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Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington News - January 14, 2025
Arts and Entertainment
January 17, 2025
From: Museum of Contemporary Art ArlingtonOver the next 10 days, we're going to have three artist programs and a party for our Innovation Studio + Store! See below for when to join us at American University, the Museum, and the Innovation Studio + Store! Plus, don't forget to register for classes!
This Friday! Electropop + Indigenous Language @ AU!
Elisa Harkins: Wampum / ??? ????
Friday / January 17 / 7pm
Katzen Arts Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington, DC 20016
Free. Registration encouraged, but not required.
Wampum / ??? ???? is an exuberant, electropop performance animated with Native languages and fashion. It features artist Elisa Harkins performing original music she has composed and written, with lyrics in English, Cherokee, and Muscogee (Creek). Deeply informed by Harkins' knowledge of Indigenous music, the performance also reflects the influences of electropop, techno, disco, and other contemporary, popular musical genres. Merging these influences into an energy-filled, pop concert, Harkins asserts the continued vibrancy of Native culture and traditions. The performance will be followed by a talkback session with the artist.
Elisa Harkins: Wampum / ??? ???? is presented through a partnership between MoCA Arlington and American University's Studio Art MFA Program and takes place in conjunction with Assembly 2024: Horizon Scanning, MoCA Arlington's 2024 national biennial exhibition. The exhibition features thirteen artists and one artist collective hailing from 14 states whose work offers strategies to navigate and reimagine the future. Harkins' work is included in the exhibition, which is currently on view at MoCA Arlington through January 26, 2025.
Next Week! Artist Talk @ Innovation Studio + Store
Negar Ahkami Artist Talk @ Innovation Studio + Store
Wednesday / January 22 / 6pm
525 14th St S, Arlington, VA 22202
Free. No registration required.
Join us for a conversation with Innovation Studio Artist-in-Residence, Negar Ahkami, and MoCA Arlington Curator & Resident Artist/Collector Liaison, Amanda Jirón-Murphy. Hear about Ahkami’s interdisciplinary process and practice, and the work she is developing during this residency. Tour the artist’s studio and the Innovation Store.
The program will begin ~6:15pm and is available to livestream! Tune in at the event time on either MoCA Arlington’s Facebook or YouTube page!
Next Week! Artist Talk @ Museum
Marisa Stratton Artist Talk @ Museum
Friday / January 24 / 6:30pm
3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201
Free. No registration required.
Join MoCA Resident Artist Marisa Stratton and curator Amanda Jirón-Murphy in a dialogue about You Will Never Be Forgotten, Stratton’s solo exhibition of contemporary portraiture, currently on view in the Wyatt Resident Gallery. Stratton will discuss making portraits through the mediation of a phone screen, and share her artistic references, process, and unique perspective on the social media landscape. This talk is free; no registration is required.
This month! Winter Classes + Workshops!
CLASSES BEGIN IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS! Have you made a resolution to get creative in the new year? Classes are filling up fast so sign up for a MoCA Arlington art class or workshop today!
Some highlights include:
Oil Paints: Introduction and Exploration @ MoCA Innovation Studio in National Landing
Tuesdays
Artist Instructor: Jonathan Ege
1/28/25 - 3/18/25 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | 8 Sessions
Art & Wellness @ MoCA Arlington in Virginia Square
Wednesdays
Artist Instructor: Lindsay Muller
2/5/25 - 2/19/25 | 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM | 3 Sessions
Mixed Media Expressions @ MoCA Arlington in Virginia Square
Fridays
Artist Instructor: Molly McCracken
2/28/25 - 3/21/25 | 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM | 4 Sessions
Next Week! The Innovation Studio + Store turns 1!
Arty Party, the Innovation Studio + Store's First Anniversary!
Saturday / January 25 / 10am - 2pm
525 14th St S, Arlington, VA 22202
Free. No registration required.
Join us for an “Arty Party” as we celebrate the first year of our Innovation Studio + Store opening in National Landing. We will have special art making activities, music, the opportunity to mingle with artists, and of course, cake!
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
- Mixed Media Paper Lantern Craft: Inspired by the work of artist Liz Tran, and a fan favorite on the menu of birthday activities offered by MoCA Arlington .
- Meet our Current Resident Artist: Negar Ahkami, an interdisciplinary painter inspired by her family’s Iranian heritage
- Birthday Treats!
ARTIST OPEN CALL: SOLOS 2026
SOLOS 2026 Call for Proposals
Application Deadline: Monday / March 10, 2025
Free to apply. Application required.
Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington is currently accepting proposals for SOLOS 2026, a series of solo exhibitions by Mid-Atlantic artists. Contemporary artists living or working in the Mid-Atlantic region are invited to propose solo exhibitions to take place in one of the Museum’s gallery spaces.
Proposals are accepted through an open call and selected by an outside selection panel, in consultation with Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington staff. The exhibitions selected for SOLOS 2026 will take place in one of two time slots, either February 13 – May 24, 2026 or June 12 – September 6, 2026. Once artists are selected, MoCA Arlington staff will work with artists to determine the timing for the selected artists.
More Info + Submit Application
Celebrate youth birthdays with MoCA Arlington!
Need a place and activity for a kid's birthday coming up on your calendar? MoCA Arlington offers fun art-making during an hour-long private workshop, with time and space to enjoy cake and refreshments afterward.
For more information, email [email protected].
Current Exhibitions @ the Museum
Assembly 2024: Horizon Scanning
On view until January 26, 2025
Main Level and Lower Level Galleries
Free admission.
Featured artists: Nyame O. Brown, Everything is Collective, Allegra Hangen, Elisa Harkins, Marnie Ellen Hertzler, Jesús Hilario-Reyes, Cesar Lopez, Jovencio de la Paz, Kenya (Robinson), Benjy Russell, Shelby Shadwell, Keith Tolch, Lily Xie, and X
Marisa Stratton: You Will Never Be Forgotten
On view until January 26, 2025
Wyatt Resident Artist Gallery
Free admission.
Best in Class: MoCA Arlington Artist Instructors
On view until January 26, 2025
Jenkins Community Gallery
Free admission.
Featured Artists: arah Emily Balough, Joey Enríquez, Jade Fiedtkou-Leonard, Jason Horowitz, Melanie Kehoss, Stephanie Lane, Molly McCracken, and Lindsay Mueller
Mondays + Saturdays | Yoga @ the Museum
Gentle Yoga in the Galleries
Mondays / 6:30pm-7:30pm
$10-$20. Registration required.
Unwind and invite balance in this flowing, gentle yoga class. Our experienced instructors will guide you through a gentle practice suitable for all levels on Monday nights in the beautiful Tiffany Gallery. Start your week on a positive note.
Bring your own mat, a journal, and wear comfortable clothing. No late entry.
Morning Yoga in the Galleries
Saturdays / 11am-12pm*
$10-$20. Registration required.
Yoga in the Galleries is a 60-minute yoga session designed to inspire and uplift. Hosted in the beautiful Tiffany Gallery every Saturday morning, you will be invited to move your body towards a presence with your inner creative. At the end of each flowing session, you will be invited to journal, doodle, draw or meditate.
Participants should bring their own mat, water bottle, and notebook with writing utensil. No late entry.