The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) will reopen to members on June 25 and the general public July 11 with three exhibitions on view: Shifting Gaze: A Reconstruction of The Black & Hispanic Body in Contemporary Art From the Collection of Dr. Robert B. Feldman, New Waves 2020, and Hampton Boyer:There’s No Place Like Here.
The exhibitions originally were scheduled to open on March 21 but were pushed back due to the COVID-1 9 pandemic. The artwork in these exhibitions will remain on view until January 3, 2021.
“Discussions to bring Shifting Gaze: A Reconstruction of the Black and Hispanic Body in Contemporary Art and new work by Hampton Boyer to Virginia MOCA began almost two years ago,” said Virginia MOCA Executive Director Gary Ryan.
“The messages within the exhibitions were true then and are particularly poignant right now in light of the recent violent and unnecessary deaths of Black Americans. Virginia MOCA stands against racism and is committed to providing a space for discussion, learning, and progress towards a fuller understanding of our shared humanity.”
Nearly a year ago, Virginia MOCA created a community advisory committee of artists and activists of color including professors, non-profit professionals, business leaders, and more. The committee provided essential programming, engagement, and outreach guidance, and continues as an important and valued institutional sounding board.
Due to generous underwriting from community sponsors, admission to these exhibitions will be free to all visitors . Making art accessible is a mission priority for Virginia MOCA and free admission is an essential step. The Museum is actively seeking a permanent funding source to maintain free admission in perpetuity . In addition, free programming will continue online at VirtualVAMOCA.org. On-site programs will resume once it is safe to do so.
When the Museum reopens, it will do so with restricted hours, timed ticketing, and carefully planned social distancing and sanitation practices. Every 30 minutes, 10 patrons can enter the exhibitions where they will follow a set path through the Museum.
Tickets will be free and available online at VirginiaMOCA.org on July 8 . The Museum will provide special access from 9am to 10 am on Friday and Saturday mornings for patrons over the age of 60. Due to budget constraints precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia MOCA will institute new hours of operation until further notice as listed below :
- Thursdays : 1 0am – 4pm
- Fridays: 9am – 1 pm (first hour is reserved for patrons 60+)
- Saturdays : 9am – 1 pm (first hour is reserved for patrons 60+)
- Sundays: 1 pm – 4pm
More information about the three exhibitions on view is below. To see a preview of the work , behind the scenes videos, and engaging educational content for all ages, visit VirtualVAMOCA.org .
