Zhukova. (Patrick McMullan)

Dasha Zhukova has been awarded the 2012 Leo Award by the Independent Curators International. Named after the pioneering art dealer Leo Castelli, the award honors the achievements of similarly ground-breaking figures in the field of contemporary art. Ms. Zhukova's being recognized for her “pioneering and forward-thinking” approach to conceiving of and building new institutions and creating international opportunities for artists and curators.

Ms. Zhukova is the founder of the Garage: Center for Contemporary Culture in Moscow, the editor-in-chief of Garage magazine and the creative director of Art.sy and has been very busy turning Moscow into an epicenter of contemporary art activity. She recently announced that Garage, a Kunsthalle-like exhibition space, would be getting a redesign by Rem Koolhaas.

With the Leo Award, Ms. Zhukova is keeping good company, as always. She follows a long list of renowned recipients including critics, collectors and artists such as Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein, Chuck Close, Christo & Jeanne-Claude and John Waters. The award will be presentedat ICI’s Annual Fall Benefit and Auction on Nov. 19, 2012, by ICI trustee emerita Agnes Gund.

Congratulations to Ms. Zhukova.

Mr Abramovich in London (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

• Lets party! Roman Abramovich and girlfriend Dasha Zhukova chat to Wendi Murdoch at their New Year's Eve party in St Barts
• No risk of anyone going thirsty! Film producer Harvey Weinstein talks to his fashion designer wife Georgina Chapman [foreground: booze]
• Many guests stayed on Abramovich's super-yacht, Eclipse, which has been a dominating feature of the pretty harbour of Gustavia over the past few weeks
• What a gentleman: George [Lucas] wraps up his girlfriend in a blanket on a boat after the party
• Amidst the carnage: Film producer Brian Grazer and his female companion look distracted, despite the mess and dancing around them
• Not very good sailing attire: Martha [Stewart] hands her shoes to the captain before hopping on a boat to get to the party

Accompanying photos may be found here.