DO YOU BELIEVE?

Exhibition Reviews | Maddy Howard

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What do you believe in? 

To welcome you to their new industrial building, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is displaying BELIEVE, an exhibition featuring 16 artists, exploring the beliefs and systems that shape our values and behaviours.

BE:LIE:VE by Kendell Geers. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

MOCA has found a new 55,000 square foot home in the Lower Junction. With all this new space, MOCA is able to further their collection and exhibition of contemporary art. BELIEVE utilizes this new space, spanning floors two and three of the building, with one installation on the first floor. The exhibition includes works from 16 Canadian and international artists: Can Altay, Matilda Aslizadeh, Carl Beam, Dineo Seshee Bopape, Awol Erizku, Meschac Gaba, Kendell Geers, Barbara Kruger, Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Jeneen Frei Njootli, Rajni Perera, Jeremy Shaw, Nep Sidhu, Maya Stovall and Tim Whiten. 

Kendell Geers neon installation BE:LIE:VE is located on the first floor of MOCA, giving visitors their first glimpse of the exceptional art they will see throughout the exhibition as they enter the building. Artists installed on the second floor explore the past and the future. These installations look into the artists' experiences and cultural identities while also analyzing the histories, stories and technologies that help to shape our current beliefs. As the introductory panel states "We are what we believe."

The Columbus Suite by Carl Beam. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The third floor of MOCA hosts artists exploration of how beliefs are created. Artists dig at the question of how belief systems shape how we perceive the world, but also how these perspectives influence our behaviours and relationships, both individually and within the community. 

(Untitled) Doubt + BELIEF by Barbara Kruger. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

Before seeing BELIEVE, I will admit that I was a little intimidated. I am the first to admit that I don't know a lot about art, especially contemporary artwork, but this exhibition blew me away. There was one reason in particular that this exhibition can speak to the artistically versed and the artistically illiterate-- and that was the labels!

The labels truly made the experience more enjoyable since there were artist statements attached to each piece of artwork. These statements got to the core of what inspired the artist and what message their artwork was trying to convey. This meant that for people who don't understand art (i.e. me) there was an opportunity to look through the artists' eyes and see what they saw. The labels also allowed those who might want the art to speak for itself to just enjoy the installations, as they were located near the installations but did not intrude visually. This means that visitors can easily skip over the labels and experience the artwork on their own.

And-In. The Light of This._, by Dineo Seshee Bopape. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

The exhibition also hosts a large number of artists but the space never felt cramped or crowded. Spreading the exhibition across two different floors and separating by theme, allowed for each piece to speak for itself and not be infringed upon by other installations. I also felt it gave me more time to look at the works. I could spend more time with each work before moving on and it didn't feel rushed. There was a natural flow to the space.

Each piece had its own story and perspective to share and each piece resonated differently. I was interested to see what drew me in and what confused me. There were definitely pieces that will stick with me for a long time. One piece in particular was "The Island" by Tuan Andrew Nguyen. The message resonated with me, but the video captured me. I was entranced by the story and the accompanying music was both hauntingly beautiful and unsettling.

The Island by Tuan Andrew Nguyen. Photo Courtesy of Maddy Howard.

BELIEVE gives visitors a chance to confront and question their beliefs. These 16 artists captured the past, the present and the future through different mediums and methods. Fans of contemporary art and those new to the field can find something that resonates and speaks to them. BELIEVE is an open and understandable exhibition because of the artists' ability to make us think about the beliefs that shape us.

BELIEVE opened September 22, 2018 and runs until January 6, 2019, so head over to MOCA to confront your own truth.

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