MOCA Toronto Reopens to the Public on July 23, 2021 with Must-See Roster of Exhibitions  

Current exhibitions have been extended beyond their original closing dates.

Toronto, July 14, 2021 – The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Toronto will reopen to the public on July 23, 2021 with required advance timed-ticketing. Tickets will be available for purchase by the general public on the Museum’s website beginning on July 19. MOCA members receive free admission but are invited to reserve timed-tickets before their visit to enable social distancing. Members can access tickets on the Museum’s website beginning on July 16.

MOCA reopens with a new exhibition by Kapwani Kiwanga and a sound installation by Joy Wong and Florence Yee. These are presented alongside acclaimed, site-specific exhibitions by Fatma Bucak, Michael Lin, Mika Rottenberg, and Krista Belle Stewart that debuted in 2020.

Flowers for Africa: Kapwani Kiwanga – Floor 1 through August 29

熱鬧 (yeet nao): Florence Yee and Joy Wong – MOCA Stairwell Project through August 29

Archipelago: Michael Lin – Floor 1 through August 29

Spaghetti Blockchain: Mika Rottenberg – Floor 2 through August 22

Acts of Erasure: Fatma Bucak and Krista Belle Stewart - Floor 3 through August 15

MOCA will launch Greater Toronto Art 2021 (GTA21), on September 29. This new Museum-wide triennial survey features twenty-one of among the most energizing artists and art collectives working in relation to the city today. To prepare for GTA21, the Museum will be closed August 30 - September 28, 2021.

MOCA's Executive Director and CEO Kathleen Bartels said, “We so appreciate everyone’s efforts to help MOCA reopen and grateful to the artists whose work is on view. During the Museum’s physical closure, the MOCA team has been actively expanding digital offerings, securing funding to broaden the exhibition and education programmes, finalizing a five-year strategic plan, and developing a set of initiatives as we look towards the future. Being able to reopen MOCA as a safe and inspiring environment offers the opportunity to once again come together, albeit socially distant, to engage, discuss, and appreciate the essential role that art plays in our lives. We look forward to welcoming our visitors and members back to experience work by influential artists that garnered critical acclaim before and during shutdown.”

Public programmes—including conversations, lectures, virtual tours, and other events—will continue to be offered on the Museum’s online platforms. Current offerings include a presentation of The Bijuriya and Boujee Wacky Tacky Cabaret by Gabriel Dharmoo and Olivia Shortt on view until July 22. Other upcoming programmes include Mahjong Monday Memories on July 22 and the unveiling of a Michael Lin-inspired virtual MOCA “room” as part of the online Tea Base artist residency’s VR platform.

In addition, MOCA is working with Native Art Department International on the current programme for Shift Key, a rotating online platform of moving-image artworks. The current project Tasting is the process of comparing two or more ingredients to each other by Eero Yli-Vakkuri and Tea Andreoletti (Finland) is available to view until July 31.

MOCA continues to undertake enhanced safety measures based on best practices and guidance regarding COVID-19 from health authorities and government agencies. These include wayfinding graphics, distancing guidelines, hand-sanitizing stations, increased cleaning of public and employee areas, timed ticketing, and face coverings mandated for staff and visitors at all times. Health and safety protocols are outlined on MOCA’s website. Visitors are encouraged to purchase advance tickets to guarantee entry. More information about ticketing is available on the Museum’s website. With the reopening, MOCA days of operation will be Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday 11 am to 6 pm and Friday 11 am to 9 pm.

The café at MOCA by Forno Cultura is open. Check their website for current hours of operation.

The Museum’s reopening plan is subject to change based on government guidance and in response to altered circumstances. Next steps will be announced at a future date online and on MOCA’s social media channels.

About MOCA Toronto

MOCA Toronto is motivated by the principle that museums and their programmes are culturally and socially beneficial to the diversity of the communities they serve. MOCA supports and promotes forward-thinking artistic experimentation and provides a community space for enrichment, discourse, collaboration and creativity. Working across all contemporary art forms, MOCA’s programmes empower local artists and engage the Toronto art scene while contributing to the international art community and scholarship. MOCA is a not-for-profit charitable organization. The evolution of the Museum is made possible through a unique alliance with Castlepoint Numa, public sector funders, private donors, members, sponsors and a network of cross-sectoral partners.

2021 Support

Special thanks to the generous patronage of exhibition Lead Supporters, the Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation and the Lindy Green Family Foundation. Thanks also to other Tomorrow of Contemporary Art campaign donors who help make possible MOCA Toronto’s 2021 programming.

Acts of Erasure:

Contributing Supporter:  Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival.

Additional support from: SAHA–Supporting Contemporary Art From Turkey and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Toronto.

Archipelago:

Contributing Supporters: Lisa Rochon and John Terry; Hesty Leibtag and Terry Verk

Supporters: Emily Schmidt and Greg Burns

Artist Mentorship Supporters: RBC Foundation and Tik Tok

Spaghetti Blockchain:

Lead Supporter: Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation

Foundational Supporter: The Schulich Foundation

Contributing Supporters: Elisa Nuyten and David Dime, Liza Mauer and Andrew Scheiner, Susan and Larry Dime

The exhibition was co-produced with the New Museum in New York and is presented in partnership with Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal where it will be on view in 2022.

The exhibition is supported by Artis Exhibition Grants Program.

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