On Saturday night, over 600 influential figures from various fields including entertainment, art, and philanthropy gathered at The Geffen Contemporary for the 2025 MOCA Gala, successfully raising $3.1 million for LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art.
The event was a blend of creativity and celebration, featuring notable guests such as House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Mayor Karen Bass, acclaimed director Ava DuVernay, and actors Jane Fonda and Sarah Paulson. Other prominent attendees included Candy Spelling, Lisa Edelstein, David Alan Grier, Barbara Kruger, Catherine Opie, and Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot.
Co-sponsored by Bvlgari, the gala showcased exquisite jewelry during cocktail hour and honored the inaugural MOCA Legends—Theaster Gates, Frank Gehry, and Wendy Schmidt. Johanna Burton, director of MOCA, explained that the new awards are meant to recognize individuals who have significantly contributed to the museum’s narrative across its history.
Burton remarked, “It’s a frame that will allow people to celebrate the institution, but also to really celebrate these people who make our work possible every day.” This sentiment resonated throughout the evening, as guests contemplated the vital role of community and cooperation amidst oppression.
“Museums are collections of stuff with people and places, but at their heart, museums are really just an idea, creativity, possibility, imagination. In other words, freedom,” stated Maria Seferian, MOCA board chair, during her opening speech. Seferian emphasized the transformative power of art, which can change perspectives on past, present, or future experiences.
Echoing Seferian’s comments, Johanna Burton underscored the essential connection between culture and civic society, stating, “There is no greater time to embrace that idea.”
As the gala commenced, guests enjoyed drinks and engaged in lively conversations while taking pictures in front of stunning mirrored sculptures and exploring the MOCA Geffen’s ongoing exhibition, Olafur Eliasson: OPEN. Eventually, they were led into the main event by the TAIKOPROJECT Japanese drum ensemble, setting a celebratory tone for the evening.
Inside the distinctly designed venue by Frank Gehry, adorned with vibrant lighting and elegant tablescapes, dinner was served as the program unfolded. The audience was greeted with a passionate call for the arts by Maria Seferian, who articulated the significance of freedom in relation to creativity.
Seferian highlighted the importance of using art as a medium for change, while framing the evening as a celebration of imagination. “Art has the ability to change how we see and understand something past or present or future,” she stated, linking creativity to action and identity.
Awards were presented throughout the evening, starting with the first MOCA Legends Award, which was bestowed upon multidisciplinary artist Theaster Gates by Ava DuVernay. Recognized as a modern-day Renaissance man, Gates was celebrated for his diverse contributions to the fields of sculpture, music, performance, and community building.
DuVernay passionately described Gates as an artistic force. “Theaster Gates is the whole band,
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