The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) was founded in 1979 in Los Angeles. The initiative for the museum was born out of the need for an institution that was entirely dedicated to contemporary art. At the time, Los Angeles had no institution that focused exclusively on contemporary art. For this reason, a group of art enthusiasts and collectors, including prestigious artists and curators, decided to create such a place.

MOCA's first director was Richard Koshalek, who played a key role in shaping the museum's vision and mission. Thanks to his commitment and the support of many influential figures, MOCA quickly gained recognition both in the United States and internationally.

MOCA's first location was in a historic building on Grand Avenue, but it quickly acquired additional exhibition spaces, such as the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo, which opened in 1983.

The specificity of the collections

MOCA stands out from other cultural institutions not only because of its location, but above all because of the unique nature of its collections. MOCA's collection focuses mainly on art created after 1940 and covers a wide range of media and art forms, such as painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video and performance.

The painting collection includes works by leading representatives of contemporary painting and sculpture, such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning and Andy Warhol. The museum also has an extensive collection of works by artists representing a variety of trends, such as abstract expressionism, minimalism and pop art.

Photography and video - MOCA has attached great importance to the medium of photography and video since its inception. The museum's collection includes works by artists such as Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Andreas Gursky and Bill Viola. These works document changing society and cultural phenomena while exploring the boundaries of the photographic and video medium.

MOCA is also known for its collection of installations and performance works. The museum often organises temporary exhibitions that engage the viewer in an interactive way. Examples include works by artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Bruce Nauman and Marina Abramović. These works not only challenge traditional art forms, but also provoke reflection on the role of the viewer and their interaction with the artwork.

One important aspect of MOCA's collection is the social engagement of art. The museum collects works by artists who address important social, political and environmental issues. Examples include works by Ai Weiwei, Kerry James Marshall or Shirin Neshat, which explore themes such as human rights, racism or climate change.

MOCA's collection includes works by Polish women and men artists, including:

Magdalena Abakanowicz, 'Artumore', 1982, bronze, 52 x 34 x 21, inv. no. 98.42, https://www.moca.org/collection/work/artumore

Zbigniew Gostomski, untitled, 1975, fabric, 19 x 487, https://www.moca.org/collection/work/tapisserie

Tadeusz Kantor, "Monsieur On Sait Qui", 1982, oil on canvas, 65 x 126 cm, https://www.moca.org/collection/work/monsieur-on-sait-qui

The museum's collection also includes a work by Frank Stella, "Michalpol I (Polish Village Series)", 1971, 239 x 320 x 10, mixed technique, canvas, inv. no. 86.49, https://www.moca.org/collection/work/michapol-i-polish-village-series