The Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced Wednesday that artist Vija Celmins and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will be honored later this year at the museum’s 15th annual Art+Film Gala.
The Nov. 7 fundraiser will be co-chaired by LACMA trustee Eva Chow and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, longtime supporters of the museum’s film initiatives, according to LACMA.
Celmins is known for her meticulous renderings of natural imagery, including ocean waves, desert floors and night skies, and is regarded as one of the most influential contemporary visual artists, officials said.
Villeneuve is the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker behind “Sicario,” “Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049” and the “Dune” films and is set to direct the next James Bond film for Amazon MGM Studios.
“This year, we are honoring two icons of visual creativity,” LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan said in a statement. “Whether in painting, drawing, printmaking or other media, Vija Celmins’ exacting renderings of the natural world blend realism and imagination, resulting in sublimely beautiful works.”
Govan said Villeneuve’s films range from “contemplative and cerebral stories to global blockbusters” while maintaining a distinctive visual style.
Proceeds from the annual Art+Film Gala support LACMA’s film initiatives and broader museum programming, including exhibitions, acquisitions and educational programs exploring the intersection of art and film, officials said.