Ed Ruscha book designed for MOCA's 30th anniversary

A search firm has been hired and the hunt is underway for the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art’s new director.

Meanwhile the museum is gearing up for a splashy Nov. 14 30th anniversary gala, chaired by collectors Maria Arena Bell and Eli Broad, with honorary chairs Larry Gagosian and Dasha Zhukova.

Artist Ed Ruscha created an art object for the event, a blank book emblazoned: “MAKE NEW HISTORY.” Given the museum’s recent history, this is solid advice.

MOCA expects more than a 1,000 guests at the event, and has already grossed $3 million.

The gala coincides with the opening of “MOCA’s First Thirty Years,” an exhibition showcasing 500 artworks from the museum’s permanent collection.

The museum has operated sans director since last December when Jeremy Strick resigned, on the heels of an embarrassing and severe financial crisis. The board has since raised millions–with major help from Broad– and worked to galvanize the international arts community in order to build broad support for the admired and historically underfunded museum.

So who might be MOCA’s next director? Here are some of the names rumored to be in the running:

Thelma Golden – Director Studio Museum in Harlem since 2005

Sam Keller – Director Fondation Beyeler since 2008

Tobias Meyer- Head Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Department since 1997

Ann Philbin – Director Hammer Museum since 1998