MoCA CT

"On Fire" Exhibition Tour
2025-01-23 17:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
Exhibition Tour: ON FIRE: Energy, Climate, Infrastructure
Thursday, January 23, 2025, from 5:00-6:00 PM
Explore the groundbreaking ON FIRE: Energy, Climate, Infrastructure exhibition with an exclusive tour led by curators Anne Boberski and Ive Covaci, co-chairs of the WestPAC Committee. This thought-provoking exhibition features over 75 works spanning the 1930s to today, highlighting the intricate connections between energy, infrastructure, and the environment.
Gain unique insights into the inspiration behind key pieces, including Ralph L. Boyer’s Evolution of Heat, and discover how artists have responded to themes of sustainability, community resilience, and environmental change.
Learn more about the exhibition at mocact.org/exhibitions.
RSVP Here. Free with Exhibition Admission.

Docent-Led Exhibition Tour
2025-01-25 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-01 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-08 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-15 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-22 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-03-01 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-03-08 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-03-15 13:00 - 14:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Learn more about the current exhibition from an expert docent. No advance registration required; all tours included in Museum admission. Remember, gallery admission is FREE for MoCA Members.

Westport Pride: Valentine’s Day Drag with Patty Bourree
2025-02-08 19:00 - 21:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Come celebrate Valentine’s Day with a fabulous drag show featuring the one and only Patty Bourree! Get ready for a night of glitz, glamour, and jaw-dropping performances that will leave you speechless. Whether you’re flying solo or bringing your special someone, this event is guaranteed to be a night to remember.

Register here.

Yoga Session to Support the LA Wildfire Relief Effort
2025-02-09 10:30 - 11:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Join us for a yoga session with Holly Arcada to benefit the LAFD Foundation.
Bring a mat and water.
All donations welcome.
RSVP Here.

Valentine's Day Candle Making with Oh D'Luxe Candle Company
2025-02-12 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Celebrate love and creativity on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 by joining our exclusive Candle Making Workshop with expert instructor Oddette, from Oh D’Luxe Candle Company! Enjoy a glass of bubbly seltzer or champagne as you work, because crafting candles is always better with a little sparkle!
Participants will learn about the different types of wax, wick selection, fragrances and how to blend those all together to customize one beautiful candle of your own. You’ll choose your favorite fragrance or blend a unique fragrance of your own, design your own label, and watch as your creations come to life. Oh D’Luxe candle company is a candle and home fragrance company located in Bridgeport Connecticut. All their products are eco-friendly, vegan, non-toxic, cruelty-free, sustainable, crafted with specially curated fragrances meticulously blended in-house, ensuring their uniqueness and handmade in small batches to ensure quality.
At the end of the workshop, you’ll take home your handmade candles, ready to add warmth and fragrance to your home or gift them to someone you care about.
This workshop is perfect for couples, friends, or individuals – over 21 only – looking to add a spark to their Valentine’s Day celebrations – No experience necessary just bring your enthusiasm!
WHEN: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
TIME: 6:00PM – 8:00PM
WHERE: MoCA/CT Art Studio
PRICE: $85.00 per person (includes materials, champagne and all necessary supplies)
Register Here

Black History Month Event Series - Film Screening of DELA: The Making of El Anatsui
2025-02-13 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Film Screening: DELA: The Making of El Anatsui
Thursday, February 13, 2025, from 7:00-9:00 PM
Join us for a special screening of DELA: The Making of El Anatsui, presented as part of MoCA CT’s collaboration with WestPAC’s ON FIRE: Energy, Climate, Infrastructure and our Black History Month event series. This compelling biographical documentary explores the life and work of El Anatsui, one of Africa’s most celebrated sculptors.
DELA offers an intimate look into Anatsui’s groundbreaking contributions to contemporary art, his mentorship of a generation of West African artists, and his transformative role in his local community. The film delves into the profound simplicity and complexity of his monumental creations, highlighting his journey of triumphs and trials. The title, “Dela,” meaning “Deliverer” in the Ewe language, encapsulates his impact on art and culture.
Following the screening, filmmaker Oyiza Adaba will host a Q&A session. Adaba, a journalist and filmmaker with nearly 30 years of experience, is renowned for amplifying authentic African narratives. Her work, including the acclaimed DELA: The Making of El Anatsui, has brought African art and culture to global audiences. She is currently directing WOVEN: The Intriguing Journey of the Ebira Cloth, a historical series celebrating African textile traditions.
Film runtime: 98 minutes
Register Here. Free for MoCA Members; $8 for Students/Seniors; $10 General Admissions

