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News + Read more at NewCity Art Monday, February 3, 2025 by Alex Vlasov Before entering art school, all my art education came from going to the Met on my days off. I went there by train and read Erich Maria Remarque in the window seat. There were many reasons for my trips, such as a dollar entry fee or air-conditioning. But most of all, it was my fascination with Abstract Expressionism. I could feel, in those fields of color created by Mark Rothko, something indescribable. I am telling you all this because my pilgrimages to the Met are relevant to the exhibition “Bootstrap Paradox” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. In his first museum show in the United States, Harminder Judge offers portals full of spiritual quests that are fundamentally ineffable. (Read the full article at NewCity Art ) Previous Next

10K Movement: Lords of the Land Prelims Jul 26, 2024 GET TICKETS Lords of The Land (LoTL) is an annual two-day summer festival in Cleveland, Ohio, bringing artists & creators together from around the continent to showcase authentic Hip Hop culture. Culminating with three 1v1 dance tournaments in three distinct Street Dance styles, LoTL highlights the excellence, athleticism, and artistry of Hip Hop & Street Dance practitioners. LoTL IV continues to provide a platform for dancers — local to international — to showcase their skills, hard work, and individual flavor. Featuring special performances, in-depth dance classes/workshops, and thousands of dollars in prize money on the line, the festivities also include: Dance workshops Dance performances & showcases Local vendors Open dance cyphers Attracting competitors from all over North America, LOTL is the premier Hip-Hop dance event in the mid-west! LoTL is 10K Movement’s culminating summer event, as part of the larger work addressing the need for socially and culturally relevant Hip Hop & Street Dance education by providing programs/experiences for young people in Greater Cleveland and beyond. Fri. Jun 26: Prelims at moCa Cleveland 6PM: Doors & Registration 6:30PM: Prelims START 6:30-7PM: Prelims (Hip Hop) 7-7:30PM: Prelims (Popping) 7:30-8PM: Prelims (Breaking) 8-11PM: Top 32 (Hip Hop, Popping, Breaking), Top 16 11PM-12AM: Cyphers & Breakdown If you have questions or if there are additional access services or accommodations that can make your experience more inclusive, please contact access@mocacleveland.org . 1-2 week’s advance notice is recommended but not required. About GET TICKETS Lords of The Land (LoTL) is an annual two-day summer festival in Cleveland, Ohio, bringing artists & creators together from around the continent to showcase authentic Hip Hop culture. Culminating with three 1v1 dance tournaments in three distinct Street Dance styles, LoTL highlights the excellence, athleticism, and artistry of Hip Hop & Street Dance practitioners. LoTL IV continues to provide a platform for dancers — local to international — to showcase their skills, hard work, and individual flavor. Featuring special performances, in-depth dance classes/workshops, and thousands of dollars in prize money on the line, the festivities also include: Dance workshops Dance performances & showcases Local vendors Open dance cyphers Attracting competitors from all over North America, LOTL is the premier Hip-Hop dance event in the mid-west! LoTL is 10K Movement’s culminating summer event, as part of the larger work addressing the need for socially and culturally relevant Hip Hop & Street Dance education by providing programs/experiences for young people in Greater Cleveland and beyond. Fri. Jun 26: Prelims at moCa Cleveland 6PM: Doors & Registration 6:30PM: Prelims START 6:30-7PM: Prelims (Hip Hop) 7-7:30PM: Prelims (Popping) 7:30-8PM: Prelims (Breaking) 8-11PM: Top 32 (Hip Hop, Popping, Breaking), Top 16 11PM-12AM: Cyphers & Breakdown If you have questions or if there are additional access services or accommodations that can make your experience more inclusive, please contact access@mocacleveland.org . 1-2 week’s advance notice is recommended but not required. GET TICKETS Lords of The Land (LoTL) is an annual two-day summer festival in Cleveland, Ohio, bringing artists & creators together from around the continent to showcase authentic Hip Hop culture. Culminating with three 1v1 dance tournaments in three distinct Street Dance styles, LoTL highlights the excellence, athleticism, and artistry of Hip Hop & Street Dance practitioners. LoTL IV continues to provide a platform for dancers — local to international — to showcase their skills, hard work, and individual flavor. Featuring special performances, in-depth dance classes/workshops, and thousands of dollars in prize money on the line, the festivities also include: Dance workshops Dance performances & showcases Local vendors Open dance cyphers Attracting competitors from all over North America, LOTL is the premier Hip-Hop dance event in the mid-west! LoTL is 10K Movement’s culminating summer event, as part of the larger work addressing the need for socially and culturally relevant Hip Hop & Street Dance education by providing programs/experiences for young people in Greater Cleveland and beyond. Fri. Jun 26: Prelims at moCa Cleveland 6PM: Doors & Registration 6:30PM: Prelims START 6:30-7PM: Prelims (Hip Hop) 7-7:30PM: Prelims (Popping) 7:30-8PM: Prelims (Breaking) 8-11PM: Top 32 (Hip Hop, Popping, Breaking), Top 16 11PM-12AM: Cyphers & Breakdown If you have questions or if there are additional access services or accommodations that can make your experience more inclusive, please contact access@mocacleveland.org . 1-2 week’s advance notice is recommended but not required.

