Ava DuVernay, left, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, MOCA Director Johanna Burton, Theaster Gates, Frank Gehry, Wendy Schmidt and MOCA Board of Trustees chair Maria Seferian came together at the May 31 gala. (photo by Jojo Korsh, BFA.com, courtesy of MOCA)

The Museum of Contemporary Art celebrated its 2025 Gala, in partnership with BVLGARI, at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA on Saturday, May 31. The gala marked the debut of the new MOCA Legends format, inaugurated with tributes to three visionaries who have impactfully shaped the museum’s legacy including artist Theaster Gates, architect Frank Gehry and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt. More than 600 patrons, artists and leading cultural figures came together to celebrate, raising more than $3.1 million in support of the museum’s exhibitions, programming and overall operations.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay introduced Gates, reflecting on his expansive work across visual art and community building. Actor and activist Jane Fonda honored philanthropist Schmidt, discussing her pioneering commitment to environmental stewardship. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi remarked on Gehry’s renowned legacy and his transformation of the urban landscape through architecture, noting his renovation of The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA over four decades ago.

“What a joy it is to be together tonight at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA – a space that not only houses some of the most inspiring contemporary art of our time but also holds decades of memory, collaboration and transformation,” said Johanna Burton, the Maurice Marciano Director of MOCA. “As we celebrate our annual gala, we are not just honoring individual achievements but reaffirming our collective belief in the power of art to connect and challenge, uplift and endure. This evening, I want to speak to that power – and to the resilience, generosity and creativity that sustain it.”

“Art is about living a life where you take your talents, and you multiply them,” said Gates, who spoke about uplifting, celebrating and honoring everyday artistic voices and emerging talent. “Is it possible that we could take a moment to imagine the talent around us has the capacity to do greater than it does?”

“MOCA means a lot to me,” said Gehry, speaking on the impact of artists and the art world on his personal life and architectural practice early on in his career. “Artists brought me into their club – it’s where I wanted to be, and they opened my eyes to another world.”

“I see art and science as two sides of the same coin,” Schmidt added, speaking on the crucial links between the two disciplines. “Each of them rests upon a single, necessary foundation: freedom of thought. The freedom to imagine and create is part of human nature.”

For information on current exhibitions, education programs and special events, call (213)621-2766, or visit moca.org.