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  • Andrea-Bowers-Exist-Fourish-Evolve

    Feb 2-May 26, 2024 Andrea Bowers Exist, Flourish, Evolve Feb 2-May 26, 2024 ∆ Andrea Bowers, Rights of Nature I, 2022, neon. Photo: Glen Cheriton, Impart Photography ∆ Andrea Bowers, Rights of Nature I, 2022, neon. Photo: Glen Cheriton, Impart Photography Andrea Bowers Exist, Flourish, Evolve Feb 2-May 26, 2024 ∆ Andrea Bowers, Rights of Nature I, 2022, neon. Photo: Glen Cheriton, Impart Photography LA-based artist Andrea Bowers bears witness in her work, drawing attention to and inspiring movement around the most urgent issues of our time. Her drawings, sculptures, installations, and films chronicle and preserve history as it occurs, documenting collective action and amplifying the labor and lived experiences of activists dedicated to socio-political change. Developed through an ongoing partnership with the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) and activist Tish O’Dell, Exist, Flourish, Evolve is a new, multi-site, multimedia campaign that builds awareness and action around the dangers facing Lake Erie and all of the Great Lakes ecosystems. It features a monumental neon sculpture installed on a waterfront balcony of the Great Lakes Science Center; a documentary investigating the impact of factory farming on Lake Erie’s ecosystem; and a presentation in moCa’s Lewis Gallery that includes a newly-created drawing of the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, first-of-its-kind legislation protecting an entire US ecosystem that is part of the global Rights of Nature Movement. Bowers was raised in the small town of Huron, Ohio and spent her childhood on the shores of Lake Erie, connecting to the lake itself like a member of her family to be cared for, cherished, and protected. Yet, Lake Erie and its watershed are abused and endangered by corporate practices such as contaminant dumping, toxic runoff from industrial farming, and the introduction of non-native invasive species. Exist, Flourish, Evolve demands justice for the Great Lakes, urging us to prioritize the preservation of our natural ecology over industrialization and capitalism. Within moCa’s gallery, a timeline connects Bowers’s new and recent artworks with historical facts and archival materials using two catastrophic climate events as bookends to Bowers’s life thus far: the 1969 fire on the Lake Erie-connected Cuyahoga River (a result of oil slicks covering the water) and the massive 2014 algae bloom that blanketed Lake Erie and invaded Toledo’s water systems, preventing residents from using tap water. From the Maumee to the Cuyahoga, the works in Exist, Flourish, Evolve come together to share the histories of our water, demonstrate the interconnectedness of ourselves and our natural world, and remind us, as Dr. Vandana Shiva states, “nature is not out there; we are a part of it.” Commission sponsorship provided by Generous support from Chuck & Char Fowler, Joanne Cohen & Morris Wheeler, and Nicholas & Erin Reif Community Partners: About the Artist Andrea Bowers. Courtesy Fondazione Furla Andrea Bowers (b. 1964, Ohio) is a Los Angeles-based artist who has been recording and amplifying the work of activists present and past for more than two decades. Her multi-media practice includes drawing, video, sculpture, and installation work that foregrounds the experience of the people who dedicate their time and energy to the struggle for gender, racial, environmental, labor, and immigration justice and those who are directly affected by systemic inequality. Over time, her different bodies of work have become a document of the changing language, prerogatives, and dynamics of social justice movements. In 2021 a major mid-career survey of Bowers’s work curated by Michael Darling and Connie Butler opened at the MCA Chicago and traveled to the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles in 2022. Other recent solo exhibitions include Grief and Hope , Museum Abteiberg, Mönchengladbach, Germany and Light and Gravity , Weserburg Museum für moderne Kunst, Bremen, Germany. In September 2022, Bowers opened a solo exhibition including both new and existing work at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Milano as part of an exhibition program organized by the Fondazione Furla. Bowers is represented by Vielmetter Los Angeles, Andrew Kreps Gallery, Kaufmann Repetto, and Jessica Silverman Gallery. Installation Images Andrea Bowers, Exist, Flourish, Evolve. Installation views at moCa Cleveland, 2024, and Great Lakes Science Center exterior, 2024. Photos: Jacob Koestler

