper: It gave them back a moment of innocence, of joy, of being children again. And in that moment, the room changed. Not the monitors, not the medicine, but the atmosphere. It softened. It breathed. Because art does something extraordinary in healthcare. It restores identity when illness tries to take it away. It gives voice when fear makes us silent. It creates connection when everything feels isolated and clinical. Art allows a child to not just be a patient, but a creator, a storyteller, a human being beyond diagnosis.”  

 

Wells added, “It's really such an honor to be recognized together in a way and by an organization that affects two things that are so near and dear to us both. I lost my grandfather and my father to cancer. It's especially meaningful to be celebrated here on the 30th anniversary by such a tremendous organization as the Rema Hort Mann Fund. In a world full of so much trauma today, it's nice to see and be in part recognized by an organization that turned trauma into triumph and that has impacted so many people, so many artists and so many families and communities impacted by cancer.”

 

Following a break for dinner and socializing, Board Chair Carole Server Frankel, joined by Courtney Martin, Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, opened the second act with stirring reflections on the Artists Living with Cancer Grant’s conception and Server Frankel’s over a decade-long friendship with Satterwhite. For her, his story highlighted a glaring challenge artists face when dealing with illness: their livelihoods, practice, and access to safe recovery are put in peril. As a two-time survivor diagnosed with bone cancer at age 11, his story became the impetus for RHMF’s Artists Living with Cancer Grant. He was honored as the grant's inaugural recipient, receiving $25,000 as a special recognition through a partnership with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. The grant, whose portal opened on October 29, will provide 10 artists in the NYC-metro area with at least $10,000 in unrestricted funds. 

 

Martin told the audience, “When we learned of the Rema Hort Mann Fund's intention to honor Jacolby Satterwhite, we were inspired to join them in this visionary award. Satterwhite exemplifies all that our founder Robert Rauschenberg held dear: creativity, the exploration of chance, and collaboration. We believe that artists drive social change, and we commend you, Jacolby, for your excellence in showing how performance is the absolute platform by which to do so. Thank you so much.”

 

Server Frankel explained, “Jacolby's very brave and public battle with cancer really opened our eyes to the plight of artists facing a cancer diagnosis in a world where healthcare costs are just so high. The Rema Hort Mann Fund is really excited to launch this new Artists Living with Cancer grant in honor of our 30th anniversary, marrying our Emerging Artists Fellowship Grant and our Peter Hort Quality of Life grants.”

 

Accepting the award, Satterwhite, dressed in KidSuper, recalled, “When I was 12 years old, I was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma. And my doctor at that time was like, oh, you only have a 60% chance of living. And I didn't even know what cancer was. And then he also told me, I know you like to draw a lot. I see you drawing and painting all the time. You’re probably going to have to remove your right arm (when I'm right-handed). Or you won't be able to move your arm if you wake up with it. When I woke up with the arm, I could move my hand and forearm. That gratitude remained with me, and my entire life became about being a bullet train of ambition to make a mark that feels immortal just in case it comes back again.”

 

The spirited evening continued with a lively pledge auction followed by the Fund's anticipated four-lot live auction with artworks by Matt Saunders, RJ Messineo, Mickalene Thomas, and Russell Craig, led by Jeremiah Evarts, Phillips Deputy Chairman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art, allowing guests to support RHMF’s mission through purchasing a work or donating in support of a grant pillar of their choosing.

 

Culminating the night's heartfelt tributes, Dr. Shoshana Hort shared endearing words before presenting her mother, Fund’s founder Susan Hort, with RHMF’s Legacy Award, in recognition of her decades of service, vision for sustained opportunity and dignity for artists, and quality of life for cancer patients and their families. 

 

Shoshana reflected, “My mom loves artists, learning their stories, understanding their process, and developing long-term relationships, collecting the same artists for many years and iterations of their career. She loves supporting galleries. I see the same pride my mom shows when speaking about her grandchildren, when she speaks about the artists she collects and the artists who have received grants over the years. 

 

“Then there was the tragedy of my older sister's passing at age 30 from cancer. It was an awful time, but I will always cherish how we supported Rema and each other. 25 years later, when my big brother Peter also passed away from cancer, we were again reminded how important family and community are. So it's not surprising that the fund is really all about support. Support of people with cancer when they are going through treatment, and support of artists when they are at fragile points in their career.”

