IAMSOUND joined forces with The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and Smashbox Cosmetics in summer 2012 to present PLAY MOCA, a new multimedia festival bringing together a diverse group of musicians and artists at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. A celebration of the cultural vitality and diversity of the city of Los Angeles, PLAY MOCA attracted 5000 plus visitors to the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA over the course of the three events on July 27, August 17, and August 24, 2012. The limited RSVP slots were claimed in less than two hours for each event, and the museum increased event capacity to meet the high demand.
The three nights of art and music brought together some of the music world’s most exciting new performers paired with contemporary artists from dance, fashion, multimedia and theatrical backgrounds. The events featured live performances by Active Child, Cults, IO ECHO, Lord Huron, Salem, and Zola Jesus; DJ sets by Ariel Pink, HEALTH, and Victoria Bergsman (Taken by Trees); short films by Drew Barrymore, Emmett Malloy; and a collaboration between L.A. Dance Project / Benjamin Millepied and Rodarte. The courtyard was transformed with an installation by L.A.-based design duo COCO, who suspended 400 large white balloons from the Frank-Gehry-designed canopy to serve as a three-dimensional screen for projected images. The event series attracted new audiences to the current exhibitions, Ends of the Earth: Land Art to 1974 and Cai Guo-Qiang: Sky Ladder. Media sponsors included KCRW and For Your Art.
July 27th
PERFORMANCES BY – SALEM AND IO ECHO
VISUALS – DREW BARRYMORE
DJ – HEALTH
August 17th
PERFORMANCES BY – ZOLA JESUS AND ACTIVE CHILD
VISUALS – L.A. DANCE PROJECT / BENJAMIN MILLEPIED AND RODARTE
DJ – ARIEL PINK
August 24th
PERFORMANCES BY – CULTS AND LORD HURON
VISUALS – EMMETT MALLOY
DJ – VICTORIA BERGSMAN (TAKEN BY TREES)
PLAY MOCA is curated by IAMSOUND and IO ECHO and sponsored by Smashbox Cosmetics.