  • Amber-N-Ford-Someone-Somewhere-Something

    Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 Amber N. Ford Someone, Somewhere, Something Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 ∆ Amber N. Ford, Balloon Release for Bogard , 2021, digital photograph. Courtesy the artist ∆ Amber N. Ford, Balloon Release for Bogard , 2021, digital photograph. Courtesy the artist Amber N. Ford Someone, Somewhere, Something Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 ∆ Amber N. Ford, Balloon Release for Bogard , 2021, digital photograph. Courtesy the artist Best known for photography, artist Amber N. Ford delves into the medium of sound as a tool to share intimate stories of grief. During her Winter/Spring 2022 residency at moCa, Ford used moCa’s space as a site to collect responses from audiences about their experiences of loss and trauma. Someone, Somewhere, Something applies this content in a new audio work presented in various unconventional sites throughout the museum to create poignant sound collages that make space for mourning while also supporting catharsis and healing. Lead support for Amber N. Ford: Someone, Somewhere, Something is provided by Margaret Cohen & Kevin Rahilly. Additional support provided by The Callahan Foundation. About the Artist Amber N. Ford Amber N. Ford Amber N. Ford (b. 1994, Cleveland, OH) is an artist based in Cleveland, OH. She received her BFA in Photography from the Cleveland Institute of Art (2016). Interested in race, and identity, she is best known for her work in portraiture, which she considers a “collaborative engagement between photographer and sitter.” She has been featured in exhibitions at Kent State University, Transformer Station, SPACES Gallery, The Morgan Conservatory, The Cleveland Print Room, Zygote Press, and Waterloo Arts, as well as in outdoor public spaces on the Capitol Theatre Building located at the corner of Detroit and West 65th. In 2021, her work was on view at ThirdSpace Action Lab as a part of Imagine Otherwise . Recent awards include Gordon Square Arts District Artist-In-Residence (2019) and the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award (2017).

  • Clotilde-Jimenez-Shapeshift

    Jun 27, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 Clotilde Jiménez Shapeshift Jun 27, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 ∆ Clotilde Jiménez, Pose No. 12 , 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim (Chicago, Paris, Mexico City). ∆ Clotilde Jiménez, Pose No. 12 , 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim (Chicago, Paris, Mexico City). Clotilde Jiménez Shapeshift Jun 27, 2025-Jan 4, 2026 ∆ Clotilde Jiménez, Pose No. 12 , 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim (Chicago, Paris, Mexico City). Clotilde Jiménez’s art is driven by an exploration of materiality and transformation. His work highlights the societal limitations imposed on the body through race, gender, and sexuality, challenging and reshaping these constructs with subtlety and a playful sense of humor. Drawing from both ancient and contemporary sources, Jiménez incorporates everyday materials such as wallpaper, clothing, magazine clippings, and Mexican craft paper, connecting his diverse inspirations across time and culture. At the heart of Jiménez’s practice is a relentless state of evolution and transformation. Moving through mediums like ceramics, sculpture, collage, and painting, he layers materials to create works that speak to multiple narratives simultaneously. Each material introduced into his practice marks a shift—an expansion of understanding, a personal reckoning. The superimposition of textures and elements mirrors his own life, where every addition is not just a formal choice but a reflection of change within himself. As he navigates identity, history, and self-discovery, his materials evolve in parallel, embodying the fluidity of becoming. Working primarily with collage, Jiménez forges connections between disparate elements. He weaves together fragments, creating cohesive figures that embody interconnectedness and collective strength. Clotilde Jiménez: Shapeshift will be the most extensive presentation of Jiménez’s work to date, showcasing newly commissioned pieces alongside previously unseen drawings and process materials. Spanning his entire career, the exhibition will include early works from his time as a student at the Cleveland Institute of Art, providing a clear trajectory of his artistic evolution and the continuous transformation of his practice. Major support provided by the Kulas Foundation. Additional support provided by Gary Metzner & Scott Johnson. About the Artist Artist Portrait of Clotilde Jiménez, 2023. Photo by Mariam Wo Ching. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim. Born in 1990 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Clotilde Jiménez now lives and works in Mexico City. He earned his MFA from The Slade School of Fine Art and his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art. Select Images Clotilde Jiménez, Boxer (Aluminum) , 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim; Clotilde Jiménez, Hamaca (Arrobamiento) , 2024. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim; Clotilde Jiménez, Victor’s Secret , 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Mariane Ibrahim.