Black History Month Event Series: Soulful Expressions
2025-02-15 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Join us for a vibrant evening of music, poetry, dance, and community celebration at MoCA CT’s Soulful Expressions Night, part of our Black History Month event series. The evening will feature powerful spoken word poetry by Sahmra Sawyer, soulful jazz music by renowned pianist Joe Bush, and a dynamic dance performance by Jeffline Saint Louis.
Guests will also enjoy a delicious meal catered by Jamaican chef Dré Sawyers of Food by Mustard Seed Inc. Adding to the artistic atmosphere, artist Erika McGhee will create live portraits of visitors throughout the evening. After the performances, the dance floor will open, inviting everyone to join in on classic dances like the Electric Slide and Wobble.
This event is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural richness of the African diaspora through a blend of art, music, and community.
Click here to register.

February/Winter Break 2/17-21 Recess Art Camps
2025-02-17 09:30 - 14:30, 2025-02-18 09:30 - 14:30, 2025-02-19 09:30 - 14:30, 2025-02-20 09:30 - 14:30, 2025-02-21 09:30 - 14:30 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Looking for an opportunity for your child to create, develop skills, and enjoy winter break with friends? Come enjoy a day or the whole week at MoCA CT. Your child will have a creative and fun-filled winter break at MoCA CT!
Full Day Session – Register here.

Who: Kindergarten – 5th graders
When: Full day (9:30 AM – 2:30 PM) any or all days during the week of February 17th – 21st. Priced by day.
What to pack: A nut-free snack, lunch, and a water bottle
What to wear: Clothing that can get messy
Important: All participants must be fully potty trained to attend

AM Session – Register here.

Who: Nursery – 1st graders
When: Full day (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM) any or all days during the week of February 17th – 21st. Priced by day.
What to pack: A nut-free snack, lunch, and a water bottle
What to wear: Clothing that can get messy
Important: All participants must be fully potty trained to attend

MoCA Some Noise: Open Mic Night
2025-02-21 18:30 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Register to participate or attend here.
Join us for an Open Mic night at MoCA CT featuring acoustic music, poetry, and slam poetry on Friday, February 21 from 6:30-8:00 PM. Everyone is invited to participate and attend.
Open Mic night is FREE for Members to watch; MoCA Member Participation is FREE; General Admission $10; Participation Fee $5
To give everyone their time to shine, we ask that all participants keep their set to 5 minutes max.
Contact Kristen at kristen@mocact.org with questions.

Black History Month Event Series: Upcycling Sculpture Workshop with Remy Sosa
2025-02-22 13:00 - 14:30
Upcycling Sculpture Workshop with Remy Sosa
Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 1:00 PM
Kick off your creative experience with a guided tour of ON FIRE: Energy, Climate, Infrastructure and Human and Nature: A Changing Relationship. This tour will immerse you in the exhibitions’ thought-provoking themes of sustainability, climate change, and the relationship between humans and the environment. Afterward, local artist Remy Sosa will lead you through an exciting upcycling sculpture workshop, where you’ll transform recycled materials into unique works of art. Using everyday items, you’ll explore how to repurpose and reimagine materials to create sculptures that reflect the environmental themes of the exhibitions. This workshop is also part of MoCA’s Black History Month event series. Suitable for ages 18 and up.
In the first part of the class, participants will start the class doing blind drawings. They will be given a series of words that they will draw without looking at the paper. Participants will have 45 seconds to draw still live items and 30 seconds to draw words given by the instructor. The purpose of the blind drawings is to focus on actually looking at the items and with the words actually thinking about what the words mean to the participant specifically. This is also meant to show immediate realities. Everyone sees everything differently and that is ok.
In the second part of the class, participants will choose one of their drawings and bring it to life through sculpture. Through the use of objects provided for the class, the participants are free to select any number of different materials to build their drawing. There is no right or wrong way to do this. This is an experiment and it’s meant to be fun. Participants will be encouraged to step out of their comfort zone, explore, and discover the art of creativity. Making art out of found and often overlooked objects for the sake of art.
— Remy Sosa
Register Here. $30 General Admission; $20 MoCA Members
Participants can pick up any drying pieces the following week at MoCA CT during gallery hours:
Thursday: 4-8 PM
Friday: 12-4 PM
Saturday: 12-4 PM
Sunday: 12-4 PM

