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Mass Museum of Contemporary Art
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25 reviews for Mass Museum of Contemporary Art
Mass Moca lavishes art with space. They have plenty of it, and sometimes the building can be just as interesting as the art. I suppose it depends on perspective and that's what modern art is all about.
I always feel like making art when I lave Mass Moca. Inevitably there is something I know I could make. Or I've seen something that gives me an idea that has just been waiting for me to express it. Art is the tip of the iceberg. An artist can see the mountain under the water and stays the to course to show us what will happen.
I didn't like everything there. I'm not a fan of more than one video instillation in a row as they loose their charm after about 30 seconds, and you feel guilty about having to leave without seeing it all but you aren't there to watch TV. You are there as an alternative to TV.
I suggest it to anyone.
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What is contemporary art? Surely, I haven't got a clue.
Coming to North Adams for a little overnight trip, with my girlfriend, I thought it would be cool to visit MASS MoCA. I've been here once before years ago for a multimedia evening event set to the live Indian music. It was a fun night like being caught up in one mega rave minus the drugs.
This time around I wanted to take in the three floors of galleries and see what artists were on display. The drive from Boston was long, about 3 hours, but it was fun to see how rural the state becomes from East to West. Once we arrived the parking lot had plenty of free parking and finding the main entrance was clearly labeled by large yellow arrows. We made our way to the ticket counter purchasing two for $25.00 (one at student discount). Grabbing a couple maps we made our way into MASS MoCA. Unlike most art galleries exhibits here are spaced out and some can take up a whole room. As we move from room to room and from floor to floor we asked yourself the question: "This is art?" or "I could do this?" Even though the displays here are uncomplicated closer observation makes we began to realize and time consuming these projects are.
While in the Sol Lewitt "A Wall Drawing Retrospective" exhibit I was constantly wondering just how long it took to paint these huge walls in various shapes, skews, lines, patterns and colors. These were so perfectly done that I wish I could have a wall in my house painted just like the exhibits. Other exhibits like "This is Killing Me" confused me and I wasn't too sure what the artist was trying to get across. I sat and watched the short film of "'Conversations wit de Churen V: As da Art World Might Turn'" and was more fixed on the condition of one of the actors front teeth more than the point of the film.
What I like best about coming here is that everything is interesting and thought provoking. The work here will seem simple yet insanely complicated. Prices are affordable as well as gift shop items are reasonable. Definitely worth the trip from Boston and I would gladly come back when more is on display. Unfortunately there are no big parties or events this evening while here but maybe next time.
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They recently installed a Sol LeWitt retrospective & opened up new gallery space to house it. Fantastic!! http://www.massmoca.or...
Great space, great art--well worth a visit, wherever you are!
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North Adams was once one of the most economically devastated towns in the western part of Massachusetts. The bustling industry had died, leaving shells of mill buildings and abandoned former factories.
Enter Mass MoCA. Begin re-use and revitalization.
Though the town is still quiet, Mass MoCA has provided both jobs and a cultural anchor to the struggling-a-little-less-than-before town. And what a museum it is!
The campus is a rambling encampment of factory and mill space. The exhibit space is both impressively large and surprisingly intimate. Rooms within rooms house screening rooms for film and video, installation space, expansive gallery space, and a labyrinth of hallways and staircases.
Because there's very little on permanent (or semi-permanent) display, the exhibitions are always changing. The day we went there were some interesting elegiac pieces, impressively gigantic canvasses by Anslem Kiefer, some whimsical video by an Israeli artist, and the spectacularly mammoth Sol LeWitt installation.
My museum-going companion did not care for conceptual art, which makes up the entirety of the amazing Sol LeWitt installation, scheduled to remain in the museum until 2030. Contemporary art is not to everyone's taste, so make sure your museum-going companion has a taste for it. If they don't, you can always leave him at the cafe and the gift shop. Or in one of the performance spaces - the museum has a lively performance calendar (not quite as contemporary as the art) and sponsor occasional movie screenings.
Only a couple hours from Boston, Mass MoCA is well worth the drive. Make a day of it. At $15 a person (adult), there's a lot to take in and the gorgeous drive into the Berkshires makes it a full, fun, exciting day.
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Score one for creative reuse and rehabilitation! What a neat space - everything from the galleries to the subterranean bathrooms were well designed and creatively appointed.