  • Stina-Aleah-Helping-Hands

    Aug 27-Sep 26, 2021 Stina Aleah "Helping" Hands Aug 27-Sep 26, 2021 ∆ Stina Aleah, I Cannot Hear Myself , 2021, Oil on canvas, 48 x 30 in. ∆ Stina Aleah, I Cannot Hear Myself , 2021, Oil on canvas, 48 x 30 in. Stina Aleah "Helping" Hands Aug 27-Sep 26, 2021 ∆ Stina Aleah, I Cannot Hear Myself , 2021, Oil on canvas, 48 x 30 in. Presented in partnership w/ Museum of Creative Human Art and moCa Cleveland Helpful? Unfortunately, those who lend a 'helping hand' aren't always who they appear to be. Stina Aleah's "Helping" Hands reminds audiences not to allow anyone to suppress their voice, authenticity, or light. In her own words, "I hope that this collection of work can inspire those to look beyond what is perceived as 'Helping Hands,' stay true to one's authentic self, and always to stand true in who you are." After suffering a sports-related injury, Stina Aleah turned to art. She discovered that creativity aided her physical and mental healing. Stina Aleah's passion for art and storytelling is an essential part of her identity and career as a self-taught painter. Her life experiences inspire breathtaking oil paintings. Aleah has collaborated with major corporations, Emmy nominated television series, celebrities, galleries, and exhibitions to date. Her work continues to be collected both nationally and internationally. Presented in partnership w/ About the Artist Stina Aleah Stina Aleah More about Stina Aleah at stinaaleah.com .

  • Cahoon Lounge | moCa Cleveland

    Patrons Kohl Atrium Send an Inquiry First name Last name Email* Phone Message* Submit Info Maximum capacity for a dinner: 200 Maximum capacity for a reception: 400

  • Rayburn Workroom | moCa Cleveland

    Patrons Kohl Atrium Send an Inquiry First name Last name Email* Phone Message* Submit Info Maximum capacity for a dinner: 200 Maximum capacity for a reception: 400

  • Photos from moCa Connect

    News + All image at Cleveland Scene Sunday, November 6, 2022 Photos by Emanuel Wallace The first edition of moCa Connect featured an artist talk with Allen Bozeman, Alexander-John and Emory Jones in addition to DJ sets from DJ Walk, Nic Nacc, MyNameIsBravo and Bobby Booshay. Previous Next

  • A-Place-Meant

    Jun 28-Dec 29, 2024 A PLACE meant Co-organized with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Jun 28-Dec 29, 2024 A PLACE meant Co-organized with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Jun 28-Dec 29, 2024 How can Cleveland use emerging design solutions to address displacement and affordable housing challenges in our city? A PLACE meant explores innovations in affordable housing at the nexus of environmental responsibility, energy efficiency, and contemporary design. Co-organized with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) and Humanitarian & Founding Principal Sai Sinbondit of I_You Design Lab, the exhibition presents material and image-based examples of accessible housing approaches taking shape across the globe. From modular housing that can be constructed with limited tools to container homes made from existing vessels to 3D printed homes that can be erected in a few days, the exhibition reflects on the city's housing history while encouraging shifts that could make Cleveland a center of design innovation in the future. The exhibition, located throughout moCa’s ground floor from July-December 2024, will be accompanied by a series of free public events and intergenerational education programs to teach about and inspire a commitment to creative affordable housing in our community.How can Cleveland use emerging design solutions to address displacement and affordable housing challenges in our city? This project ties LMM's 55th anniversary and its ever-expanding focus on housing and shelter solutions through pioneering initiatives like Breaking New Ground and the Solar Homes of SC that underscore the importance of collaboration, innovation, and community engagement to address systemic issues. As Cleveland grapples with the challenges of affordable housing and displacement, moCa, LMM, and Sindondit take a proactive design approach to offer dynamic solutions to help create a more inclusive and sustainable future. About Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Founded in 1969, the mission of Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) is to promote shalom (peace, well-being) and justice (right relationship) through a Christian ministry of service and advocacy with those who are oppressed, forgotten and hurting. LMM’s founding began as an ecumenical response, started by the Lutheran Church, to the urban uprising that took place on the East Side of Cleveland in the mid-1960s. Over the last five decades, LMM has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to addressing chronic needs, enabling people in our community facing adversity to become self-sufficient, and advocating for systems change. Our programming focuses on innovative and effective services in the areas of Guardianship, Housing & Shelter, Workforce Development, and Youth Resiliency. About i_you design lab I_You Design Lab is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit collective made up of artists, makers, and designers dedicated to the betterment of people and environmental through leveraging research and design as tools to address fundamental needs, dignity, local community’s health, and environmental stewardship. We partner with individuals, communities, and other nonprofits through projects that fundamentally elevate the quality of lives of those who are displaced and under-served. I_You Design Lab is governed by a board of directors who advise on the organization’s strategy, operations, and paths to meet to the organization’s mission. Installation Images Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, A PLACE Meant. Installation views at moCa Cleveland, 2024. Photos: Jacob Koestler