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Apr 24- April 25, 2025 Collecting NOW: Expo Chicago INVITATION ONLY at EXPO Chicago moCa NOW Donor Event: Invitation Only Explore an insider's look through EXPO Chicago along with an exclusive connecting opportunity with Mariane Ibrahim Gallery. This event is by invitation only to Director & above moCa NOW Donor Members . For information on joining the moCa NOW Donor Program, visit mocacleveland.org/moca-now .

Jan 30–Aug 2, 2026 Ohio Now: State of Nature Jan 30–Aug 2, 2026 ∆ John Sabraw, A Spell , 2025. Acrylic and oil with AMD pigments and bituminous coal on canvas, 72 x 144 x 1.5 inches. Image courtesy of the artist. ∆ John Sabraw, A Spell , 2025. Acrylic and oil with AMD pigments and bituminous coal on canvas, 72 x 144 x 1.5 inches. Image courtesy of the artist. Ohio Now: State of Nature Jan 30–Aug 2, 2026 ∆ John Sabraw, A Spell , 2025. Acrylic and oil with AMD pigments and bituminous coal on canvas, 72 x 144 x 1.5 inches. Image courtesy of the artist. Ohio Now: State of Nature brings together artists across Ohio who focus on sustainability, agriculture, food justice, and natural ecologies. Through diverse materials and perspectives, these artists reflect on humanity’s relationship with the environment. Some incorporate found elements like waterway pollutants, plant-based dyes, and grass clippings, while others investigate topics ranging from climate change conspiracies to natural history and arthropods. Many draw directly from personal experiences as farmers, grocery workers, or environmental observers. Spanning painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation, and community-based practice, the works in this exhibition highlight the urgency of environmental issues while inviting dialogue and response. Ohio Now is a new, ongoing exhibition series showcasing newly commissioned and recent work by contemporary artists. This collaboration between CAC and moCa Cleveland connects outstanding artists living and working across the state and engages audiences with the evolving landscape of creative practices in their communities. Following its presentation in Cincinnati, Ohio Now: State of Nature will be on display at moCa Cleveland January 30–May 31, 2026. Participating artists are Catherine Clements (Bowling Green), Avery Mags Duff (Akron), Myles Dunigan (Oberlin), Tina Gutierrez (Cincinnati), Brian Harnetty (Columbus), Desert Kitchen Collective: Glenna Jennings, Jalisa Robinson & Friends (Dayton), Keith Lemley (Ravenna), Celeste Malvar-Stewart (Columbus), Lori Nix & Kathleen Gerber (Cleveland), Elena Osterwalder (Columbus), Praxis Fiber Workshop (Cleveland), John Sabraw (Athens), Charmaine Spencer (Cleveland), Supermrin (Cincinnati), and Amy Youngs (Columbus). Ohio Now : State of Nature is co-organized by the Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH and Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Cleveland, OH. The exhibition is curated by Theresa Bembnister, DJ Hellerman, Megan Lykins Reich, and Christina Vassallo. Lead support provided by Margaret Cohen & Kevin Rahilly