The exhibitions revolve as I hear they don't have a permanent collection - so you never know what you'll see. The spaces that they've carved out of this old factory are as interesting as they are varied. Small spaces and dark rooms spill out from the larger halls.
The entry fee is a little pricey at $12.50 (I think) per person - but it includes a guided tour, so I'm ok with it. Even outside of the tour we spent several hours just roaming the galleries. There was so much to see. Perhaps North Adams is more interesting in the summer, or during Fall folliage, or even during the weekends, but the lack of activity in the town won't preclude me from returning to Mass MOCA (as long as a stay at the Porches Inn is included).
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Fly diving onto giant sand bags in dark rooms - CHECK
Reliving a scene out of Gulliver's Travels - CHECK
Tripping over misplaced freeways in the middle of nowhere - CHECK
Experiencing dungeoness prisonesque toilets with heavy metal - CHECK
Learning clandestine techniques for ascertaining info - CHECK
Turning a 3 story building into a movie screen - CHECK
Hoola dancing with a digital tree to the music in your head - CHECK
Generally running amok - CHECK
All these experiences and more can be found at Mass MOCA.
Wouldn't you like a little modern art in your life?
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You know what you need.... Mass-berry MOCA frappacino!!!!
*you do the jitter-bug, you do the jitter-bug*
YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH...
That's right - because Mass MOCA is so freaking awesome in every respect it's as fun as getting an iced beverage with friends, then spraying them with gasoline in a play fight to the tones of George Michael and Wham.
This place makes Boston's ICA look dumb and I'd stretch to saying it's better than the MOCA in LA. Like everyone knows... the best museums are reconditioned factories in gritty areas by a river... just ask Tate Modern in London.
Upside-down trees? Rooms filled with completely white paintings? Best gift shop in New England? Chance to stand in-front of the M of their sign and get a photo of yourself with ASS written beside you?
YES YES YES
Go - it's worth the scenic drive.
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This is the best museum in New England, bar none! It's even better than the MFA in Boston. If you are in the area of Adams or Pittsfield or anywhere in the Berkshires, a stop here is mandatory!
I've made the drive out here from Boston several times. It's not an unpleasant drive at all, especially if you hook up 91 to Route 2 and take the Mohawk trail into N. Adams. This is a lovely forest route past old houses and river views. Be warned that there is a huge switchback right before N. Adams that is not for the faint of heart. Another option is to take the Pike, get off at the Pittsfield exit and head north. Either way, it's at least three hours from Boston, so settle in with some tunes and bring snacks.
The museum is housed in old mill buildings and it makes good use of the space, I've seen so many bizarre and cool exhibits here over the years: the Toy Pyramid, the Laboratory of Humanity, the flipping car doohickey, the falling paper exhibit, the 14 stations...you name it. Whatever the exhibits, the museum is a great place to get lost for a few hours before you move on to other Berkshire amusements (or turn around to start the long ride home. If you do this, I suggest you cut across the Berkshires to Northampton on 116/8A and enjoy the delights of that fine town for dinner).
Since the last time I went, I've read that they've put in a Mexican restaurant (hooray!) and they've been increasing the number of live musical and dance performances here. This can only make a great place better.
Worth the money, worth the drive! A true 5 star New England destination.
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I love this place, even if its located like 3 hours drive from Boston into Bumfck, MA. Also besides the fact theres like 2 restaurants in the entire city to eat at.
That being said, MOMA is awesome. Its got a huge space in an old factory so there's more than enough real estate for HUGE pieces and just great presentation. I don't know if I would come here again, but if I could teleport here I would.
Personally, I think its a lot more interesting that MFA in Boston.
Mass MoCA is always such a good time. This amazing space -- former factory -- is filled with ever-changing contemporary art exhibits. Some of the galleries are huge and lend themselves to really impressive installations (currently in the huge gallery: Jenny Holzer's "Projections." It's trippy...). They have all kinds of crazy stuff on their grounds -- upside-down trees, a luxurious inn, tasty food, films, performances, and oh yeah, some cool art too.
I'm a Bostonian so the only downside of this great museum for me is the three-hour drive out there. If you've got the time, though, drive out along glorious Rte. 2, through the crazy mountain roads, then stay in a little Berkshire B&B or something and visit Mass MoCA the next day. It's worth the trip.
