Photo: MoCA\Ct’s Kathryn Turley-Sonne, artist V.L. Cox, collectors Sara Vance Waddell, Michelle Vance Waddell, and Tamara White at the opening of Enough Already.
Westport CT — The Museum of Contemporary Art \ Connecticut (MoCA\CT) welcomed a packed house on Thursday evening, November 13, 2025, for the opening of its highly anticipated exhibition Enough Already: Women Artists from the Sara M. + Michelle Vance Waddell Collection. The night marked the official launch of the museum’s major fall/winter exhibition season, celebrating the creative power and influence of women in modern and contemporary art.
Organized by MoCA\CT’s Visual Arts Advisory Committee, the exhibition was originally conceived by the Dayton Art Institute and curated by Jerry Smith and Mariah Postlewait under the title Riveting. MoCA\CT’s presentation brings new context to the exhibition, reflecting the museum’s ongoing commitment to amplifying diverse perspectives and challenging cultural narratives through art.
Event Highlights
The opening reception drew a wide range of distinguished guests, including collectors Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell, exhibiting artists Shelley Brenner Baird, V.L. Cox, and Constance Old. Members of the Connecticut and New York arts community offered their support, such as Metropolitan Museum of Art Manager Laura Einstein, John Van Doren of New York Gallery Van Doren Waxter, Director of the Carolee Schneemann Foundation Rachel Churner, and Westport artist Miggs Burroughs, among others. Attendees also included a crowd of art enthusiasts and museum supporters. Images are available here.
Guests enjoyed a lively evening of conversation, beginning with a panel discussion with renowned collectors Tamara White and Sara Vance Waddell, On the Art of Collecting: Building and Maintaining a Collection, before previewing the more than 80 works on display—ranging from painting and photography to sculpture, textiles, design and multimedia installations.
The exhibition celebrates internationally acclaimed artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, Catherine Opie, Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, and Carrie Mae Weems, as well as a number of emerging artists. Together, the works express themes of gender, identity, power, and resilience through humor, outrage and introspection.
“Collecting art has given me a purpose,” explained collector Sara Vance Waddell said during the On the Art of Collecting discussion. “I have a good friend who is also an art collector and curator who said, ‘Sara, this is your duty now, and this art does not belong to you. It belongs to the people, so you’ve got to get it out there.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I’m going to do that.’” She added. “It’s important that this work is seen, like it is being seen here at MoCA\CT.”
Pamela Hovland, Acting Executive Director at MoCA\CT, praised the collection during a dinner after the opening and thanked the collectors for their generosity in sharing these important works. “Thank you, Sara and Michelle for trusting MoCA\CT with your incredible collection. We are excited to live with it over the next few months and to dive deeper into the artists and their work and to share it with others through our programs and events,” she said. “We all have our work to do. This exhibition is an inspiration for us to continue.”
Exhibition and Programming
Enough Already highlights the bold vision of Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell, whose Cincinnati-based collection has become one of the most respected private holdings of contemporary art centered on women’s voices. Throughout the exhibition’s run, MoCA\CT will present a series of special programs designed to deepen engagement around the show’s themes, including talks, film screenings, workshops, and performances.
Upcoming events include:
- StoryFest: Short films + spoken word performances curated by Dusty McCullough | Saturday, November 22, 6pm
- Film Screening: A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot (2019) followed by Q+A with Annie Laurie Medonis + Noel Furie + Emily Larned. Book signing with Emily Larned | Tuesday, December 2, 6pm
- Community Conversation: Gallery talk with Luciana McClure Lewis – January 8, 6pm
- Teen art workshop: Mixed media with Peri Pfenninger – January 17, 1–4pm
- Community Conversation: Gallery talk with Kathryn Turley-Sonne – January 29, 6pm
- Film screening: Eva Hesse followed by a Q+A with Marcie Begleiter – February 6, 6pm
Acknowledgments
MoCA\CT expresses its gratitude to the generous sponsors of Enough Already: Anonymous, Conlon Amendola PLLC, Design Within Reach, Greenwich Medical Spa, Honda of Westport, Imageworks, Peter Fasano Ltd, Rachel and Kate Rifkin, And Therapy PLLC, and Kathryn Turley-Sonne.
Exhibition Details
Enough Already: Women Artists from the Sara M. + Michelle Vance Waddell Collection
On View: November 13, 2025 – February 15, 2026
Please note: This exhibition contains nude images and addresses topics including reproductive rights, sexual relations, and violence.
About MoCA\CT
The Museum of Contemporary Art \ CT (MoCA\CT) presents thought-provoking exhibitions, performances, and programs that enrich the cultural landscape of Connecticut and the greater region. Through bold exhibitions, community engagement, and multidisciplinary programs, MoCA\CT connects diverse audiences with the art and ideas of our time.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sandra Nygaard
Director of Marketing and Communications, MoCA\CT
sandra@mocact.org
Office: 203-222-7070 | Cell: 718-928-4212
Images on Dropbox:
– Artist Constance Old and Sara Vance Waddell
– Sara Vance Waddell’s bag by artist Michele Pred
– Artist Shelley Brenner Baird
– Artist V.L. Cox and Sara Vance Waddell
– V.L Cox
– Various crowd photos from the opening reception
Featured art:
– I am Its Secret, 1993, Shirin Neshat
– Survival Series: It is in Your Self Interest to Find a Way to be Very Tender, 1983-1985, Jenny Holzer
– Put Together, 2014, Mary Lee Bendolph
–Urban Butterfly, 2002, Chakaia Booker
– Self Portrait with Ancestors, 1993, Ana England
