Fri 1/30 @ 6-9PM
moCa’s next show emerged from a change meeting between co-curators Christina Vassallo, formerly director at SPACES and until recently director at the Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, and Megan Lykins Reich, moCa’s executive director. The two talked about the idea of more interaction between institutions across the state. That led to the exhibition Ohio Now: State of Nature, which ran at CAC last year and opens at moCa this week, running through August 2.
The curatorial team, which also includes Theresa Bembnister and DJ Hellerman, combed the state for artists who addressed topics such as sustainability, the natural environment, agriculture and food justice in a wide range of mediums (including elements found in the landscape), styles and approaches. It features painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, installation and more, with the goal of getting people to reflect and talk more about the environmental issues facing the state.
The show features 15 artists or artist teams from every corner of the state. Clevelanders will recognize the name of sculptor Charmaine Spencer, who works extensively in natural materials and who was recently part of a large group show on Pan-Africanism at the Art Institute of Chicago. Ravenna-based light artist Keith Lemley’s work was seen last year in a show of neon and light art at the Akron Art Museum. Cleveland’s Praxis Fiber Workshop has a team project in the show.
The show opens with a free, public reception on Friday January 30. Read more about it here.
mocacleveland.org/exhibitions/ohio-now