CORA Foundation is supporting The Museum of Contempory Art – Connecticut, (MoCA\CT) as it opens “Looking for History” – a multidisciplinary exhibition and public humanities initiative that uses contemporary art as a catalyst for dialogue about history, preservation, identity, and the places that shape our communities.
Featuring nationally recognized artists Ellen Harvey, Rick Shaefer, and Michael Borders, the project invites audiences to examine how landscapes, monuments, industry, and cultural memory continue to influence our understanding of the past while inspiring conversations about the future.
Accompanying the exhibitions are a series of events which aim to explore the topics in each of the exhibitions, open up conversation and delve into new perspectives.
CORA Foundation has supported MoCA\CT with an Impact Grant to present a series of open access, public conversations that expand the exhibition into the community.
The program convenes artists, historians, architects, preservationists, civic leaders, educators, students, and community members to explore how art can foster dialogue across generations and perspectives.
The Award facilitated an opening experience entitled “Architectural Elegy: A Mourning Ritual for Lost Spaces” which “expands the definition of preservation beyond buildings and objects to include ideas, systems of belief, and collective imagination”.
There will then follow, three artist-centered public conversations examining preservation, memory, labor, technology, and future identity – each one linked to the featured artists in the exhibitions.
A core component of CORA’s mission is convening around arts and culture. “Looking for History” demonstrates how contemporary art can become a powerful platform for cultural exchange, civic engagement, and public dialogue.
Through these community conversations, visitors are invited to explore themes of memory, preservation, changing landscapes, and collective identity – directly with the artists.
This project recognises the ability to connect artistic practice with meaningful civic conversation. By bringing together diverse voices, it creates opportunities for dialogue, mutual understanding, and collective reflection on issues that matter to communities.
The initiative also demonstrates how museums can serve as welcoming spaces for dialogue, curiosity, and cultural understanding.
MoCA\CT, in a similar way to CORA, believes that preserving history is not simply about protecting the past – it is about creating opportunities for communities to learn from one another, strengthen civic engagement, and imagine a more inclusive future through the arts.
Scott Trowbridge
Foundation Source
55 Walls Drive, 3rd floor
Fairfield, CT 06824
Phone: 800-839-1754
Direct: 203-319-3785
