The Observer, October 19, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 8
Arts and Culture in Cleveland: the MOCA
It is admissible to say that Cleveland, a "Rust Belt" city, does not have as many opportunities to explore the arts and other cultural activities as a larger city like New York. It does, however, still offer many cultural activities to those who search them out.
Many of us bemoan the fact that the galleries of the Cleveland Museum of Art are still closed for renovation. The CMA made a fun afternoon outing. On Fridays, when it was open late and offered music concerts, it created an interesting place to go on a date or just to have an outing with friends. Fortunately, the galleries will begin to reopen in June 2008; however, the closure of this museum has forced us to find other ways to fulfill our need for visual stimulation. Because of this, the community has rediscovered some valuable cultural resources.
You may know that Cleveland has the Museum of Contemporary Art. The MOCA features new exhibitions every season, so there is always something fresh. These exhibitions offer shows featuring artists who are currently active, and focus on only two or three artists. The benefit of such exhibitions is that one can see a collection of a particular artist's work in one place and understand how said works relate to one another.
This season, the MOCA is showing three artists. The first is Julie Moos, whose series "Loyalty (The Cleveland Project)" features many dual portrait photographs of people who have never met, yet are paired to give the impression that they share some sort of relationship. According to the introduction of the artist at the exhibition, Moos' photographs were created to "challenge our perception of identity and relationships."
For those of you who are not so much interested in compositionally-uninteresting photography, artist Diana Cooper's show "Beyond the Line" will not disappoint you. Cooper's art is anything but uninteresting, and her installation pieces are arresting; they jut out into the viewer's space or envelop the viewer, or both. Even her mostly-flat wall art still jumps into the viewer's space. The entire exhibit is wonderful to discover initially, but as you delve in the experience deepens. Each work is a microcosm to be discovered, admired, and explored.
Masumi Hayashi's show "Meditations: Remembering Injustice" does not open until Nov. 2, but a glance at the brochure reveals that it is an exhibit not to be missed.
Free tickets to the MOCA are available at Access Services in the basement of Crawford Hall, so the worst that could happen should you dislike the exhibition is that you spend an hour or so discovering the arts and culture of Cleveland. The museum is located near Case at 8501 Carnegie Avenue. It is possible to walk there, but I would recommend a taxi or the RTA for any evening excursions; free parking is also available. For more information visit www.mocacleveland.org.
