plant/eD: drawing from observation

Fall River Museum of Contemporary Art (FR MoCA) presents Plant/ED: Drawing from Observation.

Plant/ED: Drawing from Observation is a group exhibition featuring eight national and local artists.

The exhibition’s opening will be celebrated with a reception at the museum on Friday, February 23, 2024, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Both the opening reception and admission during regular gallery hours are free to the public—no advance registration required.

Plant/ED: Drawing from Observation reflects FR MoCA’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the environmental health of the Fall River community and to use the museum as a tool for positive social change. Artists explore themes of observation and perception, particularly as they relate to our ecological environment. The exhibition features plants, drawings, paintings, tools, maps, and discovery devices, highlighting the artistic process of observing plant growth and other natural phenomena. Through Plant/ED, FR MoCA transforms the concept of a native plant nursery into an educational space within a contemporary art museum.

Over the duration of the exhibition, FR MoCA’s gallery space will function as an artistic and educational laboratory. The museum will host various programs related to local observations and ecosystem services in Fall River, along with select lectures by artists and educators.

Throughout the exhibition, FR MoCA’s directors will teach a course at Fall River’s B.M.C. Durfee High School titled “Social Practice: Challenging the Art Institution,” offered through the UMass Dartmouth Commonwealth Collegiate Academy. The course curriculum emphasizes the potential of art to engage communities and drive action. FR MoCA will serve as an active classroom throughout the semester, culminating in a native pollinator garden project created with students in collaboration with the City of Fall River’s Adirondack Farm.

This is the seventh group exhibition presented by FR MoCA, and the second at their new location at 44 Troy Street. The museum occupies one third of the GATHER complex, Fall River’s newest cultural space.

FR MoCA thanks MassDevelopment’s Transformative Downtown Initiative, the Barr Foundation, B.M.C. Durfee High School, the City of Fall River’s Department of Community Utilities, the Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their support.

Press: Bomb Magazine