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Where is the largest center in the United States for Contemporary art? New York? Chicago? Philadelphia, Austin? Try North Adams, MA. Try 600,000 square feet of space, encompassing 13-acres. Booyah! That's a lot of art you can't understand.
I'm definitely not the biggest fan of contemporary art; I like my art to have an immediate impression on me. Like, this is a woman smiling slyly, this is a man and a woman kissing, this is George Washington, this is a man with a green apple for a face, this is a lily pad, this is a dream sequence, etc. Contemporary art can be confusing; it can tick you off; it may even offend some people, but it definitely challenges your normal thought process and certainly your stereotypical beliefs. With 600,000 square feet of it; that's a lot of challenge and frustration!
But everything seems to mesh together well; the art, the Berkshires; the shear size. You can honestly roam for hours and really take everything in without being pressured to see things a particular way; read things a certain way; there is very little stuffiness at Mass MoCa. It's definitely not NYC!
Lastly, you have to see Natalie Jeremijenko's Tree Logic. Six live trees are inverted and suspended from a truss. It is in defiance of everything we know about growing things and hence forces you to think of all the possibilities and "what ifs" in our own little world...pretty cool and intense. Check it out; there's plenty of other stuff to do in the Berkshires, as well, like Tanglewood, B & B's, Hiking the Appalachian Trail and great restaurants.
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Flew into Logan on the red-eye, rented a car and drove the 3 or so hours out to Western Mass to check out Mass MoCA. I was definitely glad to have made the trip. I enjoyed the drive, as New England is so very different from California...the landscape, architecture, climate and people. The weather was gorgeous and this made all the difference.
Now, about the museum. Few museums in the world can boast such a decadent waste of space. I say "waste" because most museums couldn't house such enormous works of art in their interior (MoMA, the Met, and Centre Pompidou excepted). I'm a lover of art...especially modern art....contemporary art ranks second for me. This is an interesting contemporary collection, which is always evolving and changing, but I wouldn't make a special trip to come out here from the west coast again. If I lived in Boston or Upstate New York I would definitely journey to North Adams for a weekend, once a year or so, and I'm glad I did this once.
A great museum for kids to enjoy. Parking is plentiful, super easy and free. The gift shop has some interesting items to check out. Stay in one of North Adams' uber hip and artsy B & Bs for the weekend if you need a break from the brownstone and concrete-n-glass landscape of Boston. A roundtrip day excursion is possible, as well, if you get an early start. Either way, enjoy!
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The other day my boyfriend (who is from Massachusetts originally) suggested we go to Mass MoCa (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art). Now, I am not the biggest fan of modern art, but I was willing to go, because he was raving about how awesome it is.
Let me first say, the drive there was phenominal. If you are coming from points west or south, you should definitely try to take the Mohawk Trail past the Hair Pin turn. When we were driving, the cliffs with ice dripping down them was like a waterfall of crystal. The views are beautiful. The towns we drove through were quaint. And when we got there, North Adams was just as cute as can be. I loved it, and I hadn't even gotten to the Museum yet!
The museum is set on 13 acres, in an old factory or warehouse of some type. The galleries are huge! Imagine an empty factory, all spruced up, but with the awesome beams and rivets still showing... and then really awesome modern art being shown in the space. It was just too awesome for words. Our favourite gallery was one showing the projection art of Jenny Holzer. It was a massive room (the size of a large gymnasium), completely dark, except for poetry being projected on the walls and ceilings. And all throughout the room, there were gigantic bean bag chairs that you can lay on and read the poetry. It was completely peaceful. And then to my surprise, after laying there for 30 mins or so, I stood up and realized the beanbag was heat-sensitive, so we left an outline of where we were laying. Very cool.
I enjoyed every single thing I saw there, and would love to go back again in a few months. I'll definitely be keeping track of what they have in their galleries, via their website. Mass MoCA made me a true lover of modern art. It was awesome!
