The Lucas Museum celebrated its opening on Tuesday September 22nd, preceded by an opening night gala that was veritably awe-inspiring in the constellation of Hollywood illuminati in attendance from across the media and entertainment landscape. Of course, there was Mr. Lucas himself and his wife Mellody Hobson alongside Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Steven Spielberg. Add in Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Nolan, Oprah, Kim Kardashian, California Governor Gavin Newson and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, with the Black-Eyed Peas performing for the A-Listers. Add in Bob Iger, Ted Sarandos, Nicholas Cage, Magic Johnson, Denis Villenueve and hundreds of celebrities from the world of movies, media, music and entertainment.
Why does it matter? Hollywood is built on stars and stories, and both are featured prominently. The nominal focus of the $1 billion venue which was 17 years in the making is to celebrate “narrative art”, or the power of visual storytelling. If a movie leaves a lasting impression on a viewer through its use of visual effects, then it can and should be celebrated as art. In addition to cinematic works, the museum’s extensive collection also includes painting, sculpture, illustration, comic art and video works. Earlier plans had sited the museum in San Fransico, and then Chicago, before it ultimately landed in in the 160-acre Exposition Park area of South Los Angeles.
