On May 30, The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) welcomed more than 560 artists, collectors, philanthropists, and cultural leaders to The Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo for its 2026 Gala, an evening that rejoiced in three figures whose contributions have left a lasting imprint on both the institution and the broader landscape of contemporary art.
Presented by MOCA Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus Maria Seferian, the gala raised more than $3 million to support the museum’s exceptional exhibitions, educational initiatives, public programs, and more. Continuing the museum’s recently established “MOCA Legends” format, the evening championed philanthropist and MOCA Trustee Eugenio López Alonso as well as prolific artists Paul McCarthy and Kara Walker.
“MOCA is a singular, audacious museum with a collection unsurpassed, and bold exhibitions and education programs that have defined our field for almost fifty years,” said Ann Goldstein, the Interim Maurice Marciano Director of MOCA. “We are so incredibly fortunate to honor three MOCA Legends: two towering, unflinchingly courageous artists of our time, Kara Walker and Paul McCarthy, and visionary philanthropist and longtime MOCA Trustee, Eugenio López Alonso. They are three individuals whose enormous contributions are woven into the course of contemporary art, and MOCA’s story at its deepest level.”
Los Angeles Art World in Attendance
Ava DuVernay; photo by Jojo Korsh/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
Alex Israel, Carolyn Clark Powers; photo by Jason Sean Weiss/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
The gala drew an impressive cross-section of figures from the worlds of art, film, fashion, and philanthropy. Among those attending were Ava DuVernay, Keanu Reeves, Rufus Wainwright, Jeffrey Deitch, China Chow, Michael Chow, Joanne Heyler, Zoë Ryan, Paul Schimmel, Alex Israel, Catherine Opie, Lauren Halsey, Sterling Ruby, Suzanne Lacy, Mary Weatherford, Sharon Lockhart, Alexandra Grant, and many others.
“MOCA is a singular, audacious museum with a collection unsurpassed,”
Ann Goldstein
MOCA trustees, curators, artists, and supporters filled the museum, reflecting the institution’s role as a gathering place for creative exchange and cultural dialogue.
Piero Golia Transforms the Museum
A view of the interior is seen during the MOCA Gala 2026 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA on May 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California; Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MOCA, courtesy of MOCA.
The evening unfolded as a work of art in itself. Deftly conceived by Los Angeles-based artist Piero Golia, the gala shaped The Geffen Contemporary into an experiential environment filled with unexpected interventions, performances, and moments of theatrical wonder. Collaborating with Edwin Chan, Stephen Galloway, Laila Gohar, Thomas Kotcheff, Chris Kronner, Pietro Scalia, and conductor Benjamin Schwartz, Golia created a dynamic experience that blurred the boundaries between exhibition, performance, and celebration.
Guests were greeted by live performances from The MOCA Gala Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Schwartz. Throughout the night, musicians appeared across the museum, performing a series of compositions including Kotcheff’s specially commissioned MOCA Brass Fanfare, presented in three unique versions warmly dedicated to each honoree.
The MOCA Gala Symphony Orchestra; photo by Jojo Korsh/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
Cocktails clinked amid a site-specific installation inspired by the practices of McCarthy and Walker, while dancer and multidisciplinary creative Stephen Galloway guided the evening as host, leading guests through an atmosphere of jubilant discovery and artistic collaboration.
Honoring Three Defining Figures
Hamza Walker, Kara Walker; photo by Jason Sean Weiss/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
During the program, fellow artists, curators, and museum leaders reflected on the significance of the honorees’ contributions. Artist and MOCA Trustee Tala Madani introduced Paul McCarthy, speaking to the enduring influence his work has had on generations of artists. Hamza Walker, director of The Brick and co-curator of the landmark exhibition MONUMENTS, honored Kara Walker, highlighting her recent work Unmanned Drone, which entered MOCA’s permanent collection this year. MOCA Board Chair Carolyn Clark Powers celebrated Eugenio López Alonso’s decades-long commitment to supporting artists and institutions around the world.
“They are three individuals whose enormous contributions are woven into the course of contemporary art, and MOCA’s story at its deepest level.”
Ann Goldstein
“My MONUMENTS commission Unmanned Drone has been a highlight of my practice–to receive a decommissioned Confederate monument as a found object and to literally cut through the stone and metal of white supremacist idolatry was to face that history as matter,” said Kara Walker. “It was an honor to be in an exhibition with the esteemed contemporary artists who were in MONUMENTS.”
A Feast for the Senses
Gala finale; photo by Jason Sean Weiss/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
The evening’s culinary experience matched the creativity of the surrounding artwork. Chef and artist Laila Gohar collaborated with Chef Chris Kronner to create a menu that combined elegance with theatrical scale. Guests dined on stuffed cabbage with English pea vinaigrette and wild king salmon before gathering around a towering seven-foot vanilla cake layered with chocolate ganache, a fitting centerpiece for a night devoted to artistic imagination.
As MOCA approaches its fiftieth anniversary, the 2026 Gala served as both a radiant celebration of its history and a golden affirmation of its future.
Piero Golia, Paul McCarthy, Carolyn Clark Powers, Eugenio Lopez, Ann Goldstein, Kara Walker; photo by Jojo Korsh/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
Victoria Mahoney, Maria Seferian, Ava DuVernay; photo by Jason Sean Weiss/BFA, courtesy of MOCA.