***As a side note: I will also say, North Adams, MA was an absolutely awesome little town. Lots of cool little restaurants, cafes, and stores. We were there on a Saturday afternoon/evening, and we had some difficulty finding a place to eat at 4pm. The first two restaurants we stopped at didn't open until 5 or 5:30p (on a weekend!), so plan accordingly if you can. There are fast food/chain restaurants too, but who wants that after you've just seen awesome, amazing, modern art all afternoon? If I were to go back, I'd spend a few hours in Mass MoCA until is closed (at 5p), then go get my dinner. Will plan better next time!
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MASS Moca: fucking awesome
The 3-hour-drive there: fucking blows
This past Sunday, after waking up wicked early and being done with brunch by 11am, we decided it was time we adventured out to Mass Moca. We knew it was far, but not 3-hour-drive-far?! I mean, museums are supposed to be accessible, so that people can actually permeate themselves with the art. North Adams is SOOOOOOOOOO not accessible. It's not even close to a major highway. You have to drive either on Route 2 and cross through all the shitty towns or take I90, take exit 2 (which seems to be like 20 miles away from exit 3...it was driving me crazy) and drive off for an hour...AN HOUR on backroads. It's the biggest pain in the ass. I spent 2hrs at the museum and 6hrs DRIVING.
The museum itself is fantastic. It's a collection of industrial buildings transformed into very airy, open spaces for art. Great for major installations! It's also the right size, not too overwhelming. They seem to always have big names; they were showing works by Spencer Finch, Anselm Kiefer, Joseph Beuys and a collection of art by Western artists in China called Eastern Standard. Apparently, they even had Cai Guo-Qiang in the past! Entry for adults is only $12.50 and they have tours you can take. It really is impressive and exciting.
The question remains: WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NORTH ADAMS?!! When we stepped out, we tried to take advantage of the town...THERE'S NOTHING. Let me tell you, from 4-5pm on a Sunday everything is closed! We walked around aimlessly for a while and ended up eating at this expensive coffee place. What a pity! I'll only be back if they manage to resurrect Jean-Basquiat and they have him do a special request show and talk about neo-expressionism and his influence on modern artists.
Ps I did enjoy the rando yellow signs along the road with ONLY the word "CHILDREN" written across them. Now...that's art.
PPs I'm not bitter
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I completely recommend this fine fine museum. Wonderful exhibits and artwork, as well as a sweet cafe and shop. Plus, totally unique upside-down maple trees!
MASS MoCA is one of my favorite museums ever. Not only do they attract some of the biggest names in contemporary art, but they have the space to do wild, crazy installations. They change the main warehouse gallery about once a year but the other side galleries change more often. For 2006 the main attraction is called "Amusement Park" by Carsten Hoeller. Can't wait to check it out on my next trip!
It's also a great place to take wonderful, cool, funky pictures, of the art, the buildings, etc.
They do have sound art all over town...the best of which is in the summer at the nearby Natural Bridge, the only naturally formed white marble arch and man-made white marble dam in North America. They have speakers strategically placed in the abandoned marble quarry to sound off Walter Fhndrich's "Music for a Quarry," at particular times of the day.
Great gift store and a tasty little snack bar as well as a nice minimalist designed restaurant called Eleven nearby. They also have excellent performances at the museum. It's a must-see location and worth a day-trip from Boston at the very least.
I want to move in.
I really wish Mass MOCA wasn't so far away from me and I could go much more often. It's really a perfect blend of great art and an interesting space. The converted mill space is ideal for some of the larger installation pieces that take you inside and outside of the museum. There was not a lot of fluff here, everything I saw in my visit was engaging and at times, breathtaking. The cafe is cute and the small museum shop has a limited, but nicely selected inventory. I regret not buying one of the understated T-shirts. I picked up a set of past exhibitions books for very cheap though. I think the thing I like the most about the museum is that you don't get that pretentious feeling you so frequently encounter in modern art museums. There seems to be a sense of community about this place that I really dug. I'll definitely be back!
I love this museum so much. We went today and saw some really great work. This was only my second time coming here, and the first time was maybe 6 years ago, but both times I have been so pleased with the experience. We went to their restaurant today and had an amazing meal outside, I highly recommend eating there if you get the chance, there are not too many options in the area and the food there was really yummy (all 3 of us loved our meals) and they had quality mojito's for only $5. which you can't beat.
What a beautiful space, inside and out. I can't wait to go back, hopefully this time I will not wait 6 years.
