Bottega Veneta Presents The Hammer Museum’s Gala in the Garden

Photo Credit: Getty Images for the Hammer Museum

This weekend, the Hammer Museum welcomed cultural and civic leaders, artists, collectors, patrons of the arts, and entertainment world notables to the 13th annual Gala in the Garden. The Bottega Veneta-presented Gala raised $2.5 million to support the Hammer’s nationally acclaimed exhibitions and public programs.

Over 600 guests attended the Gala—held in the Museum’s outdoor courtyard—which honored artist Paul McCarthy and iconic actor Diane Keaton with tribute speeches by Matthew Barney and Emma Stone. Singer, songwriter, and producer Aloe Blacc performed his hit song “Wake Me Up” as well as a rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” while actor and comedian Jane Lynch kept everyone entertained as the emcee for the evening. Event co-chairs included Julia Roberts and Daniel Moder, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Bottega Veneta Creative Director Tomas Maier. The menu for the seated dinner was created by Suzanne Goin of Lucques.

Hammer Museum Director Ann Philbin, wearing a leather Bottega Veneta dress, and Bottega Veneta President & CEO Carlo Alberto Beretta greeted guests who support the creative community at the Hammer including Mayor Eric Garcetti, Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Chambers, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, Steve Martin, Salma Hayek, Elizabeth Banks, Patricia Arquette, Frances Stark, Mark Bradford, Marisa Tomei, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Selma Blair, Liz Goldwyn, and Catherine Opie.

The evening began with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres on the third-floor terrace and new Michael Maltzan-designed John V. Tunney Bridge overlooking the elegant courtyard below. Guests were invited to preview the Hammer’s fall exhibitions The Idea of North: The Paintings of Lawren Harris, guest curated by actor, author, and musician Steve Martin; UH-OH: Frances Stark 1991-2015; a selection of works from the Hammer Contemporary Collection by Jessica Jackson Hutchins; and Hammer Projects highlighting the work of Avery Singer and Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

During the dinner remarks, Ann Philbin praised the many accomplishments of gala honorees Diane Keaton and Paul McCarthy and announced a future Hammer exhibition of McCarthy’s drawings to rousing applause. Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke to the importance of contemporary art museums in the city’s cultural community. Guests watched tribute videos by Joni Sighvatsson. Matthew Barney introduced McCarthy whose moving, stream of consciousness-style speech conveyed a multitude of thoughts and memories about his life, work, the art world, and friends Chris Burden and Mike Kelley.  Steve Martin and Emma Stone shared anecdotes about Keaton who used her acceptance speech to instead praise Stone, McCarthy, and Philbin.

Notable guests included artists, architects & writers such as: Paul McCarthy, Matthew Barney, Frances Stark, Mark Bradford, Catherine Opie, John Baldessari, Ed Ruscha, Barbara Kruger, Avery Singer, Edgar Arceneaux, Francesca Gabbiani, Jennifer Steinkamp, Elliott Hundley, Lari Pittman, Charles Gaines, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Mark Hagen, Jordon Wolfson, Ana Prvacki and Sam Durant, Tala Madani, Nathaniel Mellors, Glenn Kaino, Lita Albuquerque, Dinos Chapman; civic and cultural leaders, collectors, philanthropists and gallerists like Mayor Eric Garcetti and Amy Wakeland, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, Erika Glazer, Manuela Herzer, Audrey Irmas, Susan Nimoy, Jamie McCourt, Kim and Michael McCarthy Kristy Edmunds, Timothy Potts, Michael Govan and Katharine Ross, Philippe Vergne, Joanne Heyler, Hope Warschaw, Phil and Shelley Fox Aarons, Chara Schreyer, Shaun Regen, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, Robert Soros, Paul Schimmel, Greg and Heidi Hodes, Tracy O’Brien & Ann Soh Woods, Brooke and Adam Kanter, Michael Rubel and Kristin Rey, Alice and Nahum Lainer, Joy Monkarsh, David Hoberman, Linda and Bob Gersh, Alan Hergott and Curt Shepard, Maggie Kayne, Jake and Ruth Bloom, Jeffrey and Catharine Soros, Eugenio Lopez, Candace and Charles Nelson, Aileen Getty, Sidney Felsen and Doni Weyl, Cliff and Mandy Einstein, Nelson and Sharon Rising, Maria and Bill Bell, Cindy Miscikowski, Stephanie Barron, Michael Kohn, Bill Resnick and Michael Stubbs and fashion and celebrity influences like Diane Keaton, Emma Stone, Julia Roberts and Danny Moder, Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tomas Maier, Jane Lynch, Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter, Carlo Beretta, Marcy Carsey, Ashley Olsen, Dana Delany, Beth de Woody, Rosette Delug, Liz Goldwyn, Viveca and Will Ferrell, Kevin Huvane, Steve Martin and Anne Stringfield, Salma Hayek, Martin Short, Matt Groening, Kiernan Shipka, Amanda Peet, Elizabeth Banks, Sela Ward, Liberty Ross and Jimmy Iovine, Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Chambers, Viktor and Angelia Hammer, Patricia Arquette, Marisa Tomei, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Madeline Stowe, Mia Maestro, Selma Blair, Francesca Amfitheatrof, Darren Star, Julian Sands, Albert and Kimberly Brooks, Jenny Kayne, Windsor Smith and Lucy Punch.

The event was producted by Mitie Tucker Event Production and flowers were provided by Eric Buterbaugh Flower Design.

Photo Credit: Neil Rasmus/BFA.com