Jun 27, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 Beverly Semmes The Dresses Jun 27, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 ∆ Beverly Semmes, Rhonda Lavonda Yolanda Chiffonda , 1995. Organza and crushed velvet, 32 feet long (each). ∆ Beverly Semmes, Rhonda Lavonda Yolanda Chiffonda , 1995. Organza and crushed velvet, 32 feet long (each). Beverly Semmes The Dresses Jun 27, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 ∆ Beverly Semmes, Rhonda Lavonda Yolanda Chiffonda , 1995. Organza and crushed velvet, 32 feet long (each). This installation by Beverly Semmes features four monumental dresses crafted from velvet and organza. Suspended on a white wall with a pronounced architectural scale, the sensuous, floating forms evoke both intimacy and grandeur. A formal exploration of pattern, texture, and color, the exaggerated proportions—what Semmes describes as a “perfect size 6,000”—disrupt conventional scales, connecting the viewer's body with the surrounding architecture. At once whimsical and unsettling, the dresses stand in for absent bodies, inviting reflection on the people who might inhabit them and traditional ideals of femininity, identity, and beauty. Since the late 1980s, Beverly Semmes has created work that centers on the tactile and transformative power of materials. While she often works with fabric and clay, her art also includes glass, video, painting, and performance. Semmes combines references to craft, domestic life, and fine art to build a visual language that is both alluring and sharply critical. Her sculptures and installations explore ideas about gender, power, and how women are seen and represented. By playing with scale, texture, and form, she challenges traditional expectations of women’s bodies. Influenced by expressionism, minimalism, and feminist thought, Semmes creates work that is at once abstract and physical, playful and provocative. This installation was originally commissioned by The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village-based corporation. Co-presented with The Progressive Corporation About the Artist Beverly Semmes. Photo: Ross Collab. Courtesy of the artist and Susan Inglett Gallery, NYC. Beverly Semmes Beverly Semmes (b. 1958) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work incorporates sculpture, painting, drawing, film, photography, and performance. These complementary elements adhere in surprising ways, probing the paradoxes and complexities of the female body and its representation. Based in New York, Semmes has been honored with many solo museum exhibitions, including presentations at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; the ICA Philadelphia; the Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle; The Ginza Art Space, Tokyo; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. In fall 2025, her alma mater, Tufts University, will present a major solo exhibition at the University Gallery. Recent group exhibitions include Always In Relation: 50 Years of the Gallery at Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery, Wesleyan University, Middletown; The New Village: Ten Years of New York Fashion at Pratt Manhattan Gallery, NYC as well as Witch Hunt at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, and the 57th Carnegie International, at the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh. Semmes’ work can be found in the permanent collections of the Albright Knox Gallery, Buffalo, the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C., the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, the Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, the Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Arnhem, The Netherlands, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC, among others. The artist is represented by Susan Inglett Gallery, NYC.

