New MOCA director Philippe Vergne to start March 10

The Museum of Contemporary Art’s new director, Philippe Vergne, has an official start date: March 10, MOCA has confirmed.

“I am very excited to welcome our new director Philippe Vergne to Los Angeles and to MOCA in his new leadership role which will begin officially on March 10,” said MOCA Board Co-Chair Maurice Marciano. “I am also grateful for the remarkable commitment of Interim Director Maria Seferian in guiding the successful director search and in supporting the MOCA Board’s recent fundraising achievements, placing the museum in its strongest position in 35 years.”

So where will the French-born, soon-to-be Angeleno live?

Vergne has rented an apartment at the 1920s landmark El Royale designed by William Douglas Lee in Hancock Park, the museum said.

GRAPHIC: MOCA’s ups and downs with Jeffrey Deitch

MOCA will celebrate Vergne’s appointment at the museum’s 35th anniversary gala on March 29. The annual fundraiser will be held at the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. Guests will get a preview of the Mike Kelley exhibition spanning the ‘70s to the present, the first comprehensive survey of the artist’s work since 1993. The exhibition is scheduled to open March 31.

The gala also marks the appointment of two new board co-chairs, Maurice Marciano and Lilly Tartikoff Karatz, and the setting of a new endowment goal of $150 million, now that the museum has surpassed its original goal of $100 million.

ALSO:

John Waters and Jeff Koons, the new odd couple

George W. Bush to show artwork in first exhibition

George Lucas, wife give $25 million for Chicago kids’ art center

Twitter.com: @debvankin