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Studio Access w/ Manabu Ikeda May 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.

News + Read more at FreshWater Thursday, January 29, 2026 by Karin Connelly Rice When the Museum of Contemporary Art ( moCa Cleveland ) opens its winter exhibitions this Friday, Jan. 30, visitors will be stepping into conversations that span nature, memory, survival, and responsibility—spanning centuries, ecosystems, and lived experiences. moCa’s new season brings together four exhibitions—" Ohio NOW: State of Nature ,” “ Sky Hopinka: The Myth Is Now ,” “ KING COBRA’s “When You Are Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea ,” and the museum premiere of the film installation “ Homing Instinct: Letting Go of the Shore .” ach exhibit has the power to invoke a range of reactions—starting with KING COBRA’s grotesque caged great white shark, suspended in a 13-foot cage and greeting guests on the museum’s ground floor. “From offering imaginative ways to reuse materials often discarded as waste to creating a VR environment for understanding an insect, all of the artists are making work that helps us rethink our relationship to the natural world,” says DJ Hellerman, moCa deputy director and senior curator. The exhibits explore the relationship between people and their environments from distinct, often unsettling, vantage points. “Together, these four exhibitions form a conversation about our relationship with and within nature, across time, memory, and responsibility,” says Megan Lykins Reich, moCa’s Kohl executive director. “Each project approaches this subject uniquely: As material, as platform, as witness, as inherited story, [and] as site of trauma, rupture, or repair.” That sense of dialogue and conversation anchors moCa’s 2026 season. While climate change and environmental collapse loom large, the exhibitions resist simple binaries of hope versus despair. “The artworks convey various, even divergent emotions and ideas, revealing the complexity of our personal and collective relationship with and within nature,” Reich says. “None of the works are helpless—instead, many assert the behaviors or recognition (either of past wrongs or future opportunities) needed to repair and sustain our environment.” Collaborating for sustainability In a statewide collaborative effort between moCa Cleveland and Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), “Ohio Now: State of Nature” brings together 15 Ohio-based artists who focus on sustainability, agriculture, food justice, and natural ecologies using materials drawn directly from lived experience—reflecting on pollutants harvested from waterways, plant-based dyes, and organic matter as potential tools for identifying common ground across diverse practices. “We selected a deeply relevant and urgent theme that many artists across the world are pursuing in their work, one that is broad enough to provide latitude for artists working in different ways and with different intentions,” Reich says, adding that the theme also allows for a cohesive experience where the viewer can ask important questions, yet be open to new ideas and possibilities. A personal exploration Those connecting themes continue in “Sky Hopinka: The Myth Is Now,” a poetic and personal exploration of Indigenous culture, history, and language using film, photography, and text. Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians) was born and raised in Ferndale, Washington and spent time in Palm Springs and Riverside, California, Portland, Oregon, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In Portland he studied and taught chinuk wawa, a language indigenous to the Lower Columbia River Basin. Hopinka alternates between documentary and experimental forms, tracing identity through language, memory and myth.Additionally, he draws on the idea of the “arrière-pays”—an unreachable, imagined homeland—as a metaphor for spiritual searching. The result is work that feels intimate and expansive at once, situating Indigenous histories not in the past, but as living, evolving presences. Emotional intensity While Hopinka’s work may invite quiet reflection, KING COBRA delivers a jolt with “When You Are Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.” Suspended inside a towering cage of fluorescent tubes, a bisected Great White shark, made from silicone, beads, synthetic hair, and ink, appears frozen between life and decay. The sculpture represents a memorial to Black Africans forced during the transatlantic slave trade to choose between enslavement or death at sea. Hellerman notes the work is emotionally intense. “KING COBRA’s ‘When You Are Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’ is incredible,” he says. “It will be a memorable experience for this season, to say the least.” Hellerman doesn’t necessarily consider “Devil” intentionally jarring, but he does describe the tension she creates at the exhibit’s core. “KING COBRA is making exquisitely crafted work that is both gorgeous and grotesque,” he says. Going sci-fi in nature Rounding out the new season is “Homing Instinct: Letting Go of the Shore,” a 26-minute multi-screen science fiction film installation written and directed by filmmaker Lydia Dean Pilcher , based on a short story by writer Dani McClain . Set in a near future shaped by rising sea levels, the film follows two friends facing forced relocation from coastal regions—a narrative that blends science fiction, Afrofuturism and emotional realism. “Homing Instinct is a film about friendship, trust, fear, and supporting each other during times of uncertainty,” Hellerman says. In conjunction with the film, Cleveland’s ThirdSpace Action Lab will activate a ground-floor reading room at moCa focused on science fiction and Afrofuturism—extending the exhibition beyond the screen and into collective imagination. Hellerman says that what unites moCa’s new season doesn’t offer one takeaway but perhaps invites visitors to make a shift in perspective. “I’m not sure we can simplify an exhibition into a single message,” he observes. “Like all of our programs, it will open up new ways of thinking about the environment, our relationship to it, and, ideally, it inspires people to think a little bit differently about how they perceive the world they live in.” Opening night The public is invited to celebrate moCa Cleveland’s new season at its 2026 opening night celebration tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 20, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. All four exhibits will be open during the free event, which will feature a spoken word performance by poet Morgan Paige , food vendors, and cash bar. Previous Next

