Internationally renowned sculptor Eva Rothschild spoke about her work to 100 supporters of British Friends of the Art Museums of Israel at its annual Women in Art lunch.

Works by Ms Rothschild were installed specially for the occasion at the new gallery premises of Modern Art London, where the sculptor was interviewed by the ICA's Katherine Stout.

Ms Rothschild said afterwards that although not related to the famous banking family, her paternal grandfather was a German Jew from Frankfurt (where the Rothschild bank was originally located). Her grandfather worked in London in the years leading up to the war. After marrying an Irish woman, he converted to Catholicism and settled in Ireland.

She had agreed to speak at the lunch as "I feel it is important to support cultural institutions all over the world. They are the best part of our humanity." One of her sculptures has been purchased for the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

After the talk, guests took lunch at the St John restaurant in Clerkenwell.The event raised £28,000.