Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA)

Lewis Alquist’s sculptures reflect upon the evolution of technology and reject the difference between humans and machines, humans and nature, and nature and machines. He strives to make the invisible more visible through the use of kinetic energy and by juxtaposing thought and matter. In this work, an emu egg is bombarded by radioactive emissions from the uranium glaze on a vintage dinner plate. The plate sits atop a Geiger counter, which crackles as it measures thousands of particle counts per minute.

Alquist’s sculpture “Sleeping Mutation for Constantine Brancusi” is on view in our current exhibition “Brains and Beauty: At the Intersection of Art and Neuroscience.”

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Lewis Alquist, Sleeping Mutation for Constantine Brancusi, 1990. Emu egg, radioactive dinner plate, geiger counter. Gift of the artist.

🌟 Celebrate SMoCA's Fall Opening! 🌟

Join us on Friday, Sept. 20 for an exciting evening of art, music, and community as we share our newest exhibitions: "Exploding Native Inevitable," "Brains and Beauty: At the Intersection of Art and Neuroscience," "Cybele Lyle: Floating Seeds Make Deep Forms," and "poetics of dissonance."

Enjoy tunes by Miss Mixx in her Desert Disco Boxx, sip on cocktails from the cash bar, and grab a bite from a local food truck to keep you fueled for the fun. RSVP for free and be part of an unforgettable night! 🎉

Visit sarts.co/fallopening to save your spot!

Fall Opening Celebration Join us for the opening of SMoCA’s newest exhibitions while enjoying music by Miss Mixx in her Desert Disco Boxx, drinks from our cash bar, and light bites by a local food truck.

✨ Elevate your senses at Glow Up @ SMoCA: Sound Bath ✨

Join us on Thursday, September 5, for a transformative evening as you immerse yourself in the soothing vibrations of a sound bath, guided by Melinda Milton.

This experience will leave you refreshed, relaxed, and glowing from within!

Visit https://sarts.co/3AACKnk to learn more and reserve your spot✨

Glow Up @SMoCA: Sound Bath Refresh your aura with a cozy and relaxing sound bath experience in SMoCA.

We have an exciting new opportunity for our arts lovers ages 13 to 18! Join our first ever Scottsdale Arts Youth Council. This group will work alongside Scottsdale Arts to develop and promote events that are specifically designed to engage youth in the arts. You can learn more and apply at https://sarts.co/4fAJ9Pf. Applications due Aug. 26.

If you know someone that would be a great addition to our council share this Facebook post with them!

SMoCA will be closed August 7-9 to accommodate the installation of two new exhibitions opening Saturday, Aug. 10.

If you’re a Scottsdale Arts ONE Member, don’t forget to RSVP to our Member Preview Hours to be the first to view the newest exhibitions. RSVP at SMoCA.org!
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Image: Installation view of “Carolina Aranibar-Fernández: Oleaje” Photo by Gabby Usinger.

SMoCA is pleased to participate in Philanthropy Factory, a new initiative organized by The Andy Warhol Foundation that provides an opportunity for recent grantees to benefit from the sale of Warhol works from the Foundation’s collection. A selection of Warhol works are now available for immediate purchase on a first-come first-serve basis for a limited time on the Foundation’s eBay for Charity platform. Proceeds from the sale of designated works will go directly to SMoCA. With this carefully chosen selection of Polaroids, black and white photographs, prints, printed materials, and vintage posters, Philanthropy Factory celebrates Warhol’s philanthropy legacy and the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to arts organizations that bolster artists and nourish creativity. Works sold to benefit SMoCA can be found by visiting the following link
bit.ly/4ddw90m.

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Image 1: Andy Warhol, “Wrapping Paper,” 1959. Offset lithograph on paper. 29 X 23 in. Priced at $2,880. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Image 2: Andy Warhol, “Ali, Neiman and Andy Warhol, L.A.I.C.A,” 1981. Poster. 35 X 21.5 in. Priced at $500. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Image 3: Andy Warhol, “Cow,” 1971. Screenprint on wallpaper. 45.5 X 29.75 in. Priced at $20,000. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Image 4: Andy Warhol, “Willie Shoemaker,” 1981. Poster. 35 X 21.5 in. Priced at $250. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

“I think of art as a language, a means through which I can engage with weighty, often unsolvable topics as a way to contribute to the discussion. It’s vital to me to contribute to these discussions, particularly through art, a medium capable of reaching such diverse audiences. Acknowledging the inherent complexity of these issues underscores the profound impact our actions have on the planet and all its inhabitants...” -Carolina Aranibar-Fernández

“Carolina Aranibar-Fernández: Oleaje” is on view through Sunday, August 4!