Forming Fearless Faces: A Free Mask-Making Family Workshop Nov 8, 2024 REGISTER TODAY! OFFSITE at Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center, 2800 Archwood Ave, Cleveland, OH 44109 5:30PM – Meet & Greet with light refreshments 6PM – Mask-making begins Explore a variety of materials—from man-made and recycled to natural elements—as you create a mask that tells a story all your own. No experience is necessary. The workshop is led by native Mexican artist, Ruben Ulises Rodriguez Montoya. Afterward, make sure to check out Ruben's first solo U.S. exhibition which is on view at moCa Cleveland through December 29, 2024. ✨ Presented by moCa Cleveland & Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center About REGISTER TODAY! OFFSITE at Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center, 2800 Archwood Ave, Cleveland, OH 44109 5:30PM – Meet & Greet with light refreshments 6PM – Mask-making begins Explore a variety of materials—from man-made and recycled to natural elements—as you create a mask that tells a story all your own. No experience is necessary. The workshop is led by native Mexican artist, Ruben Ulises Rodriguez Montoya. Afterward, make sure to check out Ruben's first solo U.S. exhibition which is on view at moCa Cleveland through December 29, 2024. ✨ Presented by moCa Cleveland & Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center REGISTER TODAY! OFFSITE at Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center, 2800 Archwood Ave, Cleveland, OH 44109 5:30PM – Meet & Greet with light refreshments 6PM – Mask-making begins Explore a variety of materials—from man-made and recycled to natural elements—as you create a mask that tells a story all your own. No experience is necessary. The workshop is led by native Mexican artist, Ruben Ulises Rodriguez Montoya. Afterward, make sure to check out Ruben's first solo U.S. exhibition which is on view at moCa Cleveland through December 29, 2024. ✨ Presented by moCa Cleveland & Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Sat. March 22, 2025 moCa Saturday 11AM-5PM at moCa Cleveland Free with admission Discover the museum in a new way every time you visit. Enjoy a variety of self-guided tours that bring you closer to the exhibits and architecture, then explore your curiosity through hands-on exploration in our Practice Lab activity space.

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more 9PM-12AM Sat. February 8, 2025 Silent Disco: moCa'ture SOLD OUT at moCa Cleveland $25 advance; $30 at door Tonight's event is SOLD OUT. Entrance only for those who have purchased advance tickets. Join us for a full night of hot dance and hotter looks as 3 DJs spin throughout moCa's iconic building. Dress to impress as we celebrate Fashion Week and bring your twist to utilitarian couture. EXCLUSIVE POP-UP EXPERIENCE 6th Street Vintage and YellowCake will present an exclusive pop - up shopping experience for attendees of Silent Disco. Get ready to fall in love with your next favorite fashion—your wardrobe will thank you! DJ Kyro DJ Yulissa DJ Zosimo Maximo HOST COMMITTEE

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Sat. May 31, 2025 moCa Saturday Glazed & Mused 11AM at moCa Cleveland Free to all Donuts for first 50 visitors Donut forget that the last Saturday of the month is Glazed & Mused! On May 31, at 11AM, we’re treating the first 50 guests to a FREE donut, coffee, and a sweet start to their day. It's the perfect way to begin your weekend: filled with a quick bite of art, conversation, and a tasty treat. We’re partnering with the incredible Goldie's Donuts, a local favorite with spots in Lyndhurst and Ohio City, known for their perfectly golden, handcrafted treats. Whether you're here to explore the galleries or craving good vibes (and great donuts), we can’t wait to meet you. One free donut and cup of coffee for the first 50 people at moCa on Sat. May 31, starting at 11AM, while supplies last (the art will be here all day). Presented in partnership w/

Title Round Edra Soto por la señal #28 , 2024 Sintra, MDF, latex paint, viewfinder, inkjet print 21 ¼ x 21 ¼ x 3 inches Courtesy of Edra Soto and Morgan Lehman Gallery Estimated Retail Value: $6,500 Starting Bid: $3,250 Edra Soto creates sculptures and installations that extend from her experience navigating the Puerto Rican diaspora to create spaces of intimate gathering and understanding. These works often reference two common Puerto Rican architectural elements: the geometrically-patterned rejas (wrought-iron gates) and quiebrasoles (decorative concrete breeze blocks). This sculpture plays upon the architectural forms and includes viewfinders inside the diamonds that reveal island photographs. Last year, Cleveland’s Sculpture Center commissioned Soto for a solo show and to work with the local community to create a permanent installation in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood. +sign up to proxy bid return to auction menu More: Edra Soto Soto (b. 1971, Puerto Rico; lives and works in Chicago) is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and curator. Her work has been featured in prominent institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, ICA San Diego, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, the Joyce Foundation Award, an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship, the 3Arts Next Level Fellowship, the inaugural Foundwork Prize, the Ree Kaneko Award, and a fellowship from the US LatinX Art Forum. Soto earned her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her BFA from Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Alexia Bennett: Visual Storytelling Nov 20, 2035 About

