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On the heels of an announcement that Reynold Hoover has been tapped as CEO of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, leadership is coming into focus for Cultural Olympiad, the arts and culture platform that accompanies the games in each host city.

Maria Arena Bell — an Angeleno, arts advocate and well-known Hollywood veteran who served as an Emmy Award-winning head writer and executive producer at The Young and the Restless — has been named chair of the LA28 Cultural Olympiad.

The organization is designed to “highlight and expand access to the region’s rich cultural landscape, celebrating diverse voices and the bold artistic history of Los Angeles.” In doing so, the group presents original artistic content and programs while amplifying cultural institutions, performances, events and exhibitions spanning film, fashion, visual art, dance, theater, music and culinary experiences.

In her role as chair, Bell will work with LA28 and the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs,...

On Saturday, September 21, 2019, the eleventh annual amfAR Gala Milano to benefit amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, will be held in conjunction with Milan Fashion Week.

Federico Marchetti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yoox Net-a-porter Group, will be the evening’s honoree. Carine Roitfeld will present him with amfAR’s Award of Courage.

Chairs of the event include Bianca Balti, Dan Caten, Dean Caten, Leonardo del Vecchio, Vasily Klyukin, David Mimran, Angela Missoni, Margherita Maccapani Missoni Amos, Lottie Moss, Olivia Palermo, Remo Ruffini, Ellen von Unwerth, Hormoz Vasfi, Francesco Vezzoli, and amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Milutin Gatsby. Co-Chairs include Achille Boroli and Albena Trifonova.

The black-tie gala, consistently one of the most highly anticipated events of Milan Fashion Week, will be held at the Palazzo Mezzanotte and will include a cocktail reception and dinner featuring Perrier-Jouët Champagne and signature Absolut Elyx cocktails, a live auction, and a special performance by international artist Rita Ora.

In today's roundup of news and views, Grady Hendrix writes up a terrific appreciation of Kinji Fukasaku; Film Comment's pulled up from its archives remembrances of Luis Buñuel by Michel Piccoli, Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Bulle Ogier and Franco Nero; Chris Marker is remembered on his birthday; in 1962, Studs Terkel interviewed Jacques Tati; Thom Andersen writes about Francesco Vezzoli; Nina Menkes reports on this year's Jerusalem Film Festival; Matt Zoller Seitz remembers James Shigeta; and more. » - David Hudson...

In today's roundup of news and views, Grady Hendrix writes up a terrific appreciation of Kinji Fukasaku; Film Comment's pulled up from its archives remembrances of Luis Buñuel by Michel Piccoli, Jeanne Moreau, Catherine Deneuve, Bulle Ogier and Franco Nero; Chris Marker is remembered on his birthday; in 1962, Studs Terkel interviewed Jacques Tati; Thom Andersen writes about Francesco Vezzoli; Nina Menkes reports on this year's Jerusalem Film Festival; Matt Zoller Seitz remembers James Shigeta; and more. » - David Hudson...

Famed author author, playwright and commentator Gore Vidal passed away today at the age of 86. The sharp-tongued author, known for novels such as "Burr" and "Breckinridge" and plays like "The Best Man," was a cultural giant during the 1960s and 1970s, habitually appearing on television to verbally spar with foes like Norman Mailer and William Buckley.

Known as a celebrity figure with a personality that rivaled Truman Capote, Vidal also worked on a number of screenplays, one of which became a cult classic --"Caligula." It was originally produced in 1979, but major disagreements between Vidal and the producer, Bob Guccione, led the former to distance himself from the project. But in 2005, artist and filmmaker Francesco Vezzoli sought to return the legacy of "Caligula" to its rightful owner, creating a a short film, titled "Trailer for the Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula." In the faux-trailer, several Hollywood stars (including original "Caligula...