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Installation view of “Sembrando,” 2023-2024. Photo by Gabby Usinger

We're looking for a Curatorial Intern for the fall season!

If you're passionate about the arts, want to immerse yourself in creativity, and gain experience in career avenues the arts can provide, apply and join us! Hours are flexible, and you'll receive credits and compensation for your experience with us.

Learn more and apply at sarts.co/applyscottsdalearts ✨

Join us at SMoCA for pay-what-you-wish days, July 24 – Aug 23 ☀️

A few of our galleries are in transition as we install new exhibitions for the fall! During this time enjoy pay-what-you-wish admission.

Help us celebrate Scottsdale's newest temporary public artworks at a special event on Aug. 1 at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA)! Artists Nicole Davy, Zach Valent, and Shela Yu will discuss the inspiration, design, and technical aspects of their respective artworks, all of which were installed this spring in various locations throughout south Scottsdale. Learn more: https://sarts.co/3V2Xzyf

Image: Installation of "Desert Bloom" by Nicole Davy

For 25 years, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) has been a hub of creativity, connecting art lovers with powerful conversations. Donate $50 to support the next 25 years and receive a commemorative magnet as a thank you! Donate today at https://sarts.co/481jGKf.

🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA)!
For 25 years, SMoCA has been a creative hub, connecting art lovers with powerful conversations. Donate $50 to support the next 25+ years of art and receive a commemorative magnet! Donate today at https://sarts.co/481jGKf.

🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA)!
For the past 25 years, it has been a hub of creativity and artistic community. From local talent to international artists, we've connected art lovers with powerful and relevant conversations. Make a gift of $50 today in recognition of the past 25 years of artful impact and to support the next 25+ years of inspiring and empowering artists, and you will receive a commemorative magnet as a thank you! Donate today at https://sarts.co/481jGKf.

Image: Charles Darr.

Join us for SMoCA's celebration of "Roadside Attraction: Challenging Reality Now," a dynamic, alternative art exhibition organized by ArtFarm PHX that encourages outdoor accessibility to artworks throughout the valley!

This Thursday, May 23, enjoy a FREE, one-night-only event bringing together an array of artists to showcase their work through performances and video screenings.

Visit https://sarts.co/3WLTwJa or click the link below to learn more about the event and performances!

See you there✨
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Image: Methods of Madness Dance Theatre – Halley Willcox. Photo by Rick Meinecke

Roadside Attraction Performance + Video Night Join SMoCA for an unforgettable evening of performances and video screenings with Roadside Attraction: Challenging Reality Now. This one-night-only event brings together an array of artists and…

The cooler days of autumn may be a distant daydream, but we’re already doing that dreaming for you. On May 1, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts announced its season preview for 2024–25, and Scottsdale Arts ONE Members received access to priority seating or early ticket-buying.

ONE Membership means Scottsdale Arts is your one-stop spot for all the arts, including unlimited free admission to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), where you can escape the heat between now and those fun fall shows. Learn more at https://sarts.co/2Eb00Ii.

Membership Never before has an arts organization in this region been able to offer you so much in a One Membership arts package. Discover the benefits today!

A new exhibition featuring art by students in Scottsdale Arts’ Visions program is now on view at the Center Space gallery inside Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. This year’s exhibition is particularly noteworthy as the program celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. More than 1,000 students have participated in the program, including Lauren R. O’Connell, now curator of contemporary art at SMoCA. Learn more about Lauren and the Visions program from Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation's Spark blog: https://sarts.co/4ao1Xh1

Image: Lauren R. O'Connell leads Visions students on a tour of the exhibition "Forever Becoming: Young Phoenix Artists." Photo: Betty L Hum Photography.

☀️ Kick off summer the right way by joining us for Summer Break at SMoCA on Friday, June 14!

Enjoy a packed evening featuring a live performance by the band Zara, exciting activities, a silent disco, and more 😎

This is a pay-what-you-wish event! See you there ✨

Visit https://sarts.co/3WGu4EH or click the link below to learn more.
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Image by Charles Darr.

Summer Break @SMoCA Join us at SMoCA for Summer Break—a fun-filled evening, featuring a performance by the band Zara, fun activities, and a silent disco.

