Diane Keaton, Paul McCarthy to be honored at Hammer Museum

In a famous scene from Woody Allen’s “Manhattan,” a cultural intellectual played by Diane Keaton offers her withering assessment of art that she has recently seen at a museum.

“I really felt it was very derivative. To me it felt like it was straight out of Diane Arbus but it had none of the wit,” she says in casually dismissing a photography display.

In real life, Keaton has long been an avid photographer and a supporter of photographers she admires. She has published books dedicated to the art form, including “Reservations,” about hotel lobbies, and “Still Life,” on Hollywood. In addition, she has been a fervent champion of architectural photography and preservation, especially concerning landmark buildings in Los Angeles.

This fall, the Oscar-winning actress will be honored by the Hammer Museum at its annual gala celebration. Paul McCarthy -- the artist famous for his often provocative installations -- will also be honored at the museum’s Oct. 10 event.

A longtime Southern California resident, McCarthy made international headlines late last year with his work “Tree,” a large-scale installation that resembled a giant sex toy. The work was on display outdoors at the Place Vendôme in Paris, where it garnered extensive media attention and some public criticism.

McCarthy is no stranger to transgressive art. His large inflatable installation “Complex ---” depicts a pile of dog feces while his sculptural series devoted to Santa Claus shows the North Pole gift-giver wielding a sex toy.

The artist has created a sculptural work depicting former President George W. Bush having sex with pigs.

The Hammer’s annual gala serves as a fundraiser for the museum. Last year’s gala raised $2.5 million, it said. Recent museum honorees include Robert Gober, Tony Kushner, Barbara Kruger and Cindy Sherman.

The October event will be co-chaired by Tomas Maier, the creative director of fashion label Bottega Veneta, which the museum said is supporting the event.

The Hammer said proceeds from the gala will go to support exhibitions and public programs.

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT