Courtesy the artist and Pilar Corrias, London. Photo by Ilona Szwarc
Christina Quarles joins MOCA Board of Trustees
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) announces that Los Angeles-based artist Christina Quarles joins MOCA’s Board of Trustees.
Artists play a critical role at MOCA and have served as full voting members of MOCA’s Board of Trustees since the museum’s inception over 40 years ago. Internationally-recognized artist Quarles joins the MOCA Board at an important moment of expansion, joining MOCA’s Board of 39 other voting members, including fellow artist Trustees Mark Bradford, Mark Grotjahn, and Barbara Kruger.
‘I look forward to working with Christina in furtherance of the Museum’s mission as we expand our institution’s reach into the artistic and broader community’ MOCA director Klaus Biesenbach said. ‘Artist representation on our board is an essential part of MOCA’s history and DNA since its founding over 40 years ago. We are thrilled to warmly welcome Christina as a fellow trustee to our board. Christina brings a wealth of experience and a unique point of view, and we all look forward to working together,’ said Maria Seferian, MOCA’s Board Chair.
‘I am so proud and happy to be joining MOCA’s Board at this significant moment, as Los Angeles begins to reopen and we embrace the ever-rising standards of accountability, transparency, and inclusion.’—Christina Quarles
Christina Quarles, Bad Air/Yer Grievances, 2018 © Christina Quarles. The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Purchase with funds provided by the Acquisition and Collection Committee
‘I am so proud and happy to be joining MOCA’s Board at this significant moment, as Los Angeles begins to reopen and we embrace the ever-rising standards of accountability, transparency, and inclusion,’ said Christina Quarles. Quarles’ appointment continues MOCA’s commitment to artist representation on its Board, while Catherine Opie rotates off MOCA’s Board at the end of her term.
Seferian also thanked Opie for her time, noting: ‘On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I want to express my deep gratitude to Cathy for her friendship and invaluable contributions to our board, the museum, and our community. We are very proud of Cathy’s appointment as Chair of the UCLA Department of Art and expect that she will bring the same commitment to inclusion, transparency, and governance to UCLA that she brought to MOCA.’
‘Christina will be an amazing addition to MOCA’s Board, bringing a fresh perspective and new ideas.’—Cathy Opie
During Opie’s tenure on the MOCA Board, she played an active role on the Executive Committee, the Education Committee, Search Committees, and more broadly as a member of the Board of Trustees. Opie will continue serving on MOCA’s Search Committee for the new Executive Director and she will remain engaged for at least one year as a mentor emerita to Quarles on the MOCA Board.
‘Christina will be an amazing addition to MOCA’s Board, bringing a fresh perspective and new ideas,’ said Cathy Opie. ‘Although I must roll off my term on the Board of Trustees, MOCA remains an essential museum in Los Angeles and the world. I have a deep love for MOCA and will continue to support all the important work it does.’ — Christina Quarles’ work is currently featured in a solo exhibition at MCA Chicago and will travel to the Frye Art Museum in 2022.
Her solo exhibition, ‘In Likeness,’ at the South London Gallery is also on view, previously at the Hepworth Wakefield in 2019.