Performing Arts at MoCA: Putting on the Fritz with Darwin Shen and Michelle Kim
2025-02-23 16:00 - 17:30 | MoCA Westport, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, CT, 06880, United States
A recital of rarely performed, newly discovered and reconstructed works by Fritz Kreisler.
Tickets – $30 General Admissions; $15 Students; MoCA Members receive 15% off with Member ID
Violinist Darwin Shen has been performing as a soloist in concert halls and with ensembles and orchestras all over the United States for over twenty-five years. Although he continues to perform much of the standard violin repertoire of concertos, sonatas and short pieces, in recent years he has specialized in resurrecting lost or rarely performed works of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He has been sought after by other artists and musicians as an expert in these works, and his most recent projects in this area have been published online.
Pianist Michelle Kim enjoys a versatile musical career as a soloist and a collaborative pianist. Currently, she is on Collaborative Piano Fellowship at the Yale School of Music where she coaches in rehearsals and performs in recitals with graduate students. Her past engagement includes working at the Toronto Summer Music Festival, National Concert Band, Vic Chorus at the University of Toronto, Mississauga Children’s Choir, Mimico Children’s Choir and performed throughout North America at venues like National Arts Centre, Carnegie Hall, Chan Centre for the Arts and Tempe Centre for the Arts. In 2022, she joined an opera training program Musiktheater Bavaria in Oberaudorf, Germany as a collaborative piano fellow.
Putting on the Fritz – Program
Original version of Praeludium and Allegro
Bach Violin Concerto in a minor with new piano accompaniment
Beethoven Cavatina from String Quartet op 130 arr by Kreisler
Mozart Violin Concerto no 3 1st movt with new piano accompaniment
Rachmaninov/Kreisler Italian polka
Chaussson Poeme piano part revised by Fritz Kreisler
Stars in my eyes from the operetta “Sissy”
Gabriel Marie La Cinquantaine reconstruction of Fritz Kreisler improvised accompaniment
Korngold Tanzlied des Pierrots reconstruction based on Kreisler recording
Paganini La Campanella

Community Conversation: Art, Infrastructure, and the Environment
2025-02-27 18:00 - 19:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Community Conversation: Art, Infrastructure, and the Environment
Thursday, February 27, 2025, from 6:00-7:00 PM
Join us for a thought-provoking evening as we hosts Art, Infrastructure, and the Environment, a dynamic community conversation inspired by the ON FIRE: Energy, Climate, Infrastructure exhibition. This engaging event will be moderated by curator Ive Covaci and features a diverse panel of speakers who bring unique perspectives to the intersection of art, sustainability, and community resilience.
Panelists include:

Lewis Derogene, Head of Exhibitions at MoCA CT
N.W. Gibbons, Artist
Kevin Huelster, Architect
Lily Hultgren, Co-President of Teens at MoCA
Nicholas Marsan, Westport Fire Chief
Johanna Martell, Co-Director of Sustainable Westport

Together, they will explore topics ranging from the role of art in sparking dialogue on environmental challenges to the critical infrastructure shaping our future. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, an environmental advocate, or simply curious about the synergy between creativity and sustainability, this conversation offers insights for everyone.
Register Here. Free for MoCA Members; Free for Students $8 for Seniors; $10 General Admission
Learn more about the exhibition at mocact.org/exhibitions.

Multi-bowl Workshop with Leah Corbett
2025-03-06 18:00 - 20:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Spend a creative evening handcrafting your own multi-bowl centerpiece with Fairfield-based ceramicist Leah Corbett. “Multi-bowls” are one of Leah’s most popular forms, and can be used as snack boards, jewelry catchers, air plant displays, or general organizers for keys & miscellaneous items. In this two-hour workshop, Leah will guide you through steps to pinch & smooth multiple bowl forms out of clay, attach them, and manipulate their shapes to fit your own creative style. We provide the clay, tools & glaze options. You get your hands a little dirty, choose your glaze, and then pick up your finished creation a few weeks later. This is a great intro to hand-building class that will take you far in the world of pottery.

Register.

GALERIE DE DANSE - East Coast Contemporary Ballet
2025-03-06 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-03-07 19:30 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
GALERIE DE DANSE
East Coast Contemporary Ballet’s Winter Season
Join East Coast Contemporary Ballet for an evening of dance & live music in a gallery setting. Be transported to Paris in a one-of-a-kind immersive experience complete with bubbly.
Amongst this curated collection of dance works, will be a special world premiere of an original contemporary ballet set to the music of American composer Nicolas Flagello and inspired by post-impressionist France.
MoCA Members receive 15% off with Member ID; General Admission $50; Seniors/Students $45
Limited seating capacity.
Buy Tickets

