Art for All: At MOCA’s 40th Anniversary Benefit, the Museum Announced Free Admission

Art for All: At MOCA’s 40th Anniversary Benefit, the Museum Announced Free Admission

This past weekend, the Barbara Kruger installation along the back of the Geffen Contemporary building at MOCA in downtown Los Angeles welcomed a bevy of artists and patrons, all of whom came to celebrate the Museum of Contemporary Art at its 40th anniversary benefit. Guests mingled in the courtyard where trays of passed hors d’oeuvres made their way through the crowd, which included celebrities like Keanu Reeves, Christoph Waltz, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, and artists Mark Bradford, Catherine Opie, Sterling Ruby, and more.

Once inside, guests toured the museum’s 40th anniversary show, “The Foundation of the Museum: MOCA’s Collection,” which is curated by Bennett Simpson and includes some of the most distinct artworks in the permanent collection. The show is organized in thematic groupings that explore immersive installations, ideas on Americanness, figuration, and the intersection of the body with architecture. Artists represented in the exhibition include John Baldessari, Chris Burden, Mike Kelley, Liz Larner, Laura Owens, Raymond Pettibon, Kara Walker, and Anicka Yi.

Upon exiting the exhibition, gala attendees wandered into dinner, where one long table snaked its way through the entire room. The likes of Courtney Love, Marisa Tomei, Mark Ronson, and Jordan Wolfson took their seats for the evening’s program. After a welcome from new MOCA director Klaus Biesenbach, and a pledge from MOCA Board of Trustees president Carolyn Clark Powers to offer free admission to museum guests, the evening was topped off with performances by Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, and Rufus Wainwright. The entertainment brought guests to their feet. It was a celebration of the Los Angeles institution and its continued efforts to make its collection accessible to all.

Originally Appeared on Vogue