 

Susan recalled, “Rema used to go to cancer care, and in cancer care, there was a young woman who we met who had brain cancer and basically said she was giving up all her treatment because her parents lived in the Northwest. Her boyfriend had just left her. Her doctors were in New York, and she couldn't do this by herself. 

 

“You can't fight cancer without support, and she was going to have one last good summer. This is how our cancer grant started. Thanks to Dr. David Biro, who, with my son Peter, put together the cancer committee. Between my family, Rema's friends, Billy, Michael, myself, and David, we started to figure out what we wanted to do with the foundation. Now we're combining the two, the art and the cancer, with these grants that are so important.”

 

As the Rema Hort Mann Fund looks to the future, there’s much to celebrate. The Fund will continue its 30th-anniversary programming by announcing its 2026 Emerging Artists Fellows at a holiday party on December 9 and host a Brooklyn edition of “Buy What You Love” with KidSuper in early 2027, who also donated an artwork for this year’s fundraising efforts.

 

NOTABLE GUESTS INCLUDED: 

 ART WORLD & SOCIAL: 

Trey Abdella and Jessica Westhafer (artist), Elliott Arkin (artist), Khachatur Balbabyan (artist), Ellen Berkenblit (artist), Carla Camacho (Lehman Maupin), Ai Sogawa Campbell (artist), Oliver Clegg (artist), Alia Dahl (Jeffrey Deitch), Isaiah Davis (Emerging Artist Grant Alum), Annie Dolan (Phillips), Estelle Fournier (Partner in Art LLC), Paola Gallio (curator), Anna Maria Gonzalez Cuevas (Skarstedt Gallery), Regan Grusy (New Museum Deputy Director), Jay and Rachel Handlin (RHMF 2025 Emerging Artist Grant Winner), Miety Heiden (Phillips), Hardy Hill (artist), Heather Hubbs (NADA), Ryan Johnson (artist), Sarah Larsen (artist), Kevin Laverty (artist), Eric J. Mack (artist), Miriam G. Master (Robert Rauschenberg Foundation), Allison Mistier (artist), Ryan Ponder McNamara (artist), Tim Nye (Nyehaus), Melissa Osterwind and Courtney Burbela (SRI Fine Art Services), Julie Pitman (artist), Polina Proshkina, Lia Sadii (TikTok Star 4M+ Followers), George Scheer (Executive Director, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts), Erin Starr (artist), Eric Viner, Chris Vroom and Rose Fiorentino (Founders, Artadia)

AUCTION ARTISTS IN ATTENDANCE: 

Cristina BanBan, Katherine Bradford, Terron Cooper Sorrells, Russell Craig, Filippo & Paulina Giusti, Marcus Jahmal (Emerging Artist Fellowship Juror), Hein Koh, Erik and Brooke Parker, SuSu, Fred Tomaselli and Laura Miller, Aliza Nisenbaum, Kehinde Wiley

 

GALLERISTS IN ATTENDANCE:

Thorsten Albertz, Stefania Bortolami, Bob Chase, David Norr, Derek Eller, Hauser & Wirth, Anton Kern, Marc LeBlanc, Isaac Lyles, Nino Mier, Wendy Olsoff, Leila M. Pinto, Rachel Uffner

 

COLLECTORS:

Allison Berg, Katherine “Kiki” Cornell, Rebecca and Martin Eisenberg, Michael Fernandez (lawyer), Amy and Marc Gare, Robin and Marty Lipson, Jen and Andrew Marrus, CB Ohanian, Carolyn Ramo (Artadia), Laura Roberson Fisch, William Palley, Tracey Ryans (Restaurateur: La Esquina, Miss Lilly's and Metrograph Theater), Ezra Salami (lawyer), Steve Shane, Pauline Shender, Joyce and Kara Siegel, Laura Skoler and Kalle Levon, Denny Sreckovic and Kirsten Moore, Will Tomit, Jonathan Travis, Diane Wallace, Vanessa Weitzman, Jane Wesman, Poju and Anita Zabludowicz, Margot Ziegler

 

MEDICAL WORLD: Allison Schneirov, Dr. Alison Snow, PhD, MSW, OSW-C. (Mount Sinai)

 

RHMF FAMILY IN ATTENDANCE: 

Penelope and Andy Hort, Percy Hort, Rema Hort, Sam Hort, Heller and Jeff Moses

 

RHMF BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 

Augusto Arbizo; David Biro, MD, PhD; Jamie Cohen Hort; Carole Server Frankel, Chair; Amy Globus, Co-Chair; Michael Hort, Emeritus; Shoshana Hort, MD; Susan Hort, Treasurer; Billy Mann; Emily Santangelo; Dana Schutz; Joyce Siegel; Maria van Vlodrop; Tal Weitzman, Secretary; Scott Ziegler, Esq.

