Bootleg Betty
Bette Midler Spotted At 19th Annual Hammer Museum Gala
By Mister D
May 5, 2024
Bette Midler with artist Mark Bradford
The 19th Annual Hammer Museum Gala in the Garden is a prestigious event held by the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.
When and Where?
The gala took place on Saturday, May 4, 2024
The venue?
None other than the Hammer Museum, where art and culture collide like avant-garde bumper cars.
Honoring a Luminary: Ann Philbin
This year’s gala was a tribute to Ann Philbin, the director of the Hammer Museum.
Ann has been at the helm for 25 years, steering the museum through creative storms and curatorial whirlpools. She’s basically the Indiana Jones of contemporary art.
Why Ann Philbin Deserves a Standing Ovation:
Under her leadership, the Hammer has blossomed like a rare desert flower after a rainstorm:
Attendance Quadrupled: More people than a flash mob at a Beyoncé concert.
Cutting-Edge Programs Doubled: Because one cutting edge just wasn’t edgy enough.
50,000+ Artworks: That’s like having a personal art collection the size of a small country.
Hammer Contemporary Collection: Since 2005, it has acquired over 4,500 pieces. It’s like Pokémon, but with sculptures and paintings.
Building Renovations: The Hammer got a facelift, with 40,000 square feet of new galleries, admin spaces, and an expensive main entrance. It’s the architectural equivalent of a glow-up.
Made in L.A. Biennial: Ann birthed this biennial exhibition, showcasing over 220 artists. It’s like Coachella for creativity, minus the flower crowns.
Hammer Projects: Imagine a hundred contemporary exhibitions and installations. Now multiply that by how many times you’ve Googled “How to Adult.” That’s Hammer Projects.
Public Programs: The Hammer hosts around 300 programs annually. Think literary soirées, film screenings, and concerts. It’s like TED Talks but with more interpretive dance.
Red Carpet Extravaganza:
Jane Fonda, ageless and radiant, graced the red carpet like a celestial being. Jodie Foster and wife Alexandra Hedison joined her, proving that coolness increases exponentially near Jane Fonda.
Bette Midler, Jodie Foster, Owen Wilson, Keanu Reeves, Pete Dandridge, Susan Bay, Suzanne Shaker, and Hannah Bay-Schuck strutted their stuff. It was like the Avengers assembling but with better outfits.
Art, Glamour, and Bananas:
The Hammer Gala is where art mingles with glamour, and the champagne flows like a poetic metaphor.
And hey, if you ever wondered how many bananas it would take to reach Mount Everest’s height, this gala probably has the answer.
So, next time you feel overwhelmed by information, remember: Ann Philbin juggled art, architecture, and biennials while we were still trying to figure out our Wi-Fi passwords.
Sources: Hammer.UCLA.edu, WWD, and adbpost.com