  • Sam-Falls-We-Are-Dust-and-Shadow

    Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 Sam Falls We Are Dust and Shadow Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 ∆ Sam Falls, Untitled (San Bernardino National Forest, CA.) , 2017-2019. Pigment on canvas, 128 x 272 in. (325.1 x 690.9 cm). Courtesy Sam Falls and 303 Gallery, New York ∆ Sam Falls, Untitled (San Bernardino National Forest, CA.) , 2017-2019. Pigment on canvas, 128 x 272 in. (325.1 x 690.9 cm). Courtesy Sam Falls and 303 Gallery, New York Sam Falls We Are Dust and Shadow Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 ∆ Sam Falls, Untitled (San Bernardino National Forest, CA.) , 2017-2019. Pigment on canvas, 128 x 272 in. (325.1 x 690.9 cm). Courtesy Sam Falls and 303 Gallery, New York Sam Falls’s show at moCa, the artist’s first major solo museum exhibition, offers expansive insight into his unique practice of collaborating with nature to create monumental paintings and sculptures. Falls’s poetic, ghostly works examine the sublimity and inherent melancholy of nature’s cycles and finite life. Interested in photographic exposure and representation, Falls experiments with the effects of sunlight, rain, and temperature, harnessing weather patterns and environmental conditions to create paintings, sculptures, and photographs in and with nature. In addition to new sculptures and paintings made by Falls in various national parks across the country, moCa has partnered with the Cleveland Botanical Garden & Holden Arboretum to support Falls’s creation of a new ceramic work, using materials from Northeast Ohio. Lead support for Sam Falls: We Are Dust and Shadow is provided by Dealer Tire. Generous support provided by 303 Gallery and Galerie Eva Presenhuber. Additional support provided by the Anselm Talalay Photography Fund. About the Artist Sam Falls. Photo: Erin Falls Sam Falls Sam Falls (b. 1984, San Diego, CA) works intimately with the core precepts of photography–namely time, representation, and exposure–to create works that both bridge the gap between various artistic mediums and the divide between the artist, object, and viewer. Working symbiotically with nature and the elements, Falls’s artworks are engrained with a sense of place indexical to the unique environment of their creation while imbued with a universal sense of mortality. With a reverence toward art history, Falls empathetically blurs the lines between artistic genres and practices, from modern dance and minimalist painting to conceptual photography and land art, boiling it down to the fundamentals of nature and the transience of life that art best addresses. Falls is represented by 303 Gallery (New York), Galerie Eva Presenhuber (Zurich and Vienna), Jessica Silverman Gallery (San Francisco), and Galleria Franco Noero (Turin).

  • AIR-Amber-N-Ford

    AIR: Amber N. Ford AIR: Amber N. Ford Artist-in-residence Jan 29-Jun 5, 2022 Left: Amber N. Ford; Right: Amber N. Ford, Power Knots , 2020. Archival pigment print, 36 x 24 in. (91.44 x 60.96 cm). Courtesy the artist Amber N. Ford is an artist based in Cleveland, OH. She received her BFA in Photography from the Cleveland Institute of Art (2016). Interested in race, and identity, she is best known for her work in portraiture, which she considers a collaborative engagement between photographer and sitter. Her work was shown at ThirdSpace Action Lab as a part of Imagine Otherwise , and has been featured in exhibitions at Kent State University, Transformer Station, SPACES Gallery, The Morgan Conservatory, The Cleveland Print Room, Zygote Press, and Waterloo Arts, as well as in outdoor public spaces on the Capitol Theatre Building located at the corner of Detroit and West 65th. Recent awards include Gordon Square Arts District Artist-In-Residence (2019) and the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award (2017). Find out more about Amber N. Ford at ambernford.com . The AIR program is generously sponsored by Margaret Cohen and Kevin Rahilly, with additional support from Char and Chuck Fowler. About moCa AIR: Developed to support and highlight the work of emerging or early-career artists in Cuyahoga County, moCa AIR allows the museum to work alongside artists through 5-month, long-form onsite engagements. Artists-in-residence receive an honorarium, program support, a dedicated studio space inside the museum, professional development opportunities, access to the museum’s production studios, and administrative support. During their time in residence, each artist will develop a site-specific project that activates a site in the building outside of the traditional gallery spaces with production funds provided by moCa. Related Exhibition ▶ Amber N. Ford: Someone, Somewhere, Something