Frank DeCurtis, SMoCA exhibitions manager, helps Visions student Mari Escobar Espinoza, of Tempe High School, install Espinoza's artwork "Lurking About" for the "Visions '24" exhibition at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. The exhibition, celebrating 25 years of the program that started shortly after SMoCA opened, will have an opening reception at 5 p.m. Friday. Learn more: https://sarts.co/3TpdZkR

Another hot Arizona summer is just around the corner—a time of year that’s perfect for visiting the crisp corridors of an art museum. With a Scottsdale Arts ONE Membership, you get unlimited free admission to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA)!

That is just one of the many benefits of a ONE Membership. We gave it that name because Scottsdale Arts is your one-stop spot for all the arts, including performances and events at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and Civic Center LIVE. Learn more at https://sarts.co/2Eb00Ii.

Photo: Charles Darr

If you missed your chance to solve the Museum's mystery, don't worry!

Join us for an encore presentation of Mystery in the Museum on Friday, May 31, and follow the clues to help Phoebe find her way home after accidentally walking through a time portal! Grab a partner or assemble your team and put your detective caps on 🔍 ✨

Click the link below or visit https://sarts.co/43DRQCZ to save your spot!

Mystery in the Museum: Encore Presentation It’s time to put on your detective caps to crack the puzzles Phoebe has left behind throughout the Museum and piece together all the clues to solve this mystery.

To commemorate International Sculpture Day, we are joining in highlighting an inaugural piece from our collection “Bubble Gum Chair #3” by The Art Guys.

The Art Guys present a blend of conceptual and visual art that explores the absurdities of contemporary life and pokes fun at the attitudes of the art world. “Bubble Gum Chair #3” was part of “The Art Guys: Kit and Caboodle,” the inaugural exhibition at SMoCA in 1999. The work consisted of a plain wooden chair with a gumball machine placed adjacent to it. Visitors were encouraged to purchase a gumball, chew it while viewing the exhibition, then adhere it to the chair upon leaving. This chair is the result of the audience’s interaction over the course of the exhibition. Their work is designed to engage, amuse, and challenge viewers through a playful sense of humor. The lighthearted pair considered the longevity and the specificity of art in this piece. What will the chair look like in the future? Will all the gum fall off? Will only a few pieces come unstuck? What will become of this chair?


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The Art Guys, Bubble Gum Chair #3, 1999. Chewing gum affixed to wood chair. 53 in. x 30 in. x 30 in.
Gift of the artists.

✨ Tomorrow ✨

Get ready for a refreshing, gentle yoga practice led by Melinda Milton inside of Dorothy Fratt's "Color Mirage."

This session is open to all levels and encourages mindfulness and self-awareness through gentle movement and breath work. Take a moment for yourself; you deserve it!

Wear something comfortable, and make sure to bring your yoga mat. Tickets remain! Visit https://sarts.co/3xCoDMA to sign up 🕊️

🌱 Tomorrow 🌱

Join this fascinating artist conversation featuring artists Carolina Aranibar-Fernández and Gloria Martinez Granados in collaboration with Borderlands Restoration Network 🦋

Explore the importance of materiality in their art and how art can be intertwined with global concerns to create a holistic story about humans and the environment.

You'll also learn about native plant conservation efforts and participate in a seed-sowing activity led by Perin McNelis of the Borderlands Restoration Network!

Your attendance will support a milkweed propagation project to enhance monarch butterfly habitats and other at-risk pollinators.

Visit https://sarts.co/3VmgVjH to learn more and pay-what-you-wish. You don't want to miss this enriching conversation and workshop!

Earth Connections: Artist Conversation and Workshop Join us for a unique artist conversation and workshop featuring artists Carolina Aranibar-Fernández and Gloria Martinez Granados in collaboration with Borderlands Restoration Network.

Relax and unwind your mind through gentle movement, breath work, and meditation inside of SMoCA with Melissa Milton Thursday, April 25 🕊️

This yoga practice is open to all levels, so take a moment for yourself - you deserve it!

Please wear something comfortable to move in, and bring a yoga mat. Tickets are limited for this intimate experience, so reserve your spot now ✨

Visit sarts.co/3xCoDMA to learn more and sign up!

Glow Up @SMoCA: Gentle Yoga Go with the flow and relax in this gentle yoga class, led by Melinda Milton inside the exhibition Dorothy Fratt: Color Mirage.