{"id":8543,"date":"2025-06-05T14:06:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T14:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/06\/05\/photos-the-2025-los-angeles-moca-gala-at-the-geffen-contemporary\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T14:06:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T14:06:28","slug":"photos-the-2025-los-angeles-moca-gala-at-the-geffen-contemporary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/06\/05\/photos-the-2025-los-angeles-moca-gala-at-the-geffen-contemporary\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTOS: The 2025 Los Angeles MOCA Gala at the Geffen Contemporary"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sarah Paulson, Jane Fonda and Wendy Schmidt. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last week, some of the biggest names in art and architecture, film and fashion, politics and philanthropy, spent a night celebrating the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art\u2019s impact\u2014and the impact others have had on it. The institution\u2019s spring gala, organized in partnership with BVLGARI, collected L.A.\u2019s leading figures in the worlds of art, culture and philanthropy at The Geffen Contemporary to celebrate three \u201cMOCA Legends\u201d: Chicago-based artist and professor Theaster Gates<\/a><\/b>, whose spirit-guided work reckons with Black space; Frank Gehry<\/a><\/b>, the legendary Canadian-American architect recognized for postmodern subversions; and entrepreneur and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt<\/a><\/b>. After filmmaker Ava DuVernay<\/a><\/b>, actress and activist Jane Fonda<\/a><\/b> and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi<\/a> <\/b>introduced the night\u2019s honorees, GRAMMY-nominated rapper Tierra Whack<\/a><\/b> kept the crowd energized with songs from her albums World Wide Whack<\/i> and Whack World<\/i>.<\/p>\n

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They weren\u2019t the only ones to strut before the step-and-repeat, of course. More than 600 artists, patrons and cultural movers and shakers gathered that night to listen to MOCA director Johanna Burton<\/a><\/b>, MOCA chair Maria Seferian<\/a><\/b> and the three honorees hold forth on art\u2019s profound connective powers before a sunset-ombre backdrop. The evening also included a ceremonial process led by Japanese drum ensemble TAIKOPROJECT and a special viewing of Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson<\/a><\/b>\u2019s newest exhibition, \u201cOlafur Eliasson: OPEN<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Tierra\"Tierra<\/a>
Tierra Whack. Jojo Korsh\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Also spotted were artists Doug AItken<\/a><\/b>, Refik Anadol<\/a><\/b>, Andrea Bowers<\/a><\/b> and Marcel Alcal\u00e1<\/b>, among many, many others. Philanthropists Edythe Broad<\/a><\/b> and Jarl Mohn<\/a><\/b> joined MOCA board president Carolyn Clark Powers<\/a><\/b> and vice-chair Eugenio L\u00f3pez Alonso<\/b>, as actors including Josh Hutcherson<\/a><\/b>, Sarah Paulson<\/a><\/b> and Alexandra Hedison<\/a><\/b> took their turns on the carpet. And LACMA CEO Michael Govan<\/a><\/b> celebrated with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass<\/a><\/b> and The RealReal founder and former CEO Julie Wainwright<\/a><\/b>.<\/p>\n

As is usually the case with the best art parties, a DJ set and dessert finished out the festivities. \u201cArt is about living a life where you take your talents, and you multiply them,\u201d Gates remarked when he took his turn at the dais. All told, the gala raised over $3.1 million that will help ensure MOCA\u2019s impact is similarly multiplied.<\/p>\n

Ava DuVernay, Nancy Pelosi, Johanna Burton, Theaster Gates, Frank Gehry, Wendy Schmidt and Maria Seferian<\/h3>\n
\"Ava\"Ava
Ava DuVernay, Nancy Pelosi, Johanna Burton, Theaster Gates, Frank Gehry, Wendy Schmidt and Maria Seferian. Jojo Korsh\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Karyn Kohl and Sarah Paulson<\/h3>\n
\"Karyn\"Karyn
Karyn Kohl and Sarah Paulson. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Josh Hutcherson<\/h3>\n
\"Josh\"Josh
Josh Hutcherson. Jojo Korsh\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alexandra Hedison and Sarah Paulson<\/h3>\n
\"Alexandra\"Alexandra
Alexandra Hedison and Sarah Paulson. Jojo Korsh\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theaster Gates<\/h3>\n
\"Theaster\"Theaster
Theaster Gates. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jason Swartz and Conor Tingley<\/h3>\n
\"Jason\"Jason
Jason Swartz and Conor Tingley. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Julie Wainwright<\/h3>\n
\"Julie\"Julie
Julie Wainwright. Jojo Korsh\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Katherine Ross, Michael Govan, Esthella Provas, Eugenio Lopez, Analisse Taft, Celesta Hodge and Maria Seferian<\/h3>\n
\"Katherine\"Katherine
Katherine Ross, Michael Govan, Esthella Provas, Eugenio L\u00f3pez Alonso, Analisse Taft, Celesta Hodge and Maria Seferian. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Andrea Bowers<\/h3>\n
\"Andrea\"Andrea
Andrea Bowers. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nancy Pelosi, Johanna Burton and Karen Bass<\/h3>\n
\"Nancy\"Nancy
Nancy Pelosi, Johanna Burton and Karen Bass. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pia Mehta<\/h3>\n
\"Pia\"Pia
Pia Mehta. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ava DuVernay and Frank Gehry<\/h3>\n
\"Ava\"Ava
Ava DuVernay and Frank Gehry. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Efsun Erk\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 and Refik Anadol<\/h3>\n
\"Efsun\"Efsun
Efsun Erk\u0131l\u0131\u00e7 and Refik Anadol. Jojo Korsh\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marcel Alcal\u00e1 and Carlye Packer<\/h3>\n
\"Marcel\"Marcel
Marcel Alcal\u00e1 and Carlye Packer. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mary Weatherford, Zoe Ryan and Jarl Mohn<\/h3>\n
\"Mary\"Mary
Mary Weatherford, Zoe Ryan and Jarl Mohn. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Viktoria Modesta<\/h3>\n
\"Viktoria\"Viktoria
Viktoria Modesta. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Olafur Eliasson<\/h3>\n
\"Olafur\"Olafur
Olafur Eliasson. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nadya Tolokonnikova, Jane Fonda and Edythe Broad<\/h3>\n
\"Nadya\"Nadya
Nadya Tolokonnikova, Jane Fonda and Edythe Broad. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Carolyn Clark Powers and Maria Seferian<\/h3>\n
\"Carolyn\"Carolyn
Carolyn Clark Powers and Maria Seferian. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Terri Smooke and Esthella Provas<\/h3>\n
\"Terri\"Terri
Terri Smooke and Esthella Provas. Marc Patrick\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Los<\/p><\/div>\n