  • Marcella Brown leads moCa Cleveland's Board as President

    Press Release Wednesday, August 6, 2025 Marcella Brown Leads moCa Cleveland Board as President Cleveland, Ohio— (August 5, 2025) The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa) is proud to announce the appointment of Marcella Brown as the new President of its Board of Directors. Brown, who first joined moCa’s Board in 2019 and has served as Vice President since 2022, brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropic engagement, and values-driven strategy. A champion for community and creativity, Brown was instrumental in steering the Board committee that shaped moCa’s updated mission, vision, and values. She was recently announced as the incoming Executive Director for the Rainey Institute, a Cleveland-based non-profit community arts center dedicated to engaging Cleveland’s youth through dance, drama, music, and visual arts. Brown currently serves as Vice President of Development & Communications at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM), where she advances the agency’s vision of hope, fair chances, and stability. Her professional and volunteer leadership reflect a strong commitment to community empowerment and equity. She also serves as Board Member and Scholarship & Programs Chair for the Black Professionals Association Charitable Foundation, Co-Chair of the Board Marketing Committee for BankOn Cleveland, and Board Member of the We Raise Foundation. Named one of Crain’s Cleveland Business 2024 Notable Black Leaders, Brown is widely respected for her collaborative approach and deep belief in the power of storytelling and service. “We are thrilled to welcome Marcella as our new Board President,” said moCa’s Kohl Executive Director Megan Lykins Reich. “Her energy, warmth, and strategic insight reflect moCa’s mission to be a radically welcoming and engaging museum for all. Marcella’s leadership will further strengthen our ability to push the boundaries of artistic excellence, community connection, and cultural experimentation.” Brown expressed her enthusiasm for this next chapter, stating: “moCa now lives at the intersection of art, progress, curiosity, and community. As board chair, I am honored and humbled to invite people from communities near and far to come out and experience contemporary art, whether they seek fun, fascination, or the unfamiliar. We want to see you at moCa!” She will be joined in Board leadership by newly appointed officers: Casey Monda as Vice President, Jason Smith as Treasurer, and Jonathan Kurtz as Secretary. Together, this team will work closely with moCa’s executive staff to guide the museum’s strategic vision and community engagement goals. moCa’s outgoing President, Steve Sokany, who completes a four-year tenure, reflects on his experience: “It has been an honor and privilege to serve as moCa Cleveland's Board President for the last two years. Megan's strong leadership, coupled with the staff's efforts and the board's commitment, have aligned around our mission Art Now, in progress , to create exciting momentum that Marcella will continue to foster.” In addition to its new leadership slate, moCa is excited to welcome three new Board Members: ● Grafton Nunes , former President and CEO of the Cleveland Institute of Art ● Susan Petersen , attorney with Petersen & Petersen ● Michael Weil , PhD , owner of Foothills Gallery These new board leaders will work alongside moCa’s active and emeritus board to creatively steward the museum’s vital program, partnerships, and cultural impact. ABOUT moCa CLEVELAND For more than 50 years, the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa) has played a vital role in the city’s cultural landscape. moCa is a conduit and catalyst for creativity and inspiration, offering exhibitions and programs that provide public value and make meaning of the art and ideas of our time. Since its founding in 1968, moCa has presented the works of more than three thousand artists, often through artists’ first solo shows. Soon after its founding, moCa was the first in the region to exhibit the works of many vanguard artists such as Laurie Anderson, Christo, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Adrian Piper, and Andy Warhol. Recent artist commissions and solo exhibitions include work by Tauba Auerbach, Aleksandra Domanović, Michelle Grabner, Byron Kim, Ragnar Kjartansson, Tony Lewis, Catherine Opie, Adam Pendleton, Sondra Perry, Joyce J. Scott, Do Ho Suh, Liu Wei, Renée Green, Nina Chanel Abney, Finnegan Shannon, Manabu Ikeda, and Clotilde Jiménez, among many others. MUSEUM HOURS Thursday & Friday : 1-8PM Saturday & Sunday : 11AM-5PM Holiday hours available at mocacleveland.org 2025 Institutional Sponsors Leadership donors supporting moCa's mission include gifts to Art Now: Anonymous, Yuval Brisker, Joanne Cohen & Morris Wheeler, Margaret Cohen & Kevin Rahilly, Dealer Tire, Agnes Gund, Jan Lewis, Roy Minoff, The Robert H. Reakirt Foundation, and The Sunday Painter; Connecting Audiences: Dick & Doreen Cahoon, The Cleveland Foundation, The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation, David & Inez Myers Foundation, PNC, the Nord Family Foundation, and Nicholas & Erin Reif; and Sustaining Pathways: The Callahan Foundation, Grosvie & Charlie Cooley, Becky Dunn, Harriet Goldberg, Google.org , the Leonard Krieger Fund of the Cleveland Foundation, the John P. Murphy Foundation, Boake Sells, and Edward Smith. moCa Cleveland also receives lead institutional support in part from the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the continuing support of the museum’s Board of Directors, patrons, and members. Media Contact Matthew Dennis moCa Cleveland Tel: 216.399.0077 ex.817 Cell: 216.554.7310 mdennis@mocacleveland.org Previous Next

