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MOCA/Museum of Contemporary Art

© Judith Stock

The only institution in Los Angeles devoted exclusively to the collection and display of art from 1940 to the present, the Museum of Contemporary Art features the work of regional, national and international artists in all media. The changing exhibitions focus on painting, sculpture, drawings, prints, and photographs along with newer works combining both art and dance, theater, design, architecture, performance, film, video and music.

Twenty exhibitions are presented throughout the year, including historical and thematic shows, one-person retrospectives, and works by emerging and established artists, along with newly commissioned projects.

In 1982, Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry transformed a warehouse in Little Tokyo into a temporary space while the permanent home for MOCA, designed by architect Arata Isozaki was completed. Named after entertainment mogul David Geffen, the Temporary Contemporary (as it was know during construction) was so popular that it remained a part of the museum facility. The permanent collection of MOCA is split between the Geffen Contemporary and the Plaza gallery.

Home to a specially designed pavilion at the museum's Plaza location, the museum presents large-scale models by Gehry, architect of the Bilboa in Spain. The scope and strength of his imaginative designs are part of MOCA's distinguished architecture program, where you can view exterior and interior elements of design in their complete context.

April 16, 200 through September 24, 2000
At the End of the Century: One Hundred Years of Architecture MOCA at the Geffen Contemporary

Thematically presented in twenty-one sections, this exhibit explores the history of architecture in an urban and domestic sphere in the 20th Century. With more than 1,000 objects, the collection includes photographs, drawings, historical film, video footage, furniture, artifacts, and scale models. Created in 1998 this international collection has traveled to Tokyo, Mexico City, Cologne, and Chicago. Probably the most recognizable domestic creation in this exhibit is Frank Lloyd Wrights' Fallingwater.

Patinette at MOCA, the museum's renowned café offers food with a hint of Mediterranean flavor. The force behind this café's creation is the celebrated chef Joachim Splichal, owner of several other popular Los Angeles restaurants.

Summer Nights at MOCA program every Thursday evening from June 15th through September 14th is both refreshing and renewing. Sit in the brick lined courtyard, drink a glass of fine California wine and listen to the tones of acclaimed jazz musicians. The museum is open until 9:00pm during the summer series and admission is free. Art, music and wine - a winning combination.
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