 

Special thank you to our gala partners and sponsors: Arison Arts Foundation, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Bank of America, BFA, Braithwaite, City Frame, Cultured, Customers Bank, Earth Enterprise, Ferragamo, FNDTN., Fremont Blue Events, Phillips, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, SRI Fine Art Services, Struct, Team, Tribeca Rooftop, and UBS.

 

ABOUT THE HONOREES:

 

Susan Hort, a passionate advocate for early-career artists, is also a revered philanthropist and seasoned contemporary art collector. Listed numerous times on the ARTnews Top 200 Collector List, alongside her husband Michael, they have since amassed over 5,000 artworks by regional and international artists.

 

As Treasurer of RHMF’s Board of Directors, she has been a steadfast force in advancing RHMF’s mission to financially support emerging artists and offer compassionate aid to individuals affected by cancer. In 2022, RHMF increased its funding for emerging artists by establishing the Peter Hort Emerging Artist Award, following the loss of the founder’s son, Peter Hort, a father of four, lawyer, and judge, who provided 27 years of stewardship overseeing the Quality of Life grants. The award will continue to uphold Peter's commitment to encouraging artistic development. Since RHMF's inception, Susan has remained a dedicated defender of artists and a major driver of RHMF’s efforts to create opportunities within artistic communities and advocate for the rights of individuals undergoing cancer treatment with empathy, generosity, and dignity.

 

George Wells and Manfred “Manny” Rantner, our Philanthropic Leadership honorees, are an interracial queer couple whose lives and work span advocacy for marginalized communities, Black business leadership, contemporary art patronage, pediatric critical care, fashion, finance, and representation in institutional power structures. George’s Wells Group, established in 2009 after a long career on Wall Street and at Lehman Maupin, features an extensive collection of art by Black and queer artists. As Mickalene Thomas’s longtime friend and financial adviser, George has helped strengthen the business infrastructure behind her practice for nearly a decade. His commitment to BIPOC philanthropic representation extends across the Parrish Art Museum, Tate Americas Foundation, the Whitney Museum, Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums, Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center, Anti-Recidivism Coalition, and Project EATS.

 

Manny's caring, while parallel in depth, comes in a different form. He spent three decades as a registered nurse in the PICU at Children's Hospital in LA, where the team cared for 1,400 children annually. Together, they’ve donated $1 million worth of Black and queer art to Morehouse, established an internship pipeline with SpelHouse, and developed a collection that includes works by Mickalene, Henry Taylor, and Jonathan Lyndon Chase, to name a few. They're currently sponsoring one of the Artists Living with Cancer Grants, extending their philanthropic footprint even further. As a couple, they embody the principles of art and care on which RHMF was founded. 

 

Jacolby Satterwhite, a celebrated interdisciplinary artist and two-time cancer survivor diagnosed with bone cancer at age 11, is renowned for an artistic practice that explores ritual, fantasy, freedom, and world-building through immersive installation, virtual reality, and digital media. He uses a range of software to produce intricately detailed animations and live-action films that form a unique cinematic universe, including a cast of characters featuring various artists and friends. These animations serve as the stage on which the artist synthesizes the multiple disciplines that encompass his work, namely illustration, performance, painting, sculpture, photography, and writing. Satterwhite draws on extensive real and fantastical references, guided by mythology, contemporary visual culture, and music, to disrupt Western art conventions while celebrating Black queerness and freedom from oppression and discrimination. His works are represented in the permanent collections at the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art, as well as at the San Jose Museum of Art, the Seattle Art Museum, the Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki. Jacolby continues to exhibit despite his health complications. He was featured as the solo artist for Kabinett’s presentation with Galerie Kadel Willborn at Art Basel earlier this summer, with We Are in Hell When We Hurt Each Other, and is included in the Frist Art Museum’s Shimmer: Dreaming the Posthuman, on view September 25, 2026, through January 3, 2027.