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more 12-2:30PM Sat. September 27, 2025 Crafting Kindness SIGN UP at moCa Cleveland Free to all Crafting Kindness is a community art-making experience at moCa Cleveland, created in collaboration with Ronald McDonald House Northeast Ohio. All ages are invited to reflect, connect, and give through art-making. This activation is inspired by "Happy" Holidays , an exhibition by artist Erykah Townsend, currently at moCa. The exhibition invites visitors to think critically about themes of celebration, consumerism, and joy through a personal and cultural lens. During Crafting Kindness, guests will: Explore the “Happy” Holidays exhibition located on moCa’s second floor. Create a heartfelt card for a child staying at Ronald McDonald House Northeast Ohio, offering words of encouragement, hope, and cheer. Make a second card to hand-deliver to someone special in your life — a loved one, friend, or community member who deserves a reminder that they matter. All supplies are provided. Just bring your heart, your imagination, and your desire to make someone’s day a little brighter.

Date Title One sentence desciption + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more Add a Title Add a Title Title + more 6-8:30PM Sat. July 11, 2026 Art in the Open: Nature Walk & Artist Talk SIGN UP OFFSITE: Garfield Park Reservation 11350 Broadway Ave. Garfield Heights, OH free w/registration Designed as a slower, immersive encounter with art and landscape, this program invites participants to engage contemporary art through guided exploration of Cleveland's park system. Each session begins with a nature walk led by Cleveland Metroparks staff at Garfield Park Reservation, offering participating guests time to observe ecological systems, seasonal change, and the sensory qualities of the landscape. The walk will be followed by an artist talk and hands-on activities led by moCa's Ohio Now: State of Nature exhibiting artist, Charmaine Spencer. These workshops are free and family-friendly, with the goal to create space for reflection, dialogue, and making a direct relationship to the environment. Presented in partnership w/ moCa Cleveland and Cleveland Metroparks.

Mar 18-Jun 5, 2022 Robert Banks and Dexter Davis Color Me Boneface Mar 18-Jun 5, 2022 ∆ Robert Banks and Dexter Davis, circa 1980 ∆ Robert Banks and Dexter Davis, circa 1980 Robert Banks and Dexter Davis Color Me Boneface Mar 18-Jun 5, 2022 ∆ Robert Banks and Dexter Davis, circa 1980 Longtime friends, Cleveland-based filmmaker Robert Banks and Cleveland-based painter Dexter Davis both embody a distinctly experimental vision, one that fosters an active exploration of the intersection between art and life. Though they work in different mediums, both Banks and Davis’s work harnesses abstraction’s potential to map personal, political, and psychological landscapes, using innovative techniques to reconstruct images. The artists grew up together in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood and, together in the 1980s, attended the Cleveland Institute of Art. Their artistic practices and lives continued to intertwine beyond art school, resulting in a longstanding friendship firmly rooted in shared experiences, material exploration, and a profound commitment to visual storytelling. Color Me Boneface is a film and exhibition project that Banks envisioned based on his belief that Davis’s impactful practice has gone largely unnoticed and is deserving of (re)discovery. Beginning in November of 2021, Banks and Davis transformed a portion of moCa’s Mueller Family Gallery into a working studio, where Banks filmed Davis creating new work; conducted interviews with him, his friends, family, and colleagues; and collaborated with students from Cleveland’s NewBridge Center for Arts and Technology to shoot, create, and edit footage shot over Davis’s lifetime into seven short films. Functioning like an expanded portrait, Banks’s films both capture the essence of Davis’s creative spirit and exemplify his own commitment to film as a physical object, revealing the incredible material beauty inherent in the medium of analog moving image. The seven short films will premiere at the Cleveland Cinematheque on June 2, 2022, followed by an in-depth conversation between the artists. Guided by the spirit of collaboration, the exhibition portion of Color Me Boneface presents a selection of Davis’s work complemented by photographs taken by NewBridge students documenting his artistic process. Mounted closely together, these photographs echo the filmstrips Banks uses in his moving image work, including the seven short films centering on Davis. The exhibition is organized in a loosely chronological fashion, beginning with Headhunter (1994), a large-scale mixed media piece that captivates visitors immediately upon entering the gallery. Moving clockwise through time, the most recently-created work featured in the exhibition, Rebecca Werner (2020), is the final touchpoint before entering the Cohen Family Gallery, which showcases footage from the Color Me Boneface films. A fixture in the Cleveland arts community, Davis’s work lives in the homes of many local collectors. Works presented in this exhibition are borrowed by friends and supporters who have been following alongside Davis’s artistic journey. This element of the project reiterates the ways in which strong relationships undergird both Banks and Davis’s practices. At every level, Color Me Boneface reminds us of the power in embracing curiosity, criticality, and complexity, not just in visual culture, but in our friendship and kinship circles as well.