Through the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA)’s continued efforts to include diverse voices and perspectives, the museum is offering a robust series of educational and public programming to commemorate Pride Month and Caribbean-American Heritage Month this June.

On view through Oct. 1, 2023, “Lonnie Holley: If You Really Knew” invites visitors to experience the work of prolific artist Lonnie Holley in his first major exhibition in the South. Also on view is the “South Florida Cultural Consortium” (SFCC) exhibition which showcases the work of 12 intergenerational South Florida artists.

“Lonnie Holley: If You Really Knew” provides an intimate and focused look at the career of Birmingham, Alabama-born artist and musician Lonnie Holley. The exhibition, curated by MOCA curator Adeze Wilford, features 70 works including foundational “sandstone” sculptures, new works on paper and large-scale quilt paintings that depict faces. Known for his unique style of art that draws inspiration from his life experiences, Holley often incorporates found objects and everyday materials, which he transforms into thought-provoking art. Holley’s influence on Southern art is highlighted throughout “If You Only Knew,” including a section he curated featuring works from artists such as Miami native Purvis Young, Thornton Dial, Mary T. Smith and Hawkins Bowling.

The “South Florida Cultural Consortium” (SFCC) exhibition brings together 12 artists working across various media including, sculpture, film and site-specific installations. The exhibition, this year hosted and organized by MOCA, provides a snapshot of the breadth and depth of the artistic talent in the South Florida art scene.

On view outside the museum from late June through late August is MOCA’s most recent “Art on the Plaza” commission, LIZN’BOW (Liz Ferrer and Bow Ty)’s “El Mundo Es Magico.” The sculpture, “El Mundo Es Magico,” features displaced queer characters in a mix of reality and fantasy within Miami iconography, inviting conversations of fluidity, gender, class and identity. Central to the duo’s work is the feminist reimagining of each element towards a more inclusive, fantastical worldview.

On view through June 25, 2023, visitors will be able to step into MOCA’s Paradise Courtyard and discover “Victory Garden,” an interactive sculptural community garden created by Miami-based artist Emmett Moore. Drawing inspiration from victory gardens of the past, which were planted during wartime to supplement rations and boost morale, Moore’s “Victory Garden” connects the local community with contemporary art and encourages visitors to reflect on their relationship with the built environment.

Starting June 12, MOCA is offering a contemporary art experience with its summer art camps. Children ages 6-13 may join the museum for in-person camps including Studio Arts Camp and Dynamic Design Camp. Each session will offer a different theme to introduce students to a variety of contemporary art or design techniques. The art camps will entail 10, one-week sessions through Aug. 18.

MOCA’s June programming includes:
Art Insights – “South Florida Cultural Consortium” (SFCC) | Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
• Details: Join MOCA Curator Adeze Wilford in conversation with artists featured in this dynamic group exhibition presenting the work of artists exclusively from South Florida. The “South Florida Cultural Consortium” (SFCC) exhibition, brings together 12 artists working across various media including, sculpture, film and site-specific installations. The exhibition, this year hosted and organized by MOCA, provides a snapshot of the breadth and depth of the artistic talent in the South Florida art scene.
• Cost: Free
• RSVP: For more information, please visit: https://111401.blackbaudhosting.com/111401/MOCA-Art-Insights-17Jun2023

Support:
“Lonnie Holley: If You Really Knew” is made possible with support from Blum & Poe, and is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture. We are also grateful to The N’Namdi Family. Special thanks to guest curator Alison M. Gingeras, for her contributions conceiving this exhibition.

“The South Florida Cultural Consortium” is funded in part with support from The National Endowment of the Arts, The Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, the Boards of County Commissioners of Broward, Miami-Dade, Martin and Monroe Counties, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

“Art on the Plaza” is presented by MOCA, with major support from the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA). Additional support was provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

“Welcome to Paradise” is made possible with major support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Additional support was provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

MOCA miniMakers, Sunday Stories and MOCA Makers are funded by the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA).

Jazz at MOCA is made possible with lead support from the North Miami Mayor and Council and the City of North Miami.

MOCA North Miami is generously funded by the North Miami Mayor and Council and the City of North Miami; the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture (Section 286.25, Florida Statutes). MOCA is supported in part by an American Rescue Plan Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support general operating expenses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and The Wege Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Fine & Greenwald Foundation; The Nathan Cummings Foundation; and the Sol Taplin Charitable Foundation. Founding support for the MOCA Sustainability Fund provided by the Green Family Foundation Trust. Major support provided by Shirley and William M. Lehman, Jr. We also thank our Board of Trustees, Curator’s Circle, and MOCA Members for their meaningful support.

About the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami:
MOCA North Miami presents contemporary art and its historical influences through exhibitions, educational programs, and collections. Inspired by its surrounding communities, MOCA connects diverse audiences and cultures by providing a welcoming place to encounter new ideas and voices and nurturing a lifelong love of the arts. MOCA developed from the Center of Contemporary Art which was inaugurated in 1981. The establishment of the permanent collection coincided with the institution’s move into their current building designed by Charles Gwathmey of GSNY in 1996.