Michael Kors Presents MOCA’s Distinguished Women in the Arts Luncheon

Photo Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for MOCA

Photo Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for MOCA

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) hosted the 9^th MOCA Distinguished Women in the Arts Luncheon last week in Beverly Hills.

The luncheon honored MOCA Trustee Susan Gersh and acclaimed artist Marilyn Minter, with awards presented by the former MOCA Chief Curator Paul Schimmel and current MOCA Director Philippe Vergne.

The luncheon, which took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, was attended by 600 guests and featured a special presentation of the Fall 2015 Michael Kors Collection. Proceeds from the Oct. 28 event, which raised more than $350,000, will help support the museum including educational and exhibition programs. The MOCA Projects Council established the Distinguished Women in the Arts event in 1994 to recognize the many gifted women providing leadership and innovation in the visual arts, dance, music and literature.

Attendees at the luncheon included Alison Brie, Audrey Plaza, Erin Foster, Camilla Belle, Marilyn Minter, Susan Gersh, Lori Loughlin, Crystal Lourd, Philippe Vergne, Sylvia Chivaratanond, John Baldessari, Bettina Korek, Lilly Tartikoff Karatz, Nancy Koven, Hannah Hoffman, Stephanie Vahn, Suzanne Kayne, Maggie Kayne, Barbara Guggenheim, Kathi Cypress, Liza Lou, Wendy Stark, Barbara Kruger, Viveca Paulin-Ferrell, Joanne Heyler, Katherine Ross, Nancy Rubins, Werner Herzog, Mary Martin, Lillian Lovelace, Wonmi Kwon, Marc Selwyn, Anna Helwing, Jane Siegal, Grazka Taylor, Laurie Ziegler, Stacen Berg and Ruth Bloom.

The MOCA Distinguished Women in the Arts Luncheon was established in 1994 by the MOCA Projects Council to recognize the many gifted women providing leadership and innovation in the visual arts, dance, music, and literature. Past recipients include noted collector and patron Beatrice Gersh (1994), editor Tina Brown (1997), choreographer Twyla Tharp (1999), actress and director Anjelica Huston (2001), and artists Barbara Kruger (2001), Yoko Ono (2003), Jenny Holzer (2010), Annie Leibovitz (2012), and in 2013 Lita Albuquerque, Helen Pashgian, Nancy Rubins and Betye Saar were recognized.

This year’s event was led by the Event Chairs Marla Diamond and Pam Smith, alongside the MOCA Projects Council Co-Presidents, Nancy Koven and Stephanie Vahn, and Co-Chair Marilyn Resnick. Proceeds from the Women in Arts Luncheon supported all of MOCA efforts including educational and exhibition programs presented by the museum each year.