Welcome
From the Director
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural resource of the University of North Florida and one of the Southeast’s largest contemporary art institutions. Situated on Hemming Plaza since 2003, MOCA is dedicated to presenting innovative exhibitions by the finest international, national and regional artists. This winter, the museum’s has refocused its gaze on one the founding decades of contemporary art—the 1960s.
MOCA unveils the first of three featured exhibitions in 2012 focused on the beginning of contemporary art and the Museum’s own mission-driven collection and exhibition program. ReFocus: The Art of the 1960s will revisit the first of three seminal decades of contemporary art to foster a new level of understanding and appreciation of this critical epoch and its role in the development of postwar American art. Crafted in response to feedback from our Jacksonville community, MOCA’s ReFocus series provides a much needed context and overview of the significant artistic accomplishments of these three critical decades. Much like a primer on contemporary art, each ReFocus exhibition will explore, step by step, the most significant art movements, key artists, styles, processes and icons of their respective decades. In addition to the exhibitions themselves,
ReFocus includes substantial public programs that further the educational goals of the project. From lectures about art, history and culture to in-gallery tours; from free brochures to online content and audio guides, visitors to the Museum will have numerous opportunities to explore each of these significant periods in greater depth and richness. This exhibition will be followed by installments devoted to the 1970s and 1980s, respectively.
As suggested by the robust menu of educational programs that accompanies the 1960s exhibition, each of the ReFocus exhibitions provides multiple opportunities for our members and the public to learn more about these important decades and the artistic and cultural milestones that continue to shape the scope of artistic expression to this day. We are especially grateful to the Jacksonville Public Library for compiling lists to enhance the cultural and historical contexts that gave life to these works. From books by Tom Wolfe to music by James Brown, plus films and other materials, the art, artists and culture from each decade come to life. This list can be found at www.jaxpubliclibrary.org/moca
In March, MOCA will welcome artist Mark Licari to Project Atrium. From showering squids and antenna-propelled sharks to nervous men made of frayed telephone wires, Licari is known for his imaginative, often humorous, portrayals of unusual collisions between nature and the manmade world. For the MOCA installation, Licari will create a large-scale, site-specific drawing directly on the walls of the Haskell Atrium Gallery. The drawing will remain on view for the duration of the exhibition, after which time, like all ephemeral works of art, it will be removed. While evanescent, the project will undoubtedly make a lasting impact on the Museum and all of its visitors.
MOCA’s ongoing partnership with the University of North Florida culminates this season with the exhibition of The Lebowski Cycle by Barbara Ritzman Devereux visiting artist Joe Forkan in the UNF Gallery. The artist will also present a lecture to accompany the exhibition. Moreover, in partnership with the UNF Venture Studies initiative, MOCA will present additional programming this Spring, including Andy Warhol’s screen tests—an iconic series of short movies of his friends, celebrities and models made by the artist—as well as two programs in collaboration with the John Cage Festival this March.
As we begin 2012, the Museum’s staff and Trustees look forward to sharing with you this new year of exciting opportunities to learn, explore and be inspired by the world of contemporary art.
With warm regards,
Marcelle Polednik, Ph.D.
Director
Mission Statement
The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a private non-profit visual arts educational institution and cultural resource of the University of North Florida, serves the community and its visitors through exhibitions, collections, educational programs, and publications designed to enhance an understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art with particular emphasis on works created from 1960 to the present.
MOCA Jacksonville is a cultural resource of and funded in part by the University of North Florida with additional funding by the City of Jacksonville; Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and by the generous support of our members.
MOCA Jacksonville’s website was funded through a generous grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.