NEW YORK, NY.- Sotheby’s joins with the NYC Landmarks50 Alliance to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the passage of the New York City Landmarks Law in April 2015, with a special event and benefit auction in its New York headquarters, 1334 York Avenue at East 72 Street. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Chair of the NYC Landmarks50 Alliance and the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center, has worked with Sotheby’s Chairman Lisa Dennison to organize a benefit auction, with an offering of reinterpreted New York City Flags by an esteemed group of artists, designers and architects. The benefit auction, entitled Unflagging Commitment, will raise funds for programs to increase public awareness and appreciation of New York City’s architectural resources. Notable artists, architects, and designers have each created works of art that re-imagine the New York City Flag, a design based on the historic 1625 Nieuw Amsterdam flag. The flags presented are imaginative, inspired, and stand as a testament to the creativity of New Yorkers in all of the design arts.

Ms. Diamonstein-Spielvogel said, ''This select group of thoughtful, humorous, ironic and iconic re-imaginings of the NYC flag for the 21st Century suggests that we all march under our own banners. These delightful works created with warm appreciation for New York City's historic past make this event a landmark occasion in itself!''

The Cocktail Reception begins at 6pm, and the evening’s program includes a twelve minute set of Broadway classics featuring our favorite location of all time: New York City. This musical set features TV, film and Broadway performer, singer, Kate Loprest, with piano accompaniment by Clive Chang, a New York composer, pianist, music director and Director of Strategy for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The auction will be conducted by Executive Vice President at Sotheby’s, Hugh Hildesley, and International Senior Specialist, Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s, Gabriela Palmieri, in conjunction with an exhibition viewing and cocktail reception from 6 to 7:15 pm, followed by the auction from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2014.

Participating Artists Include: John Baldessari, Artist • Luisa Caldwell, Artist • Ivan Chermayeff, Graphic Designer • Francesco Clemente, Artist • Kenneth Cole, Fashion Designer • Michele Oka Doner, Artist • Lord Norman Foster, Architect • Milton Glaser, Graphic Designer • Richard Meier, Architect • Clifford Ross, Artist • Tom Sachs, Artist • Robert A.M. Stern, Architect • Peter Tunney, Artist • Diane Von Furstenberg, Fashion Designer • Willy Wong, Graphic Designer