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Downtown Los Angeles' Grand Avenue made good on its name Saturday evening, welcoming celebs, social types and, naturally, art fans to the Museum of Contemporary Art's annual gala.

The museum tapped renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic as guest director for this year's fete, presenting "An Artist's Life Manifesto" with Debbie Harry as featured performer.

Gwen Stefani attended, as she did last year, though husband Gavin Rossdale was nowhere in sight. Stefani instead buddied up to event chair Dasha Zuhkova, while Nicole Richie frolicked on the rainy grounds with actress Jaime King.

Abramovic featured live performers as dinner centerpieces, with only their heads popping out from the tablecloths as guests ate and drank. Coexisting with the human heads wasn't the only thing Abramovic requested of the crowd: White lab coats were distributed and mandatory to don as dinner began.

"It's this idea of transition," Abramovic said, as the whole of the party was to experiment within her performance. Except it wasn't the whole of the party — as some guests blatantly refused to put on the jackets (think Hills-dwelling housewives not wanting their gowns concealed).

But the boldface names were happy to oblige Abramovic; among them Kirsten Dunst, looking radiant with Rodarte designing duo Kate and Laura Mulleavy. They sat close to celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, while Will Ferrell worked the room with his wife, Viveca.

Rose McGowan turned heads in a green number, as did a late-arriving Pamela Anderson (random, no?), Dita Von Teese and a slimmed Minnie Driver.

Among the hits from Harry, the human heads, the doctor costumes and a consistent showing of celebrity art fans, Abramovic emerged as the night's true star.

She's an artist whose commitment may have turned an interesting page on an important night for Los Angeles, a gala that's frankly been struggling to find its voice since Lady Gaga graced it two years ago.

Usually, the main attraction at a big movie premiere are the celebrities. But at the premiere of "The Muppets" in Hollywood on Saturday, a slew of puppets got the A-list treatment.

Before the film's stars, Jason Segel and Amy Adams, even arrived, a group of Muppets — including Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo — were driven down the the appropriately green carpet in a Jeep. They were followed by Miss Piggy, who scored her own chauffeured ride — a sexier convertible.

"In case anyone is wondering," a frenzied publicist told the press, "Miss Piggy was wearing Jeremy Scott and Louboutins."

PHOTOS: 'The Muppets' Hollywood premiere

Yes, really. The Muppets were handled like such stars at the event that they almost seemed like actual celebrities. As Adams put it later to the press: "The magic of the Muppets is that you believe in them."

Over the years, there have been numerous television programs and films including the famous puppets — most memorably 1984's "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

Segel, who co-wrote the new movie and been a Muppets fan since he was a child, said the time was right for a fresh take on the puppets because comedy has become too cynical.

"People get a lot of laughs by making fun of people, and the Muppets never do that," he said. "I thought it was an important reminder just to be nice. That's the message of the Muppets."

The beauty of the Muppets lies in their simplicity, added Adams.

"I think we're a society that we've gotten overblown in all these special effects and all of that — which I love as well," said the actress, who will soon star as Lois Lane in the upcoming installment of the big-budget "Superman" franchise. "But I think it's nice to see these characters [with] their message of hope and belief."

Meanwhile, if Segel is eager about how audiences will receive his version of "The Muppets," he was hiding it well.

"You know, having seen the movie, I'm not nervous at all," he said confidently. "It's a really beautiful film. And I haven't seen anyone do anything but walk away smiling."