  • Bruno-Casiano-Pieces-of-Me

    Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 Bruno Casiano Pieces of Me Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 ∆ Bruno Casiano, Cleveland , 2008. Mixed medium, paint, collage. 72 x 72 inches (182.88 x 182.88 cm). Courtesy the artist. ∆ Bruno Casiano, Cleveland , 2008. Mixed medium, paint, collage. 72 x 72 inches (182.88 x 182.88 cm). Courtesy the artist. Bruno Casiano Pieces of Me Jan 27-Jun 11, 2023 ∆ Bruno Casiano, Cleveland , 2008. Mixed medium, paint, collage. 72 x 72 inches (182.88 x 182.88 cm). Courtesy the artist. Presented in partnership w/ Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center and moCa Cleveland In Pieces of Me, Bruno Casiano uses painting, collage, and stenciling to explore memories and experiences drawn from his Puerto Rican heritage and upbringing in the small town of Juana Diaz. He emulates silkscreen printing with these materials, highlighting the technique’s importance in traditional Puerto Rican artistic practice. The exhibition features richly-varied collages that the artist embeds with textiles he has collected in common places—from around his home, in attics, and scouring thrift stores. By combining found fabrics with methods of making that pay tribute to his heritage, Casiano creates visual mappings that, “suggest pieces of [his] memories binding together in an intrinsically abstract fashion, as a poem that leads you down a river without letting you know what awaits ahead.” The artist’s vibrant abstractions regularly feature mountains, mangos, ceiba trees, caves, lizards, and water—pieces of his identity that recall moments from his adolescence and carry them into the present. Pieces of Me inaugurates moCa’s yearlong institutional residency with the Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center. During this residency, the Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center, an organization located in Cleveland’s Brooklyn Centre neighborhood, will occupy space at moCa and co-design an artist residency and programming that helps to further its mission of transforming lives by preserving, educating, and promoting Latino heritage through the teaching and practice of history, culture, the visual, performing, and literary arts. Presented in partnership w/ Additional support for Bruno Casiano: Pieces of Me and the Julia de Burgos Institutional Residency provided by The Callahan Foundation. About the Artist Bruno Casiano Bruno Casiano Bruno Casiano is a Puerto Rican artist based in Cleveland, Ohio who combines traditional and contemporary techniques in his works of art. Born in Gary, Indiana, the son of a steel worker, Bruno’s family moved to his father’s home-town, Juana Diaz, a southern central community in Puerto Rico, when he was just 10 years old. Young Casiano developed an interest in art, awakened by these new surroundings and by the sense of living in an Island full of nature, which made a great impression on him. Influenced by the richness of his culture, he merged in expressing cultural driven visual themes. Casiano is a mature and well-trained artist. He started his education at the Escuela de Artes Plasticas in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, then he received a full scholarship to attend Altos de Chavon School of Design in Dominican Republic and Cleveland Institute of Art. Casiano also was a gallery owner for many years in the Gordon Square Art District, one of the first galleries to open in the neighborhood. More at brunocasianogallery.com .

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