Mass MoCA is housed in a former textile mill and makes for a good outing in the Berkshires for those looking for something a bit different. The exhibits here are constantly changing but there are always interesting and bizarre works of contemporary art on display. Some of this art may not be quite your thing, but you will definitely see some conversation starters.
The admission fee is pretty inexpensive and you can often get additional discounts. When I went my admission was free since I showed my bank card (the bank was offering special perks to its customers).
At first I was like, "Upside down trees, so what?" And then someone explained that the artist grew them that way and I was impressed. Maybe that's more horticulture than art, but it's freakin cool! I'm not the biggest art freak, but I've been to the Whitney in NYC and have been exposed to a fair amount of contemporary art. I have to say, Mass Moca is really impressive. It's huge enough to hold some installations that you'd never be able to see in a city museum. If you like art, you *have* to check this place out. Even if you don't like art, you'll see some really interesting stuff here and should see it anyway. It's in the middle of nowhere, so make a weekend of it and get back to nature while you're out in the boonies. Cuz there's no way you'll be able to drive back to Boston that night.
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Mass MoCA is a delight, and wonderful to return to, year after year. The selection of modern art is always excellent. Most every piece has the ability to evoke a mood, make you think, or transform the space you are in by its presence. This transformed mill complex is rather huge, and the highlight of the trip is always the installation in the huge multistory gallery which is the length of several football fields. This large-scale installation is currently Projections, and art is on display for approximately a year before installation of the next one begins. My 9-year-old son is well on his way to becoming an expert MassMocan. There is a KidsSpace for the little ones, the gift store has lots of really cool gadgets and toys, and the subterranean bathrooms are cool, literally and figuratively. (I think they are the second coolest one in Massachusetts; I hear the ones at the Smith College Art Museum are works of art.) Be sure to check out the event schedule; there are always music shows, film, stage productions, and events for the kids (like a gallery scavenger hunt) on the calendar.
Enjoy yourself for a day trip or weekend at Mass MoCA! Always something to delight and surprise!
I think I'm in love. This place was amazing. It was a treat to get to, I stared out the window pretty much the whole time. The cafe that's inside made pretty decent food for a reasonable price. The admission was inexpensive. The exhibitions were amazing and well if you get tired just look out the window because there are amazing views. The special exhibition that was happening when I went was a "performance" piece by a group of artists from Birmingham, England. The group is called Stan's Cafe and the performance was "Of all the People, In all the World." Look them up at, http://www.stanscafe.c..., it was mind blowing. Basically, you were given a grain of rice when you go in and they have piles of rice representing different statistics, it puts a lot of things in perspective. Anyway, I recommend Mass Moca, the drive through the Berkshires, and North Adams.
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An essential day trip: it's an hour or so from Albany, via rt. 2, a real mountain road that feels like it could be in Wyoming. If you see the Jenny Holzer exhibit, remember to look at the bean bag when you get up.
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Mass MoCa does modern art right. Some of their pieces are bound to go over your head, but they make sure never to get too serious. A recent exhibit I was at had a "bird library" (a giant walk-in birdcage with books and zebra finches), seven or eight Ford Tauruses suspended from the ceiling with long blinking cables of light coming out of them, a series of videos taken by putting tiny cameras on animals backs and letting them do their thing, and big Photoshops of animal/machine hybrids. There's always something new and interesting, and admission isn't killer (10 bucks) compared to some other places. Pity the upside-down trees outside are starting to look a little dead now.. Also, I'm not sure what North Adams was like before Mass MoCa moved in, but they sure make it seem like it's responsible for the town's revitalization. There's banners for Mass MoCa all over the All-American town's streets. It's a nice place to walk around. There's sound art installations around the town, too but all I found was one under the Route 2 overpass. You'll hear a booming sound which you can easily mistake for cars passing overhead, until you realize that road is never that busy.
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absolutely amazing museum. in this massive space, you could easily make a day of it. in fact...here's what you do...on a beautiful new england fall day...take a leisurely drive out to north adams, making sure to stop along the way to enjoy the foliage because it's brilliant out that way. spend the day that the MoCA enjoying art from HUGE instillation pieces to photography and everything in between. then hop back in your car making sure to stop by the "eyes" sculptors at williams college on your way back to boston. a perfect day. i do it every year.