Oct 8-Nov 7, 2021 Lawrence Baker Taking Another Look Oct 8-Nov 7, 2021 ∆ Lawrence Baker, Invitation 1 . Graphite on paper, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy the artist. ∆ Lawrence Baker, Invitation 1 . Graphite on paper, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy the artist. Lawrence Baker Taking Another Look Oct 8-Nov 7, 2021 ∆ Lawrence Baker, Invitation 1 . Graphite on paper, 40 x 60 in. Courtesy the artist. The Museum of Creative Human Art presents Taking Another Look, a collection of drawings on paper by Lawrence Baker. With his preferred media of graphite, he experiments with color washes and composition to create images of elements found in nature. Influenced by landscape artists, especially Vincent Van Gogh, Baker prioritizes aesthetic choices when expressing himself through his work. During his process of creation, Baker states that his, “mind becomes like unperturbed water: clear, stripped bare, and unencumbered.” He remarks, “As I stand before each blank canvas, my universe becomes the white of the paper and the black of the graphite...Naked is how I came into the world and this is how I approach my work. The emotional baggage that I carry every waking moment of my life is set aside; although in the end, it somehow is manifested in the finished art. I only take what nature provides, making images from what I see and creating a vision that will exceed the sum of its parts.” Presented in partnership w/ About the Artist Lawrence Baker. Photo: Alvin Smith/The Urban Design Suit Lawrence Baker I was born in Jacksonville, Florida during the late 1940's, where dreams were dangerous and notions of high self-esteem were deadly for young Bblack males. In a published book ( Middle Passage: The Artistic Life of Lawrence Baker by Louis B. Burroughs Jr.), I share stories of my torn relationships, the magnetism of the streets, and how art became the canvas for my particular portrayal of life. For me, life became a series of calculations; any miscalculations would have led to my undoing. My sometime successes nourished me. I chose art as my vehicle to seek out some of those successes. Though over a period of twenty to thirty years off and on of seeking higher education, I always made an effort to continue learning in some capacity. Some of those steps of continued learning included receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Education, Masters of Arts, and Master of Fine Arts from Kent State University, Kent Ohio (1989). I also was the recipient of a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio. Even while reaching for higher education, I continued on seeking acknowledgements for my art. I continued pursuing art to achieve as many successes as possible. Some of my early solo art exhibitions took place at Karamu House, Cleveland, Ohio (1983); Trumbull Art Gallery (1995); Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, Ohio (2002); Mississippi Valley State University, Ita Bena, Mississippi (2003); Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, Alabama (2006); Erie Art Museum, Erie Pennsylvania, and Cleveland Botanical Gardens , Cleveland, Ohio (both 2007). Some of my selected group art exhibitions include: Annual NOVA Painting Show at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, (1982); Afro-American Artist Invitational Exhibition at Lakewood Community College, Mentor, Ohio (1984); Each in their Own Voices, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, and Andrews Art Museum, Andrews, North Carolina (both 2009). I have been seeking acknowledgement for my endeavors into fine arts for more than fifty years. In a lot of instances, I have sorted out those efforts through competitive international, national, and local competitions. I have also tried through recognition from foundations with some relations to visual arts. One of my most recent accomplishments was being recognized by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in 2 017. Some of the most recent competitions include: t he 33rd Annual Tallahassee International , Tallahassee Museum of Fine Arts; the 39th Annual Paper in Particular National Exhibition , Columbia College, Columbia, Missouri, the 46th International Exhibition , Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts, Brownsville, Texas (Third Place), and the 61st Chautauqua Annual Art Exhibition , Chautauqua, New York (all 2018). —Lawrence Baker

Studio Access w/ Manabu Ikeda Apr 19, 2024 Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season. About Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season. Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season.

Studio Access w/ Manabu Ikeda May 24, 2024 Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season. About Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season. Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season.

News + All image at Cleveland Scene Monday, July 1, 2024 Photos by Emanuel Wallace The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland recently opened its doors for the Summer/Fall season. The newest exhibitions are: " Message from our Planet: Digital Art from the Thoma Collection ," ; " Skinchangers: Begotten of my Flesh " and " A PLACE meant ." Previous Next

Studio Access w/ Manabu Ikeda Apr 5, 2024 Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season. About Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season. Experience the artist create onsite at moCa as he develops a new monumental artwork over the course of the Winter/Spring season.

