2019-Updated information on MOCA Exhibitions coming soon!
A major announcement was released late last year about our own Virginia MOCA. The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is teaming up with Hi-Fructose magazine for a major exhibition in 2016. If you’re not familiar with Hi-Fructose, it’s a best selling quarterly art magazine from San Francisco, which showcases New Contemporary artists and emerging artists from around the world. Most of the major bookstores like Barnes & Nobles and other outlets carries the magazine. Hi-Fructose has been covering the New Contemporary Art scene for ten years now and to celebrate ten years of their coverage, MOCA is hosting a retrospective exhibit. Turn the Page: The First Ten Years of Hi-Fructose. This exhibit will feature 50 artists who have appeared in Hi-Fructose’s magazine and on their website. The retrospective is scheduled to grace the walls of MOCA from May 22, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
MOCA has also announced that in conjunction with the retrospective, “ a wide selection of educational programming, film screenings, panel discussions, and events will provide the public an opportunity to interact with the art and artists in exciting new ways.” This exhibit sounds like it’s going to be the most interactive exhibit that I’ve seen at MOCA.
I’m really excited about this retrospective. I’ve actually been following Hi-Fructose since the magazine’s debut. The magazine has introduced me to some amazing artists and has featured a lot of artists that I follow on-line. Hi-Fructose is a great magazine because it’s not influenced by gallery trends. Their goal is to feature great art that’s unique and different. The magazine also accepts submissions from artists, so it’s possible for undiscovered talent to be featured next to internationally renowned artists.
I prefer not to label art, but the New Contemporary art scene seems like an inevitable rebellion against Modern and early Contemporary art. The New Contemporary art scene is impressive and diverse, embracing a lot of new subject matter with traditional and non-traditional mediums. There are no set limits on creativity and high-end art collectors are recognizing the talent that it’s producing. These artists aren’t bound by rules. They’re just creating. The internet has definitely alter the dynamics of the art world. Exposing artists to new ideas and concepts. We live in a world where artists can be discovered by the average individual first and become “internet famous” before their first gallery show. Hi-Fructose has recognized the new trends in the art world and has fueled this movement for the last ten years. I believe we’re in for a treat when the retrospective comes to MOCA.
So much talent has been featured in Hi-Fructose and I’m looking forward to seeing which artists will be a part of this retrospective. Some of my favorite graphic artists that Hi-Fructose has covered includes João Ruas, Erik Jones, James Jean, Dan Quintana, Audrey Kawasaki, and Kazuki Takamatsu. Even talented sculptors like Bruno Walpoth have been covered by Hi-Fructose. I’m hoping that some of these artists will be among the 50 artists who will represent the magazine.
This retrospective is a big deal for this area and MOCA. The New Contemporary art scene is thriving in galleries on the West Coast and around the world. Hi-Fructose could have easily chosen other venues to partner with. I’m applauding MOCA for making this happen and I’m looking forward to hearing more about the events that will accompany this exhibit.
More information about the retrospective will be released soon. Until then, you should follow Virginia MOCA and Hi-Fructose.
http://www.virginiamoca.org/turn-page-first-ten-years-hi-fructose
http://hifructose.com/
Late actress Elizabeth Taylor’s artwork sold for far more than expected when her unsigned Vincent Van Gogh piece “Vue de l’Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Rémy” sold for $16 million at auction at Christie’s in London.
The $16 million price was double the painting’s estimate and was sold to a mystery buyer. Taylor purchased the Van Gogh painting in 1963 and kept it all her life, hanging it above her mantle.
View of Asylum and Church at St. Remy was painted by Van Gogh in 1889. Ths painting is of the asylum Vincent stayed during his recovery after his ear incident and where the diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy was first mentioned. It was a sanctuary of sorts–where he painted two masterpieces, Starry Night, and Irises.