RSO Quartet
2025-03-08 19:00 - 21:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
The RSO Quartet, featuring the principal string players from the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, will perform an engaging, creative concert including music from diverse composers and time periods.
RSO Quartet members violinists Jorge Avila and Mialtin Zhezha, violist Suzanne Corey-Sahlin, and cellist Nicholas Hardie are the four principal string players of the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. These exceptional musicians have performed with orchestras, in chamber groups, and in recitals worldwide. They come together as a quartet to present marvelous, engaging, and fun performances of classical and contemporary chamber music. More info on the quartet.
Click here for tickets.
Daylight & Dances
Musical Program Includes
String Quartet in B flat major ‘Sunrise’, Op.76 No.4
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
i. Allegro con spirito – ii. Adagio – iii. Menuetto: Allegro

iv. Finale: Allegro ma non troppo – Piu allegro – Piu presto
String Quartet No. 2 in A minor
Florence Beatrice Price (1887-1953)
iii. Juba. Allegro

Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56
Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
i. Bot tánc (Stick Dance) – ii. Brâul (Sash Dance) – iii. Topogó (In One Spot)
iv. Bucsumí tánc (Dance from Bucsum) – v. Román polka (Romanian Polka)
vi. Aprózó (Fast Dance)

Crisantemi (The Chrysanthemums), SC 65
Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Banks Violette: American Standard Opening Reception
2025-03-15 17:00 - 19:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Join us on Saturday, March 15 from 5-7 PM for the opening reception for Banks Violette: American Standard, a highly anticipated solo exhibition by the renowned artist. Known for his hauntingly beautiful sculptural and installation works, Violette explores themes of American subcultures, rebellion, and mythology through a striking interplay of light, shadow, and industrial materials.
Free for MoCA Members; $10 General Admission. RVSP HERE.
Photo of Banks Violette –– NR Magazine. Photographer: Jeton Bakalli. Stylist: Jungle Lin.

SoulOSoaring™ Sound Meditation
2025-03-18 18:00 - 19:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Spend a relaxing evening with SoulOSoaring™ Sound Meditation, where healing practitioner, Terry Eldh, uses crystal alchemy singing bowls, crystal harp and koshi chimes in a pure meditative experience. She gently floats vocal tones with her classically trained soprano voice, which meld with the sounds of the bowls, and together create a multitude of healing overtones. The combination creates powerful resonances that permeate our bodies at the molecular level, enhancing mental clarity, easing stress and anxiety, restoring balance and harmony within the entire being, and improving sleep.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 18th, 2025
TIME: 6:00PM – 7:00PM
WHERE: MoCA/CT Gallery A
Please bring a yoga mat, eye pillow or scarf and a blanket to enhance your experience.
Register Here.

Gallery Talk with Banks Violette and Ajay Kurian
2025-03-20 18:00 - 19:00 | MoCACT, 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport, 06880, United States
Gallery Talk: Banks Violette + Ajay Kurian, artist + writer

Date: March 20, 2025
Time: 6:00PM
Register Here.
Join us Thursday, March 20, at 6 PM for a gallery talk with artist Banks Violette and artist/writer Ajay Kurian. Violette and Kurian will guide guests through the exhibition, discussing its themes, materials, and cultural influences. The tour will explore Violette’s longstanding artistic concerns, including the darker undercurrents of American identity, such as the rise of fascism and how national romanticism feeds into nationalism. Following the tour, Kurian will moderate a discussion diving deeper into art, subcultures, and the creative evolution of Violette’s practice, expanding on how these themes have shaped his work over time, including Banks’ work addressing “whiteness” before it became a widely discussed topic.
About the Artist: Banks Violette
Banks Violette (b. 1973, Ithaca, NY) is known for his stark, immersive works that explore destruction, decay, and subcultural aesthetics. Influenced by heavy metal, skateboarding, and the occult, his practice spans drawing, sculpture, installation, and video, blurring the line between beauty and violence. His work has been exhibited at institutions such as the Whitney Museum, MoMA, and the Guggenheim and is held in major museum collections worldwide.
About the Moderator: Ajay Kurian
Ajay Kurian is an artist, educator, and writer. Kurian employs a fluid, multimedia vocabulary which aims to articulate the social and environmental conditions that govern both our worldly and transcendental faiths. He is the founder of NewCrits, a global platform for virtual studio mentorship for artists of all backgrounds and experience. Kurian lives in Brooklyn, New York. He holds a BA from Columbia University in Visual Arts and Art History. His work has been exhibited worldwide including the Whitney Museum, MoMA PS1, The Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany, and K11 in Shanghai, China. He is also Banks Violette’s former studio assistant.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience Violette’s work through a dynamic conversation between two artists.

Image of Banks — NR Magazine. Photographer: Jeton Bakalli. Stylist: Jungle Lin.

Ajay Kurian photographed by Christian MacDonald.
