Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia facts for kids
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| Established | 2000 (current location since 2007) |
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| Location | 75 Bennett Street Atlanta United States |
The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA) is an art museum in Atlanta, Georgia. It collects and shows modern art made by artists from Georgia. MOCA GA helps people learn about and enjoy art from their home state.
Contents
History of MOCA GA
MOCA GA was started in 2000 by David S. Golden and Annette Cone-Skelton. They wanted to create a special place for art made in Georgia. Before MOCA GA, there wasn't a main museum that focused on art from Georgia artists made after World War II.
The museum began with art collections from a company and Mr. Golden. Their first location was on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. This first collection had over 250 artworks by 110 Georgia artists. These artworks included paintings, sculptures, photos, and more.
As the art collection grew, MOCA GA needed more space. In 2005, the museum moved to the SunTrust Plaza. Two years later, in 2007, it moved to its current home at the TULA Art Center on Bennett Street. MOCA GA is one of the few museums that celebrates and promotes local artists. It also shows art from around the world to connect Georgia artists with a global art scene.
How MOCA GA Works
MOCA GA is a non-profit art organization in Georgia. This means it relies on support from its members and the community to run. About 9,000 people visit MOCA GA every year. The museum displays both new and classic fine art. Art organizations like MOCA GA offer spaces for visual arts, music, and other creative activities. MOCA GA is still located at 75 Bennett Street.
Becoming a Member
Being a member of MOCA GA offers many benefits. Members get free entry to the museum and to talks by artists. Some events are just for members, while others are free or discounted for them. MOCA GA has different membership levels. All levels include free entry to the museum, exhibition openings, and many special events.
Art Exhibitions
MOCA GA often has solo exhibitions that feature only Georgia artists. Group exhibitions might include artists from Georgia, other parts of the country, and even other countries. So far, MOCA GA has held over 120 exhibitions.
Past exhibitions have shown new sculptures and works from the museum's permanent collection. One important exhibition in 2002 was called Color, Culture, Complexity. It explored the history of race relations in America. This show included digital photos, computer-made images, and paintings by artists from different places. You can often see past exhibitions online on the museum's website.
Art Collections
MOCA GA has a permanent collection of almost 600 artworks. These pieces are by more than 200 Georgia artists. The main part of this collection was given to the museum in 2001. It includes art from the mid-1940s up to today. The collection has many types of art, like paintings, prints, sculptures, and photos. MOCA GA continues to collect and keep important artworks and information by Georgia artists. This helps share their stories with everyone.
New Artworks Added
In September 2010, the High Museum gave 21 artworks by 14 Georgia artists to MOCA GA. The High Museum also gave over 700 extra books and catalogs to MOCA GA. These items are now part of MOCA GA's new reference library. Here are some of the artworks that were transferred:
- Shirley Bolton, "Silent Strings (Jazz Series)," 1974
- Santo Bruno, "Small Function," 1977
- Larry Connaster, "Untitled," 1969
- Herbert Lee Creecy Jr., "Study," 1967, and "Study," 1967
- Lamar Dodd, "Wind on the Coast," 1941; "Sketch for Wind on the Coast," 1944; "The White Door," 1953; and "At the Foot of the Blackland"
- James McRae, "Untitled," 1966
- Charles Mitchell, "Prometheus Bringing Fire Down to the Earth"
- Jarvin Parks, "Homage to the Four Arts"
- Robert Stockton Rogers, "A View of Taxco, Mexico"
- Joseph Schwarz, "Funeral"
- Benjamin Edgar Shute, "Compote with Grapes"
- Howard Thomas, "Reidsville," 1943; "White House and Chickens," 1946; "Get with Red," 1962
- Gladene Tucker," Untitled," 1961
- Ferdinand Warren, "Haystacks and Corn"; "Garden Bouquet," 1952
Education and Learning Center
MOCA GA has an Education and Resource Center (E/RC). This center helps people learn more about art.
History of the Center
The E/RC started in 2000 with money from the Forward Arts Foundation. It also received documents about Georgia artists. Interns helped organize these materials into notebooks for each artist. The museum continues to keep records of its own history and information about the artists in its collection.
How the Center Works
The E/RC makes MOCA GA's art collection, archives, and libraries available to everyone. This includes students, researchers, and the general public. It's a special place to find historical documents and materials about contemporary art in Georgia. These resources are also used to create new art lessons for high school students. These lessons teach about Georgia art through pictures, artist stories, and fun activities.
The information in the MOCA GA Education/Resource Center includes:
- Archives
- Artist Notebooks
- Atlanta College of Art (ACA)
- Atlanta Women's Art Collective
- Girl Vigilantes
- Herbert Creecy Collection
- TABOO
- Library
- Genevieve Arnold Book & Catalogue Collection
- Joe Massey Book Collection
- John Howett Book Collection
- MOCA GA Library
- Magazines
- Art Forum
- Art in America
- Art Papers
- Miscellaneous Magazines & Journals
Programs and Tours
MOCA GA offers different programs and tours. These include talks by artists and curators, tours of the permanent art collections, and special tours for schools and the public.
Artist and Curator Talks
MOCA GA encourages artists to talk with visitors. These talks happen regularly and are often free. They give people a chance to meet the artists and ask questions about their work. These talks usually happen when new exhibitions are on display.
Café MOCA
Café MOCA is a program for high school students. It helps young artists connect with each other and meet professional artists. The program introduces students to different art careers. Its goal is to build a support network for young artists as they start their careers. Some artists who have participated in Café MOCA include Maria Artemis and Lisa Tuttle.
Art at Atlanta Airport
From October 2020 to December 2022, MOCA GA showed some of its artworks at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. You could see these selections at the South Terminal Concourse T.
See also
- High Museum of Art
- Atlanta Contemporary Art Center
- List of contemporary art museums
