Margaret Atwood and Glenn Ligon to be honored by the Hammer Museum
An annual highlight of the Los Angeles cultural calendar, the Hammer Museum’s Gala in the Garden celebrates artists and icons who have made profound contributions to society through their work. Each year, proceeds from the gala provide essential support for all that the Hammer does, from landmark exhibitions to provocative public programs, to deeply rooted projects with young and emerging L.A. artists. Past honorees have included Joan Didion, Ava DuVernay, Frank Gehry, Diane Keaton, Tony Kushner, and Joni Mitchell, as well as artists Mark Bradford, Barbara Kruger, Cathy Opie, Ed Ruscha, Cindy Sherman, Kara Walker, and others.
"Blessed be the Hammer: The L.A. art museum has announced that "The Handmaid's Tale" author Margaret Atwood and artist Glenn Ligon will be this year's honorees at its fall Gala in the Garden fundraiser.
The annual event — a who's who of arts and celebrity circles — is meant to honor "artists and innovators" for their creative contributions. In a statement Thursday, museum Director Ann Philbin called Atwood and Ligon "two brilliant and visionary artists whose work is both enduringly significant and tremendously relevant in our current moment."
"Glenn has consistently created iconic art that critiques and explores complex issues of history, language and identity in America," Philbin said. "Margaret has received critical acclaim for decades of writing, and is an activist who supports feminism, environmentalism, and social justice."
Last year's Gala in the Garden honorees were filmmaker Ava DuVernay and New Yorker theater critic Hilton Als. The event raised $2.4 million for Hammer exhibitions and public programs. This year's event, to be catered by Lucques chef Suzanne Goin, will take place Oct. 14."— Deborah Vankin, May 10, 2018
This article originally appeared on the Los Angeles Times website.
Read more about the annual Gala in the Garden
Stay engaged. Use #UCLAarts to stay connected.
