Inside LACMA’s extravagant opening gala for David Geffen Gallery with George Lucas, Ed Ruscha, Jeff Koons and more

Spotting the innovative artist during cocktail hour at the opening gala of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s new David Geffen Gallery was like shooting fish in a barrel.

Stare over the rim of your glass and you’ll see Jeff Koons and Ed Ruscha intimately chatting next to the DJ booth. Mark Bradford struts around with a benevolent smile on his face, towering over everyone, including AI artmaker Refik Anadolu. Todd Gray, whose 8-meter-long photographic sculpture Octavia’s Gaze hangs in the hallway near the building’s south entrance, chats with Wim Wenders, who is producing a documentary about architect Peter Zumthor’s controversial new $724 million concrete megastructure. Zumthor, wearing bright red sneakers, was also there, and after speaking with Michael Govan, director and CEO of LACMA, Govan headed off to take a selfie with immersive installation artist Do Ho Sue.

Lauren Halsey walks past, surrounded on all sides by friends and admirers, wearing her signature white shirt, long pants, and ball cap.

“It’s beautiful, it’s amazing,” she said of Zumthor’s work.

On this breezy night, as the sun sets goldenly on the gray concrete of the building, and the lights surrounding the lower part of the building flicker and twinkle like stars overhead, it’s truly an artist’s world. In this environment, Hollywood celebrities like Will Ferrell and Sharon Stone, who occupy separate factions nearby, pale in comparison to the intermingled art world luminaries.

“It’s ready for us,” Bradford said of the building. “It’s ready for artists. When I walked in, I was blown away by the space that was created for us. I can’t wait to see all the things we can do.”

“It’s fashionable. It’s getting the job done,” Ruscha said, looking puzzled, speaking in short headline-style phrases, much like his famous paintings.

Gray said he was happy to see his art during “Magic Hour,” noting how the setting sun shone warmly through the building’s glass windows, diffused by textile designer Reiko Sudo’s chrome-encrusted curtains, lending a unique warmth to his photo installations.

“I’ve never seen anything like this at dusk,” Gray said with a laugh. “It was a completely different experience to see it at that time of day and [the light was] The part changed because it was actually yellow…and the concrete warmed up because of that warm light. It was a lovely color experience. It’s great because then you realize you’re experiencing something in a very specific space and time. ”

James Goldstein, owner of architect John Lautner’s famous Sheets-Goldstein House, which he pledged as a gift to LACMA in 2016, agreed with Gray that the dim light is beautiful.

“If it were up to me, the curtains would never close,” Goldstein said, noting that the curtains in his home (also made of concrete and glass) would never close, and that the view from the Geffen Gallery was so special that it was worth retreating to.

Koons said the defining moment of the building and its unveiling has the potential to unite the world.

“It’s a wonderful evening for all those who love and believe in art and the value of humanity to celebrate architecture together,” said Koons, who said he was looking forward to exhibiting his art in the new gallery. “LACMA is a place to be here for future generations, and Peter’s building is amazing.”

Chatter about the building could be heard from every gathering of guests. One group talked about how impressive it was to see ancient Greek sculptures lined up in high-traffic areas along Wilshire Boulevard. Another person said they would like to see more landscaping, noting that the concrete ground and concrete buildings need plenty of greenery.

Govan was in the spotlight nearby, offering handshakes, hugs and pats on the back. His vision for the building was 20 years in the making and faced enormous opposition, but the structure is here and his enthusiasm for it has not waned.

“I always imagined there would be people in this building. It’s for people,” Govan said. “And I want it to last 500 years, I want those little drill marks to accumulate, I want change. I want this to be something that will be cherished for generations.”

Mr. Zumthor also seems quite content with the moment, saying, “I’ve always been happy,” emphasizing that working in Los Angeles has taught him to embrace a certain lack of frontier sophistication.

LACMA staff, especially those who had watched this project develop for decades and absorbed the large amount of criticism that came with its manifestation, were overjoyed.

“This is my first night with my art world colleagues and donors, and it’s thrilling to see their reactions,” said Stephanie Baron, LACMA’s senior curator and head of the contemporary art department.

“I’ve been here for almost 20 years, and it was awesome to see this go from a concept to reality,” said Tiffany August, LACMA’s vice president of Humanities and Culture, who oversees human resources. “A lot of soul and heart and effort went into this.”

Budget and Finance Director Arun Mathai, who has also worked at the museum for 20 years, said he was excited to finally be on the other side of the project. “It’s so gratifying to see it happen in such a beautiful way. The concept of no hierarchy, walking around and seeing the beautiful juxtaposition of art from all eras from all over the world is so enlightening,” Matai said.

A variety of LACMA supporters, including board co-chair Tony Ressler, were then present during a four-course meal that included seared oysters, tuna tostadas, braised wagyu short ribs, and berry meringue. Life Trustee and Major Donor Linda Resnick. Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, who oversees LACMA, took to the stage in a tent on the west side of the new building to praise the Geffen Gallery, noting that the dinner that night raised a record $11.5 million. (The Geffen Gallery’s total ongoing fundraising efforts total $869 million.)

“This is a great, great example of what can be achieved when government and philanthropy work together for the common good,” Ressler said, thanking Govan for “taking such a bold risk.” “Your legacy will be forever etched in a stunning gallery that will soon be open to the public.”

Mitchell praised Govan and Zumthor.

“The Geffen Gallery didn’t happen overnight, and frankly, nothing that changes the status quo will ever happen,” Mitchell said. “To Michael, Peter and David [Geffen] and our dear Elaine [Wynn]Thank you for your patience. Because visionaries like you often have to wait until the rest of the world catches up to you. ”

Resnick burst out laughing as she talked about the first time she met the Govans 21 years ago.

“A classy couple came in. [vice chair of the board] Bobby Kotick’s house. There was Michael Govan, a true intellectual, Zen thinker, and handsome movie star who was being considered to run LACMA. By the end of the evening, I was sitting on his lap and feeding him peeled grapes. ”

She ended on a more serious note, calling the Geffen Gallery a “masterpiece of public art.” “There is only one person in the world who has managed to do so much with his signature elegance and provocative style,” she said of Govan. “Generations will walk across that bridge, watch the cars go by below, and feel the embrace of art more than anything else than the glamorous chaos of our city.”

After a standing ovation, Govan introduced musicians Sean Watkins, Gabe Witcher and T. Bone Burnett, who, fittingly, sang “The Times They Are A-Changin.”