Kate Moss, Diane Kruger, and Salma Hayek got together for a Couture Fashion Week bash in Paris last night. The event was held to mark the opening of Prada’s 24 h Museum. The project is the brainchild of Prada and Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli, and is open only for today. Things kicked off last night with a private dinner, then Kate took a turn in the DJ booth once the dancing began. Salma walked inside the city's Palais d'Iéna alongside her husband, François-Henri Pinault. Neither Kate nor Diane had their main men by their sides. Joshua Jackson, Diane's boyfriend, has been busy at the Sundance Film Festival, while Kate's husband Jamie Hince evidently didn't make the trip to Paris. It was the end of a busy day for Kate. She started yesterday morning at a Mango press event in London, then made her way to Paris for the party with some of her friends,...

London, Jan 22: Italian fashion label Prada will launch a 24-hour museum in Paris Tuesday.

The label has worked with Milan-based artist and satirist Francesco Vezzoli to create the venue at the historic Palais d'Iena in Paris, which will be divided into three sections; historic, contemporary and forgotten, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Francesco explained: "They are my icons turned into sculptures and placed on marble pedestals."

The festivities will begin with an invitation-only dinner Tuesday. The museum opens to the public Wednesday.

Ians...

Nicki Minaj is as well known for her wacky wardrobe as her musical achievements. W Magazine's November issue features a whole other side to the "Super Bass" singer.

As part of W Magazine's upcoming "Fashion Meets Art" themed issue, Francesco Vezzoli shot Nicki Minaj's "Ultimate Makeover." This is the second cover released so far, Ai Wei Wei's story featuring Sui He shot by Max Vadukul was the first. Are these covers more controversial than last year's Kim Kardashian spread by Barbara Kruger?...

Looks like Nicki Minaj has a few new alter egos ready to move in with Roman and the gang: Marquise de ­Montespan, Comtesse du Barry, Madame de Pompadour, and ­Madame Rimsky-­Korsakov. If those ladies sound like an odd roommate choice to bunk with Barbie and Martha, blame artist Francesco Vezzoli, who styled Nicki Minaj’s W Magazine cover as an homage to a series of famous courtesans. We don’t know if we really get the connection (other than having the most fabulous wigs of all time), but recent Nicki Minaj fashion choices suggest that she do pretty much anything to stay edgy. That being said, please don’t tell us we have to start sporting those weird dangling eye pendants this winter. We just now retired our Uggs-and-gaucho-pants ensemble from 2005, and our wardrobes have so much catching up to do.

[Photo: W Magazine/WENN.com/FayesVision]...

British actress Joely Richardson arrives at the 'Love Ball' charity fundraiser night held at the Roundhouse in London, Britain, 23 February 2010. Russian model Natalia Vodianova and Harper's Bazaar editor Lucy Yeomans host fundraiser in aid of Vodianova's charity, The Naked Heart Foundation, raising money to build playgrounds for children in her home country as well as UK children's charities. The venue is transformed into an adult fairground, under the creative direction of British designer Dinos Chapman. The evening also includes an auction of commissioned works from artists including Jeff Koons, Francesco Vezzoli, Goscha Ostretsov and Marc Quinn. Epa/Daniel Deme Russian entrepreneur Alexander Lebedev (L) and guest arrive at the 'Love Ball' charity fundraiser night held at the Roundhouse...

Irish star Pierce Brosnan joined Hollywood A-listers Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at a private session with Lady Gaga in La. Brosnan, with his wife Keeley Shaye Smith, joined 1,000-plus special guests at the special party for the 30th anniversary of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Brosnan hailed Lady Gaga’s performance of her new ballad, “Speechless,” which was part of a production masterminded by Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli and also included a performance from Russia's famed Bolshoi Ballet. The event raised nearly $4 million for Moca — greatly helped by the sale of GaGa's pink piano, which was designed by Internationally renowned English artist Damien Steven Hirst, one of the the most prominent members of the group known as "Young British Artists" who dominated the art scene in England during the 1990s. He is considered to be the world's richest living artist. The piano went for $450,000. After the event,...

Gaga performs alongside dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet at Moca anniversary celebration.

By Jocelyn Vena

Lady Gaga onstage at the Moca 30th Anniversary gala on Saturday

Photo: John Shearer/ Getty Images

On Saturday night in Los Angeles, Lady Gaga brought her music and sense of style to the art world when she performed at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art's 30th Anniversary gala. The singer performed the ballad "Speechless," from her forthcoming album The Fame Monster, side by side with dancers from Russia's Bolshoi Ballet.

