Summer’s in Session at MOCA North Miami
- wgclients01
- Jun 7, 2024
- 3 min read
Throughout June, MOCA will stage two new major public installations—Germane Barnes’ Play-House and Christopher Mitchell’s Les Sirénes.
Opening on June 8 in MOCA’s Paradise Courtyard, architect and designer Germane Barnes will present his new commission titled Play-House. The installation mobilizes the architectural influence of Shotgun homes by creating a frame of the iconic structure in the museum’s outdoor space, reimagining the space as a play sculpture for visitors to learn the history of Black Miami through recreation. Barnes’ installation is the second iteration of the Welcome To Paradise series, curated by MOCA’s Adeze Wilford.
Opening on June 26 as part of MOCA’s Art on the Plaza series, Haitian-American photographer and director Christopher Mitchell will unveil a new photographic series titled Les Sirènes. The series features portraits of community members transformed into life-sized mermaids, adorned in vibrant Kanaval-style costumes, captured floating gracefully on and underwater in the fountain.
On the programming front, MOCA has one of the longest-running education programs in the region, with over two decades serving the community and a history of nationally acclaimed initiatives and over 2,000 children, teens and adults benefiting annually from the education programs. That said, the summer lineup of programming is certainly one to keep in mind for the family! Dropping a full list of events and programs below:
Manuel Mathieu with MOCA’s Junior Docent and Teen Art Force Program
miniMakers with Art on the Plaza artist Yanira Collado – June 1, 2-4pm
In her kinetic Art on the Plaza installation, multidisciplinary artist Yanira Collado uses geometry and symbols of the African Diaspora to inspire both memory and play. This month, the artist leads MOCA miniMakers to create vibrant pinwheels, exploring themes of movement, shape and color. In this hands-on workshop, participants learn about Collado's creative process and the inspiration behind her joyous installation. The Art on the Plaza program invites artists to activate MOCA’s Plaza with temporary public installations of site-specific art works, engaging and connecting the community with their unique and inspiring works of art. RSVP here.
Sunday Stories “Climb On!” – June 2, 10:30 am-11:30 am
Explore the jungle with MOCA in celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month! Create your own jungle scene using contact paper & animal cutouts inspired by our story “Climb On!” written by Baptiste Paul and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara. RSVP here
MOCA Makers: Summer Poetry and Art Series – June 8, 1-3 pm
Experience the many ways that visual art and language can engage with one another through hands-on activities and a collective creative journey. In this 3-part summer workshop series, Haitian & Latine Poet Lysz Flo celebrates the art of Manuel Mathieu through play and poetry. Haitian Creole speakers warmly welcomed, appropriate for families. Don't miss this opportunity to weave language and visual expression together in a unique artistic experience. RSVP here.
JAZZ at MOCA featuring SAMAMBAIA – June 8, 8-10 pm
South Florida’s longest-running free outdoor jazz concert series and one of the museum’s most beloved public programs returns for in-person open air musical entertainment, rain or shine. Since 1999, Jazz at MOCA has been presented on the MOCA Plaza on the last Friday of the month. Hundreds of concert-goers have enjoyed a free concert, activations, and pay as you wish admission to the museum from 7 to 10 p.m. Seating starts at 7 PM, Concert begins at 8 PM. RSVP here.
SUMMER ART CAMP 2024 – June 10 – August 16
MOCA’s Summer Art Camp 2024 offered children ages 6-13, a diverse range of activities to ignite their creativity. From Studio Arts Camp to Dynamic Design Camp, the young artists explored their creativity in a stimulating and supportive atmosphere. Learn more and register here.