moCa Saturday: 3D Mobile Making w/ MC2STEM Aug 17, 2024 FREE for all ages Join us at moCa for a unique design experience led by students and staff from Cleveland Metropolitan School District's MC2STEM High School as they guide you through a 3D printing workshop. Learn about 3D printing, create your own mobile masterpiece, and discover ways that design can make an impact. After your mobile is completed, you can choose to take it home or share it with a local nonprofit organization. All ages welcome. FAMILY FUN ON moCa Saturdays supported by PNC. About FREE for all ages Join us at moCa for a unique design experience led by students and staff from Cleveland Metropolitan School District's MC2STEM High School as they guide you through a 3D printing workshop. Learn about 3D printing, create your own mobile masterpiece, and discover ways that design can make an impact. After your mobile is completed, you can choose to take it home or share it with a local nonprofit organization. All ages welcome. FAMILY FUN ON moCa Saturdays supported by PNC. FREE for all ages Join us at moCa for a unique design experience led by students and staff from Cleveland Metropolitan School District's MC2STEM High School as they guide you through a 3D printing workshop. Learn about 3D printing, create your own mobile masterpiece, and discover ways that design can make an impact. After your mobile is completed, you can choose to take it home or share it with a local nonprofit organization. All ages welcome. FAMILY FUN ON moCa Saturdays supported by PNC.

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Fri. July 11, 2025 Contemporary Art Corridor Walking Tour 2-4PM The Sculpture Center Cleveland Institute of Art Reinberger Gallery moCa Cleveland Free with registration SIGN UP The Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa Cleveland), and The Sculpture Center have teamed up to offer a new way to explore and experience exhibitions at these three University Circle institutions. The Contemporary Art Corridor Walking Tour will showcase engaging work by local and international artists who represent diverse backgrounds and artistic practices, along the way providing space for conversation, inviting reflection and inspiring curiosity among participants. AGENDA Staff at each location will briefly introduce their exhibitions, and guests can expect to spend about 30 minutes at each venue to experience and enjoy the artwork. Light refreshments will be served at moCa Cleveland to conclude the tour. PARKING Free parking for the Contemporary Art Corridor walking tour will be available at CIA and The Sculpture Center. This event will take place rain or shine. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes. AT THE SCULPTURE CENTER 12210 Euclid Ave., Cleveland: 2PM The walking tour will begin at 2PM at The Sculpture Center where Edra Soto: La Casa de Todos | Everyone’s Home and La Casa Compartida | The Home We Share are currently on exhibition. Together, these exhibitions explore stories of migration, displacement and cultural memory shared by Cleveland's Latinx community. IMAGE: Edra Soto, La Casa de Todos . Installation view at The Sculpture Center. Photo by Jacob Koestler. AT CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART REINBERGER GALLERY 11610 Euclid Ave., Cleveland: 2:45PM The tour will continue to CIA’s Reinberger Gallery, where the college of art and design's 2025 Alumni Exhibition, Holding Up the Mirror , is on exhibit. Featuring the work of 38 CIA alums, the exhibition seeks to explore our present moment and reflect the various ways artists imagine new paths forward for humanity while holding space for truth, change and collective care. IMAGE: Colleen McCulla, Everything's Computer , 2025. Two disassembled American flags, 35 x 61 x .5 inches. AT moCa CLEVELAND 11400 Euclid Ave., Cleveland: 3:30PM The tour will finish at moCa Cleveland, to explore the museum's recently opened Summer/Fall exhibition season featuring Clotilde Jiménez: Shapeshift, Erykah Townsend: "Happy" Holidays , Maggie Menghan Chen: Body Building Exercise , Kelli Connell: Double Life , and Beverly Semmes: The Dresses . These exhibitions explore themes of personal journey and discovery, empathy, and movement. IMAGE: Clotilde Jimenéz, Pose No. 12 , 2020. Paper, plastic fabric and charcoal on paper, 50 x 50 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim (Chicago, Paris, Mexico City). Presented in partnership w/