NEWS: Aaron Moulton to Depart Utah Museum of Contemporary Art in July

Salt Lake City, UT – Senior Curator Aaron Moulton will be moving on from his position at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) to pursue further opportunities in the field. Moulton’s work to create awareness as well as exporting a context for Utahn contemporary art has been at the forefront of his practice. During his time at the institution he conceived and executed twenty original exhibitions that have further made the museum a recognized leader in the industry both nationally and internationally. He has also put local, national and international artists in dialogue together which has offered a visual network and helped visibility of local artists such as Adam Bateman, Jason Metcalf and Amy Jorgensen.

Regarding this upcoming change, Interim Director, Maggie Willis says, “Aaron has been one of the driving forces behind UMOCA’s success in the international art scene, and he has also been a huge supporter of our local artist population by including them in exhibitions alongside international contemporary superstars. His ability to form partnerships with local organizations has been extremely important in developing a stronger art community; we hope to continue these relationships long into the future.  We wish Aaron the best in his future endeavors, and will miss him dearly.  We were very fortunate to have been able to work alongside such a creative and clever individual.” 

During his tenure at UMOCA, Moulton curated important exhibitions including “Battleground States” which referenced the space beyond gender duality. The exhibition included several generations of artists whose work addresses LGBT politics, sexuality and aesthetics such as Jack Smith, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, AA Bronson, Heather Cassils, Carlos Motta, and others alongside the likes of Matthew Barney, Shirin Neshat and Absalon. The recent exhibition “Analogital” explored the transitional space between analogue and digital including today’s premiere generation of artists concerned with the topic including Oliver Laric, Cory Arcangel, Jordon Wolfson, and Jennifer West. In his book Beyond New Media Art, art historian Domenico Quaranta referred to the exhibition as a step forward in how museums tactically address the evolutions occurring in new media art. Other highlights from Moulton’s programming include the first museum exhibitions of artists like Alex Israel and Ana Prvacki as well as the US museum premiere of Christian Jankowski’s Casting Jesus.

Reflecting on his time at UMOCA, Moulton states, “I have appreciated the enormous opportunities this organization has offered. My time here has been incredibly productive. Utah and the museum will forever hold a special place in the work I do.”

While UMOCA transitions to a new Senior Curator of Exhibitions, Assistant Curator Rebecca Maksym will carry out future programming set in motion by Moulton. “Becca has been an incredible colleague and sounding board in my work here” says Moulton. “Her interests in contemporary art were synchronized with my own and we both have an affinity for problem-solving issues of content and display. I feel very confident in her ability to continue the work we’re doing here.”

Currently featured in the Main Gallery at UMOCA is the inaugural Utah Biennial entitled “Mondo Utah,” which establishes a tradition that will continuously update Utah’s regional languages of art-making. The first edition encyclopedically delves into the nature of folklore as a material for cultural production whilst highlighting the touchstones that are intrinsically rooted in Utah. The biennial is a homecoming for lost mythologies within the art history here ranging from Chris Burden to radical architect Gianni Pettena as well as presenting an early project by Utah’s own estranged but world famous contemporary artist Paul McCarthy.

Upcoming exhibitions for 2014 include a survey of cult filmmaker Trent Harris and a large-scale group exhibition looking at Danish migration in Utah.

About UMOCA
The award-winning Utah Museum of Contemporary Art exhibits groundbreaking artwork by local, national, and international artists. Four gallery spaces provide an opportunity for the community to explore the contemporary cultural landscape through UMOCA’s exhibitions, films, events, classes, and presentations.

Founded in 1931, the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art has been recognized as Best Museum in the State of Utah for 2011, 2012 and 2013 and is a four-time recipient of funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation.

Located at 20 S. West Temple; open Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is free. For more information call (801) 328-4201 or visit www.utahmoca.org.