The 14th Annual Event, Co-Chaired by Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio, Celebrates Groundbreaking Creatives Across Art and Cinema
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has announced the honorees for its 2025 Art+Film Gala: pioneering Los Angeles artist Mary Corse and award-winning filmmaker Ryan Coogler. Set to take place Saturday, November 1, the 14th annual event will once again be co-chaired by LACMA trustee Eva Chow and actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Gucci returns as Presenting Sponsor, continuing its commitment to the arts and its longstanding support of the museum since the gala’s inception in 2011.
“This year’s gala will be a truly special one as we honor the incredible L.A. artist Mary Corse and trailblazing filmmaker Ryan Coogler,” said Chow. “This event wouldn’t be possible without the collaboration of Gucci. We are grateful for their continued generosity to the museum, and we’re especially excited to welcome Gucci’s new Artistic Director, Demna, to LACMA and the creative community in Los Angeles.”
Known for her luminous, perception-challenging paintings, Mary Corse has been a central figure in the Southern California art scene since the 1960s. Though often linked to the Light and Space movement, Corse has always forged her own path—experimenting with materials like glass microspheres to create paintings that shift with the viewer’s perspective. Her work can be found in major international institutions, including LACMA, the Whitney Museum, Centre Pompidou, and Dia Art Foundation. In 2018–19, she was the subject of a landmark solo exhibition that traveled from the Whitney Museum to LACMA.
Ryan Coogler has quickly established himself as one of the most impactful storytellers of his generation. His debut feature Fruitvale Station won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and he went on to direct Creed and Marvel’s Black Panther, the latter of which became the highest-grossing film in the U.S. in 2018. He followed that success with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and continues to elevate voices and narratives through his production company, Proximity Media, which produced the Oscar-winning Judas and the Black Messiah. His most recent film, Sinners, starring longtime collaborator Michael B. Jordan, premiered earlier this year.
“Mary Corse has continually expanded the possibilities of painting in her exquisite works, which invite us to think deeply about the nature of perception,” said LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan. “Ryan Coogler’s films do something equally transformative. Through masterful storytelling and visual innovation, he reframes history, redefines narratives, and opens new worlds of possibility.”
This year’s event will take place on LACMA’s campus, with the nearly completed David Geffen Galleries—a striking new building by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Peter Zumthor—serving as a symbolic backdrop for a night honoring creative evolution. The new galleries are slated to open in April 2026.
Proceeds from the gala support LACMA’s efforts to integrate film more deeply into its curatorial programming, while also benefiting broader museum initiatives including exhibitions, acquisitions, and educational outreach.
As part of the event, LACMA Productions will debut a new documentary short on Mary Corse directed by Alysa Nahmias, continuing the museum’s acclaimed tradition of profiling influential artists through film. Past shorts have been selected by top international festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, and DOC NYC.
With the continued support of Gucci and two honorees who have redefined their fields, the 2025 Art+Film Gala promises to be a night where cinematic innovation and visual experimentation meet under one roof—celebrating those who make us see, and see differently.