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Previous Exhibitions

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Celebrating Renata Keep

April 9-August 22, 2010
MOCA honored a Virginia Beach legend that has had a profound influence on the arts in our community, from providing instruction and support to artists across Hampton Roads, including Elizabeth Huey, to working to raise the funds that allowed MOCA to construct the building that it occupies today. Keep's lively and colorful oil paintings remind us of the talent and vision of this remarkable woman. This exhibition is part of Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts. Read more in Renata Keep's MOCA introduction panel. Read more in Renata Keep's MOCA gallery guide. …

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Celebrating Renata Keep
Renata Keep at MOCA.

Elizabeth Huey: Invisible Affect

April 9-August 22, 2010
Elizabeth Huey, a New York-based artist and Virginia Beach native, constructs large-scale prismatic paintings where the legacies of church, state and medicine converge in uncanny narratives. Her work juxtaposes vibrant, vivid landscapes with a peculiar cast of bustling characters amidst ominous skies and looming architecture. Huey manipulates oil and acrylic with both steel knives and soft brushes--a technique that reflects the full spectrum of complex human interactions. The myriad imagery reveals the artist's background in psychology and ongoing interest in behavioral sciences. Huey's initial studies in painting began with local artist Renata Keep and she went on to receive her bachelor's …

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Elizabeth Huey: Invisible Affect
Elizabeth Huey at MOCA.

Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in his Own Words and Pictures

February 5-May 23. 2010
Join the "œwild rumpus" as Maurice Sendak's life and work are celebrated in an exhibition that focused on the personal viewpoint of the author/illustrator of such children's classics as, "Where the Wild Things Are" and "In the Night Kitchen." Hands-on interaction was encouraged for Museum visitors of all ages as they acted out the narratives of Sendak's well-known children's classics. Younger visitors donned costumes and became a "wild thing," slid down into a bowl of chicken soup, and enjoyed a book while sitting on Rosie's stoop. Literacy and creativity were the rule in this exciting exhibition. Maurice Sendak's rich personal history, which served as a source for creative inspiration, w…

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Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in his Own Words and Pictures
Where the Wild Things Are at MOCA.

New Waves 2010

February 5-March 28, 2010
New Waves 2010 was MOCA’s annual, multi-media, juried exhibition. As the leading contemporary art institution in Virginia, MOCA provides an opportunity for Virginia artists to gain professional and public recognition through an annual juried exhibition. Many works in the exhibition were available for purchase—MOCA encourages the purchase of contemporary art to support Virginia artists! Read more in the MOCA introduction panel and gallery guide. Featured Artists: Angela Allen John Henry Blatter Shane Butler Warren Craghead III Mary Elkins  Ana Esteve Llorens (Best in Show Winner) Ryan Gothrup (Honorable Mention) Christi Harris Akiko Jackson Matthew Paul Jeffreys Andrew Kozlowski Aurora L…

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New Waves 2010
New Waves 2010: annual juried exhibition at MOCA.

Jenn Figg: Forest Thrall

February 5-May 23, 2010
Commonplace materials like glass and metal were transformed into a narrative installation that had its roots in dark fairy tales. Viewers were led through a mysterious landscape to create new stories for themselves. This exhibition was part of Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts. Read more about Jenn Figg in the MOCA introduction panel. Read more about Jenn Figg in the MOCA Gallery Guide.   …

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Jenn Figg: Forest Thrall
Jenn Figg at MOCA.