Other A-listers on hand to celebrate the museum's anniversary included Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, James Franco, and Jessica Biel. According The Wall Street Journal, Gaga played a piano designed by artist Damien Hirst while the dancers wore outfits designed by architect Frank Gehry, fashion designer Miuccia Prada and filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. The performance art piece was conceived by artist Francesco Vezzoli.

Ciara, Christina Ricci, Rose McGowan, more sing Gaga's praises at L.A.'s Moca gala.

By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Damien Vaca and Matt Elias

Lady Gaga performs onstage at the Moca 30th anniversary gala.

Photo: Charley Gallay/ Getty Images

Lady Gaga hooked up with artist Francesco Vezzoli and members of Russia's Bolshoi Ballet for her performance at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art's 30th Anniversary gala this weekend. Singing her new single, "Speechless," she displayed just the kind of avant-garde artistry that had all the celebrities in attendance praising Gaga's gutsy persona.

"I don't know about everybody else, but I just love the fact that she's like, 'Yes, this is what I'm wearing, and yes, this is how I'll be performing,' " Christina Ricci told MTV News on the red carpet. "And anyone who has that sort of self-confidence and the b---s to sort of be like,...

Another new song from Lady GaGa's forthcoming mini album "The Fame Monster" has been unveiled. During the 30th anniversary gala for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles on November 14, she showcased a track called "Speechless".

"[It] was this plea to my father [to get open heart surgery]. I sent it to him," she said of the song. "I have a lot of fans who are really lovely, young, troubled fans, but I want to remind them that you only get one set of parents."

Applying Japanese Geisha-style black lipstick, she was joined on-stage by Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli, who performed an art piece, and dancers from Russia's Bolshoi Ballet. Francesco donned all-black costume with a matching mask, while Lady GaGa and the dancers wore outfits from Muccia Prada and Baz Luhrmann.

Later that night, the costumes, including Lady GaGa's Frank Gehry-designed hat, were auctioned online. The pink piano which is decorated...

Here's the brief history of Greed. Performance artist Francesco Vezzoli created Greed as a fake perfume, which within his recent art exhibit, symbolizes the hype machine that accompanies so many new products introduced in the mass market. The more luxurious or exclusive the product, the greater the hype.

So as part of the exhibit, Vezzoli has hired Roman Polanski to direct an ad campaign for this nonexistent perfume, and battling over who gets to wear the scent - and therefore be more now than her rival - are Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams.

So again: Nothing you see here is real, even if it is a catfight between Portman and Williams filmed by Roman Polanski. Check it out:...

Did you know that Roman Polanski directed a short film posing as a perfume ad starring Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams? Well, you know now. Greed is apparently the latest project from the Italian performance artist Francesco Vezzoli, and it's a very short film made to look like a perfume advertisement about two girls who duke it out over the right to wear this new fragrance. Dazed Digital has the short up on their site alongside this description:

"Directed by Roman Polanski and featuring Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams embroiled in a fierce battle over the fanciful scent, the spurious campaign attempts to isolate and imitate the hype created by the promotion of a new luxury product in the mass market."

Truth be told, I was expecting something a bit more than what the final product gives us, but it's Polanski and Portman and Williams (both of whom roll around...

More often than not, commercials for fragrances and perfumes are some of the most beautifully shot advertisements, featuring the likes of Keira Knightley or Charlize Theron in glamorous gowns as they strut sexily around luxurious mansions or duck into limos. Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli has borrowed the idea of the celeb-infused fragrance commercial for his latest project, Greed.

(That's the artist's face on the bottle.)

Vezzoli commissioned actresses Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams to star in a faux fragrance ad, a 60-second commercial for a fake perfume called Greed. Greed will debut at Rome's Gagosian Gallery on Feb. 6. Roman Polanski directed the spot, which features Williams and Portman as they wrestle over the bottle of perfume.

Vezzoli came to the idea, reportedly, after "he noticed that the world of art is more and more about the construction of desire, that is, yes, more and more like a bottle of perfume...