 

ABOUT THE REMA HORT MANN FUND

RHMF was established in 1995 around a kitchen table by Susan and Michael Hort; Rema’s widower, Billy Mann; and close family and friends to commemorate the legacy of their daughter, Rema Hort Mann, who passed away from stomach cancer at age 30. Rema’s dedication to building relationships with artists early in their careers was well known and informed her role as a founding member of the New Museum’s Young Collectors Group. In grief for her passing and in memory of her commitment to the arts, they formed the Rema Hort Mann Foundation.

 

Founded on a deep belief in creativity and the healing power of community, we’ve discovered meaningful kinship and connection between emerging artists and individuals battling cancer. Together, we honor their courage and strength, supporting their healing and artistic expression. RHMF is led by a dedicated Board of Directors, whose vision and guidance form the backbone of our service. A nimble team of devoted staff assists the Board of Directors and manages day-to-day operations thoughtfully and efficiently. The Board and staff partner closely to fulfill RHMF's mission: supporting emerging artists at critical points in their careers and ensuring cancer patients have access to resources while navigating treatment with care and dignity.

 

RHMF Board of Directors: Augusto Arbizo; David Biro, MD, PhD; Jamie Cohen Hort; Carole Server Frankel, Chair; Amy Globus, Co-Chair; Michael Hort, Emeritus; Shoshana Hort, MD; Susan Hort, Treasurer; Billy Mann; Emily Santangelo; Dana Schutz; Joyce Siegel; Maria van Vlodrop; Tal Weitzman, Secretary; Scott Ziegler, Esq.

 

ABOUT PHILLIPS

Phillips: where the world’s curious and bold connect with the art, design, and luxury that inspires them. As a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century works, Phillips offers dedicated expertise in the areas of Modern and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewels. Auctions and exhibitions are primarily held in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, with representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia. Phillips offers a regular selection of live and online auctions, along with items available for immediate purchase. Phillips also offers a range of services and advice on all aspects of collecting, including private sales and assistance with appraisals, valuations, and financial planning.

 

Visit phillips.com for further information.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS LIVING WITH CANCER GRANT

The RHMF Artists Living with Cancer Grant will provide direct financial support of at least $10,000 to ten visual artists in the NYC metro area who are currently receiving cancer treatment. After submitting an application and meeting all eligibility requirements, each candidate will be selected at random through RHMF’s lottery system. The one-time grant program targets immediate, treatment-related economic uncertainty when uninterrupted care is critical. This new initiative continues the legacy of the Fund’s rapid-response grants and adapts the model to address the economic vulnerability artists face today. Rooted in urgency and empathy, we believe no artist should have to choose between medical assistance and their livelihood, so they can preserve their well-being and the cultural impact of their work. The program debuted October 29, 2026, with registration open to all who qualify.

 

ABOUT THE EMERGING ARTISTS FELLOWSHIP GRANT

The Rema Hort Mann Fund Emerging Artists Fellowship Grant provides direct financial support to emerging New York City–based visual artists. Established more than twenty years ago, the Emerging Artists Fellowship Program has become an emblem of excellence, recognizing artists at critical junctures in their development who go on to produce extraordinary work. Our distinguished alums—whose ranks include Sarah Sze (1997), Sanford Biggers (2001), Dana Schutz (2002), David Altmejd (2002), Mickalene Thomas (2007), Lisa Oppenheim (2008), Rashaad Newsome (2009), Deanna Lawson (2010), Virginia Overton (2011), Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2012), Aliza Nisenbaum (2013), Kenny Rivero (2015), Christina Quarles (2017), and Patrisse Cullors (2020)—are a testament to the significant contribution of the Rema Hort Mann Fund to the art world.

 

ABOUT THE PETER HORT QUALITY OF LIFE GRANT

The Peter Hort Quality of Life Grants (PHQOL) aim to assist cancer patients with tangible financial and personal difficulties that can accompany their care. Often, the challenges of cancer stretch beyond medical bills and treatment. To support patients navigating these obstacles, PHQOL offers flexible financial aid for critical healthcare needs, whether that means finding in-home caregivers, babysitting, taking a trip out of state, or covering unexpected costs. By relieving these added stressors, the grants help build patients’ support systems and offer more stability during a period when both can be crucial to their quality of life.

 

CONNECT:

The Rema Hort Mann Fund

Instagram: @remahortmannfund

Facebook: @RHMFund

Email: gala@remahortmannfund.org

Website: remahortmannfund.org

 

PRESS CONTACT:

Claudette McQueen, Principal, FNDTN. 

E: rhmfgalapr@fndtn.world

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