PEEKSKILL, NY.- The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, a community art space founded 15 years ago, is now Hudson Valley MOCA, with its new name and brand identity reflecting an expanded mission to bring world-class art and ideas to the Hudson Valley region.

“The new iconic brand identity captures the dynamism of the institution, it represents the never-ending flow of people and their ideas that passes through its door,” comments Ken Tan, Creative Director and board member. “Using a fluid, modern design, we are looking forward into future expansions.”

To inaugurate its new name, Hudson Valley MOCA presents Death Is Irrelevant: Figurative Sculpture from the Marc and Livia Straus Collection, an exhibition exploring the human condition through representation of the human body.

“We are marking 15 years of sharing contemporary art with our neighbors in Peekskill and nearby communities by expanding our reach and our programs,” says Executive Director Effie Phillips-Staley. “Our renewed mission is to be a leading center for discovery of emerging contemporary art for communities and schools in the Hudson Valley.”

The board of directors and executive director of Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art have been planning this name change to compliment other major strategy developments, including the expansion of community engagement and education programming for visitors of all ages and abilities. Hudson Valley MOCA’s new name represents the center’s commitment to being an inviting, inclusive space for challenging ideas, stimulating dialogue, and community engagement with local, regional, and international contemporary art.

The name change to Hudson Valley MOCA also marks an expansion of exhibitions to include important international works from the Straus Family Collection.

“Since opening in Peekskill in 2004 we have consistently exhibited new works by leading contemporary artists at the genesis of their careers,” said Phillips-Staley. “Now the Straus Family has given Hudson Valley MOCA access to the breadth of its extensive private collection which includes the canon of late 20th century art alongside newer artists of emerging significance. We are delighted to share these important works of art with communities in Peekskill and the Hudson Valley.”

The exhibition Death Is Irrelevant, which opened on October 13, 2018, launches the next phase of Hudson Valley MOCA’s growth, representing the first of a series of exhibitions curated from the Straus Family collection. Featuring contemporary figurative sculptures by 26 artists from 17 countries, Death Is Irrelevant examines how artists consider and represent existence. On view are major works by internationally regarded artists including Damien Hirst, Kiki Smith, and Nicole Eisenman.