LOS ANGELES, CA.- The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announces the date and honorees of its 2017 Art+Film Gala. On Saturday, November 4, notables from the art, film, fashion, and entertainment industries will gather at LACMA to honor artist Mark Bradford and filmmaker George Lucas. Now in its seventh year, the 2017 Art+Film Gala is co-chaired by LACMA trustee Eva Chow and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who continue to champion the museum’s film initiatives. Gucci once again shows its invaluable support as the presenting sponsor of the annual event.
“LACMA has enjoyed a long relationship with Mark, from our first purchase of his work in 2002 as part of the museum's “Art Here and Now” program to the acquisition of his monumental 2013 painting Shoot the Coin. He was also co-curator and artist of our founding exhibition at Charles White Elementary School, which set a new direction for our many education and community programs. And we have been especially inspired by his Leimert Park-based Art + Practice program, in particular his work with foster youth,” said Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director. He continued, “George is known worldwide as having made some of the most innovative and beloved films in history. He has also been devoted to collecting a wide variety of narrative visual arts, with his efforts culminating very soon in the construction of a new museum in Exposition Park. George’s epic new museum is one of the greatest cultural philanthropic gifts ever made in Los Angeles, and will benefit local communities as well as encourage a deeper understanding of narrative arts.”
Both Mark Bradford and George Lucas have a shared commitment to education. Bradford has invested in the Los Angeles community with Art + Practice, which brings museum-quality art exhibitions and youth services to Leimert Park through partnerships with museums and foster youth organizations. Lucas has called education the foundation of our democracy and a stepping-stone for youth to reach their full potential. He founded the George Lucas Educational Foundation to identify and share innovative, replicable, and evidence-based approaches to helping K–12 students learn better. The foundation provides real-world information at the parent, teacher, and school level along with community connections to positively impact the course of learning and lifelong achievement.
“I’m honored to co-host this year’s seventh annual Art+Film Gala spotlighting the work of Mark Bradford and George Lucas,” said Gala Co-Chair Eva Chow. “We continue to be grateful to Gucci for their partnership and collaboration as the presenting sponsor, and look forward to supporting another year of art and film at LACMA.”
Proceeds from the annual Art+Film Gala go toward underwriting LACMA’s initiative to make film more central to the museum’s curatorial programming, while also funding LACMA’s broader mission. This includes exhibitions, acquisitions, and educational programming, in addition to screenings that explore the intersection of art and film.
