Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art

A very nice museum on the west side of the city. There is a lot to see/​explore at this museum but it doesn’t take much time to see everything (and I actually took my time). The museum itself is free so if you are looking for a free activity, this is a great idea!

A great venue to find something unique. Always a must see on First Friday’s. The variety and depth of the art is always interesting. Artist use various mediums to represent their projects. Some of the multi media usage is very interesting.

What. Is. Art? How do I write this review? Do I base it off the walls, or the object of love and labor gently hanging from them? Are the wooden floors and track lighting what make this place contemporary? Or the fact that it is a modern hipster hangout next to one of my favorite breakfast places…
As for the work, I can’t say I am much of a fan. The exhibits are interesting… but I will keep my political opinions to myself and spare you a rant. As for the space it is open, stark white, and intriguing.
I would love to see more urban art (graffiti, metal work, trash/​junk art, upcycling, American experience photography, etc) and definitely more urban contemporary artists — including my older brother Christopher (not his street name), among others. Get crazy with it. Get more minority artists beaming on every meaning of the word contemporary…
I just about favor the Artistry over this place.
What to try: First Friday… let me know when you go.
How to make Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art Healthy: Maintain and open mind.

I like weird shit. And in the case of iMOCA, weird shit is present. Like a hot tub filled with bikini’d folk in the middle of a First Friday open gallery neighbored by a room with neon yarn and a projected 80s film. Indy has plenty of room for more weird.
I’ll try not to rattle on about the things that other reviews have already covered like the small size, location and fun installations that make for a great stop along the First Friday mosey in Fountain Square.
Food for thought: It’d be neat to see more of iMOCA’s presence spread onto the sidewalk with guerrilla style art — especially during First Fridays. Aka weird on the streets.

This museum is very small. It just about two rooms with a back room where they have a film installment. I came here with a friend and it was not crowded at all, which I appreciated. I am not sure how often they have new exhibitions/​installments but I look forward to my next visit. The location is great to because there are great options for grabbing a bite afterwards. Parking I believe is limited to street parking but if you drive around, you can park in the lot by the police department/​dollar general.

If you’re in Fountain Square for first Friday, chances are you’ve stopped in iMOCA or walked past, not realizing it was open. It’s located next door to Red Lion Grog House in the Murphy Arts Building, accessible from both the front and back. I’ve missed many a great exhibit doing just that, specifically The White Album project, featuring artist, Ruther­ford Chang that received rave reviews and kicked myself for not going sooner.
Led by Executive Director, Shauta Marsh, this non profit focuses increasing the understanding and appreciation of the significance of artistic contemporary culture in the city of Indianapolis.
With Halloween just days away, I was taking a date to their feature: ‘A Taste of Jean Rollin’, a collection of three 1970′s European sex and horror cinema.
. I figured I’d either scare him to death or we’d end the night reenacting scenes together.
There was a small group of people in the casual seating screening room. The mood was exciting and playful as we were exposed to racy scenes of nude vampire goddessess through the use of ancient effects and technology, highlighting the skill possessed by the legendary filmmaker.
Three films for a $ 5 suggested donation was a deal for this experience. The band playing next door at Red Lion (or was it upstairs in Joyful Noise?) was a bit distracting, but nothing some sound proof foam on the ceiling can’t resolve.
The Living Dead Girl, 89 minutes
A toxic spill revives a beautiful, dead heiress who, with the help of her childhood friend, must quench her insatiable thirst for blood.
The Iron Rose, 80 minutes
A young couple out for a walk decide to take a stroll through a large cemetery. As darkness begins to fall they realize they can’t find their way out, and soon their fears begin to overtake them.
We made it through the first and most of the second feature before the desire to bite one another overtook us. Well played iMOCA!

They have some pretty nice exhibits, and it’s usually fun on First Fridays. It’s a small place, and it’s free.

Small gallery on the first floor of the Murphy Building. I wish their hours were a little longer, but I’m sure longer hours would present definite staffing challenges. The exhibits change frequently, in the past I went to Post Secret here, and an exhibit featuring fake foods (made of plastic). Right now (¹²⁄₁₁) there is a giant «hidden picture» painting in the back room where the hidden things are… ahem…“things”, and some very cool prints, sculptures, photographs, and multi-​media displays from Efroymson Fellows (? I think they’re fellows). If you’re going to Red Lion Grog House check out the gallery beforehand. Swing by on a First Friday. Stop in as you’re leaving IndySwank or Joe’s Cycles. It will take only a little of your time but the art is certainly interesting and the space is bright and welcoming. There is a front door which faces the street and also a back door which is shared with Red Lion and the rest of the Murphy Building… it opens up onto a parking lot.

I make it down to iMOCA just around once a month or once every other month for First Friday. If you haven’t had the pleasure of spending a Friday night out on the town in funky old Fountain Square, you absolutely, positively must! First Friday of every month, iMOCA, as well as almost every gallery within the Murphy building are open to the public. Make sure to stop in at every room and take in all of the different styles of art! Every month is sure to surprise you and make you wish you had a bit of, oh, an extra few hundred dollars lying around to buy some beautiful, captivating local art! There is some REAL talent in there! Not to mention how twisty and turny the Murphy is, you can sometimes picture yourself involved in some kind of performance art piece at times, or at least that’s how I see it when I stand back *here.*

Somehow, no one knows about this little treasure of a museum tucked away on Senate Avenue. Just a few small rooms inside of a larger stone building, the very urban-​feeling iMOCA hosts some truly interesting exhibitions. This summer saw an exhibition by Chakaia Booker featuring a series of beautiful, elegant sculptures made of old tires. Many of the works, which reflect the city’s racing history, are now installed around Indianapolis. The most recent exhibit of Italian graphic design and prints closed only yesterday, November 1^st. Check the website for updates, as a new exhibit should be up soon.
The museum also offers «iMOCA 101,» a topics-​oriented art appreciation class held from 5:30 — 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month. The classes are led by a university professor and are intended to «educate the public on contemporary art trends of today.» They are free to the public, as is the museum itself.
iMOCA is most definitely worth a visit! You’re sure to catch some edgier art than what you can find at the IMA.