MOCA’s Mogul Friend

Now here’s a montage for L.A.’s world of art: Mix two 1940s warehouses, the catchy Temporary Contemporary name, a Frank Gehry remodel and a generous $5-million gift from entertainment mogul David Geffen. That’s another treasure for the downtown area, one we can all enjoy.

Geffen’s gift, combined with another $5 million contribution by an anonymous donor, has lifted the Museum of Contemporary Art’s $25-million endowment drive to $19 million and counting. Grateful MOCA trustees reacted by renaming the Temporary Contemporary the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. A good choice.

“The museum means a lot to me and to Los Angeles,” Geffen said in announcing the gift. It should be pointed out that the decision to name the facility after the philanthropist was taken solely by the museum. The gift was made with no strings attached.

The overhauled Temporary sends a powerful message of faith in the revitalization of downtown. And it’s a boost for art in the whole of Southern California. With this new gift, Geffen, whose private collection of contemporary art is perhaps one of the two finest collections in the western United States, underlines the scope of his commitment to support the arts in Los Angeles. It was not too long ago that he gave $5 million to UCLA’s Westwood Playhouse.

What the trustees and MOCA director Richard Koshalek envisioned only one year ago was to raise a total endowment of $50 million to send the museum into the 21st century with financial stability. With friends like MOCA’s, Los Angeles is in good hands.