Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami. Convention

May 21st through Sep 10th, 2009

Convention, curated by MOCA assistant curator Ruba Katrib, takes as its premise the predominance of large cultural events such as conventions, festivals, fairs, carnivals and other social gatherings in our society.

In a city like Miami, where a convention center is continuously being filled with various social and professional groups, notably Art Basel Miami Beach in the winter, this exhibition explores the impact of this phenomenon on a city. Convention, takes an unconventional, critical and humorous approach by bringing the festival model of world fairs, Olympic games, and the latest flourishing of international biennials and contemporary art fairs, into the museum. The exhibition also investigates this format as a form of contemporary artistic practice.

The participating artists have created new works for this exhibition in a variety of media typically associated with major international art exhibitions and biennials such as film projection, site specific installation, performance and interactive workshops and activities.

Part of MOCA’s gallery will be used as a rotating space for projects that will involve the participation of the broader Miami community. Some artists will actively enter into the social fabric of the city and collaborate with local organizations and make work that responds to their experience and research.
The projects will range from education to social awareness to spectacle. Convention takes an inclusive, collaborative approach and is invested in expanding the parameters of what defines an exhibition.