After years of renovation and partial closure, the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is complete and almost fully open. There are still a few galleries still being installed, but after years of waiting, art lovers can finally bask in the glory of the breathtaking new museum. [See the lower three images above.]
On top of that, Cleveland's Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) recently opened a shiny new building around the corner, further establishing the University Circle area as the city's cultural center. In my opinion, MOCA's relocation also has the opposite effect of bringing the museum into the big leagues with cultural powerhouse neighbors like the Cleveland Orchestra, the CMA, the Cleveland Institue of Art, and others.
Oh, and the fact that MOCA's new building was designed by superstar architect Farshid Moussavi doesn't hurt it's credibility either. The building is her first museum and her first commission in the United States. Pretty major!
[See the first three images in this post.] W magazine wrote a great piece on Moussavi and MOCA back in October when the museum opened. Read it here.
Down the street at the CMA, the new Gallery One is using spectacular, innovative technologies to enhance the visitor experience.
After my initial confusion at the enormous touch screens and varied pieces on view, I began to understand that the gallery is meant to teach visitors how to think about art. A 40-foot mulit-touch microtile (the largest in the United States!) allows visitors to create a custom tour of the museum and save it to a loaned iPad. Also inside the gallery, large touch screens offer information and activities that relate the art to the individual and introduce ideas about how to analyze and understand art.
Gallery One is a bit overwhelming for a museum-goer accustomed to quiet, personal contemplation of meticulously curated exhibits, yet it's undoubtedly an impressive and one-of-a-kind space. I didn't quite get it at first, but I'm sure it will be a thrilling and engaging space for many. Fortunately I'm in town all summer and can give it another chance at my next visit.
With all this new, beautiful innovation, I'm excited to see what's next for art in Cleveland!
All images are my own.
MOCA Cleveland: About The Building [LINK]
The Cleveland Museum of Art: About Gallery One [LINK]
