SHINING LIGHTS AT MUSEUM GALA

American actress Blake Lively, model Kaia Gerber and reality TV star Kim Kardashian took pictures under the lights, posing against a backdrop of more than 200 restored street lamps from Urban Light, an installation by American artist Chris Burden that served as a stand-in for a red carpet.

They were at the 13th annual Art+Film Gala, held on Nov 2, which raised more than US$6.4 million (S$8.5 million) for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma), the largest art museum in western United States.

On one side, a sage-green carpet contrasted with striking red and glass galleries designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

On the other, there was a concrete wall of the much-anticipated new Lacma building by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.

And the guest list for the gala, sponsored by Gucci, felt as eclectic as the museum it benefited, as Hollywood fixtures rubbed shoulders with luminaries from the art world, who gathered to honour Australian film-maker Baz Luhrmann and American artist Simone Leigh.

Lacma is co-presenting an exhibit of Leigh's work with the California African American Museum.

This starry mix of creative worlds aligns with museum director Michael Govan's vision for Lacma.

"The idea was to design it as a place of inspiration for creative people," he said.