Murrow Student Selected To Present Artwork To Lena Dunham For Benefit Gala

An Edward R. Murrow High School student was chosen to present her artwork to actress Lena Dunham at a Park Avenue benefit gala last month.

Pauline Xu, a 17-year-old junior from Bensonhurst, handed over a mountain landscape she made out of shredded books to Dunham, the star and creator of the HBO series Girls, during the ArtsConnection Benefit Celebration on May 23.

“It was really cool, but I was really nervous. I’ve never been to anything like a gala before,” said Xu.

Xu was one of four others in the organization’s student art program, including another Murrow student, Bianca Nagel, who were selected to present their work at the event. The benefit raised $900,000 for ArtsConnection, according to a press release. The organization, founded in 1979, provides arts programming for millions of students in New York City public schools.

Dunham, along with Sotheby’s Executive Vice President Amy Cappellazzo, were the night’s honorees. The evening also showcased student performances and featured entertainment from comedian Sarah Silverman and television host Ben Mulroney.

Xu said she believes her work was selected because it resembles art by Dunham’s mother, Laurie Simmons, like her Kaleidoscope House — a modernist home the size of a dollhouse.

“Her mom does stuff that makes things really small. So I guess they chose my work because it was a presentation of something big but in a smaller version,” Xu said.

Xu hasn’t seen Dunham’s HBO show, but she is a fan of her 2010 film “Tiny Furniture.” The Murrow student said she was excited to pass her work off to Dunham at the event.

“It’s kinda weird because I don’t know what she’s going to do with it. Maybe she’ll keep in in her house, which is really, really cool,” said Xu.

If you want to support more arts programming at Murrow, consider visiting the Art Institute of Murrow’s Annual Art Show on June 17 and 18. The show takes place in the gymnasium at Edward R. Murrow High School (1600 Avenue L). Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for students and children.