MISSION STATEMENT

Executive Committee
Irma Braman, Chairman
Lourdes Jofre-Collett, Vice Chairman
Carl Schwartz, Treasurer
Sheldon Anderson, Vice Treasurer
Francine Birbragher-Rozencwaig, Secretary
Monica Kalpakian, Nominating Committee
Paul Berg, At Large
Daniel Holtz, At Large
Michael Collins

Carlos J. Arrizurieta
Francie Bishop Good
Dr. Kira Flanzraich
Paula Friedland
Tony Goldman
Rosalind Jacobs
Joanne Katz
Dr. Shulamit Katzman
Jan Lewis
Diane Lieberman
Sandra Muss
Cindi Nash
Lewis Nerman
Evan Reed
Peter Robbins
Michael Salke
Raquel Scheck
Jackie Soffer
Ray Ellen Yarkin

 

Richard Shack,
Chairman Emeritus
Lou Anne Colodny,
Founding Director

 

The mission of the Museum of Contemporary Art is to make contemporary art accessible to diverse audiences--especially under-served populations--by exploring the art of our time and its relationship to a broader cultural context. The museum is particularly interested in providing a forum for young and emerging artists and in presenting and collecting the works by local as well as internationally recognized artists. The Museum carries out this mission through exhibitions and acquiring works for its permanent collection as well as related symposia, publications, films, lectures, performances, and educational outreach activities, thereby providing a forum for dialogue about contemporary art in the community.

HISTORY

The Museum of Contemporary Art opened its Joan Lehman Building in 1996.  The museum was designed by internationally acclaimed architect Charles Gwathmey of Gwathmey-Siegel, New York, who worked in conjunction with the Miami firm of Gelabert-Navia to create an exquisite space in which to experience art.   In April 2007, MOCA announced plans for the expansion of its North Miami facility to satisfy the public demand for more MOCA exhibitions, access to the permanent collection and expanded educational programming.  The expansion, to be designed The Museum of Contemporary Art opened its Joan Lehman Building in1996.  The museum was designed by internationally acclaimed architect Charles Gwathmey of Gwathmey-Siegel, New York, who worked in conjunction with the Miami firm of Gelabert-Navia to create an exquisite space in which to experience art.   In April 2007, MOCA announced plans for the expansion of its North Miami facility to satisfy the public demand for more MOCA exhibitions, access to the permanent collection and expanded educational programming.  The expansion, to be designed by Gwathmey, will triple the museum’s current exhibition space and include such features as a new education wing, expanded facilities for public programs, and enhanced public areas. 

ARCHITECTURE

Charles Gwathmey's design for the public spaces is articulated by four principle areas. The 9,000 square-foot exhibition gallery's open nave-like space is compartmentalized by moveable walls. Its floors are concrete and its metal barrel-vault ceiling rises 21 feet high. A clerestory window running along the north wall allows soft diffused light to filter into the gallery. The 2,000 square-foot art pavilion with its butterfly roof houses smaller exhibitions and installations. An outdoor art court is used for evening film screenings and special events. The exterior of the building is marked by gently curving walls intersected by angular planes, each distinguished by an earth tone color. A large palm tree-lined plaza and reflecting pool create a dramatic entrance to the museum.

PERMANENT COLLECTION

MOCA's permanent collection reflects significant artistic developments in contemporary art by emerging and established artists from the U.S. and abroad and has made the collection and exhibition of installation art, video and film a special focus of its permanent collection. In 2007, MOCA and Tate, Great Britain, received a landmark donation from Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz of No Ghost Just A Shell, a multi-media collaboration of 17 international artists originated by Pierre Huyghe and Philipe Parreno, and Zero Hero, a monumental multi-media installation by John Bock. 

In December 2005, the Museum of Contemporary Art opened a satellite exhibition and art warehouse space, MOCA at Goldman Warehouse, in the Wynwood Arts and Entertainment District of Miami (404 NW 26th Street, Miami).  This space was donated to MOCA through the year 2009 by Tony Goldman and Joey Goldman and is used to present exhibitions and projects by emerging artists and works from the permanent collection.

John Baldessari, Dan Flavin, Dennis Oppenheim, Alex Katz, Louise Nevelson, Gabriel Orozco, Julian Schnabel, Zoe Leonard, Uta Barth, Teresita Fernandez, Jorge Pardo, Garry Simmons, Mathew Ritchie, Raymond Pettibon, Yoko Ono, Christian Marclay, Nam June Paik, Inka Essenhigh, Trenton Doyle Hancock, and Jose Bedia are among the artists whose works are included in the collection.