Westport, CT - MoCA [Museum of Contemporary Art] announces its inaugural MoCA Film Salon on Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11 at the Museum.
The MoCA Film Salon will feature two highly acclaimed documentaries about the art world, including Jay Myself, an intimate behind-the-scenes documentary on the life of photographer and artist Jay Maisel, and The Art of Making It, an examination of the lives of seventeen young artists navigating emerging careers in the contemporary art world.
“We are excited to expand our visual arts programming to showcase these two contemporary and compelling films. The MoCA Film Salon will also provide an opportunity for filmmakers and the audience to engage in a conversation,” stated Ruth Mannes, MoCA Westport’s Executive Director. “This year is the inaugural stage, we hope to grow this programming and hold the event annually,” she added.
The two-day event will run as follows:
Saturday, December 10, 2022 | 3 - 6 PM
Film: Jay Myself
· Directed by Westporter Stephen Wilkes; Produced by Bette Wilkes, Henry Jacobson, and Emma Tammi
· Film screening followed by a conversation with Stephen Wilkes, moderated by Jane Preiser
· Tickets include complimentary light bites. Drinks and cocktails will be available for purchase
Jay Myself documents the monumental move of renowned photographer and artist, Jay Maisel, who, in February 2015 after 48 years, begrudgingly sold his home; the 35,000 square-foot, 100-year-old landmark building in Manhattan known simply as “The Bank.” Through the intimate lens of filmmaker and Jay’s protégé, noted artist and photographer Stephen Wilkes, the viewer is taken on a remarkable journey through Jay’s life as an artist, mentor, and man; a man grappling with time, life, change, and the end of a era in New York City.
Variety noted of the film, “After watching ‘Jay Myself,’ you yourself may begin to see the world in a whole new way, as if you’d woken up to all the images that might have been invisible before, but only because you passed them by.”
Sunday, December 11, 2022 | 3 - 6 PM
Film: The Art of Making It
· Directed by Kelcey Edwards; Produced by Debi Wisch
· Film screening followed by a conversation with Debi Wisch and featured film artist Gisela McDaniel, moderated by Jane Preiser
· Tickets include complimentary light bites. Drinks and cocktails will be available for purchase
Focusing on a diverse group of compelling young artists at pivotal moments in their careers, The Art of Making It explores the forces that thrust some into the stratosphere while leaving others struggling to survive. Who gets seen, who gets left behind, and why does it matter who is anointed to tell the stories of our time? Interweaving the voices of creative luminaries and disruptors, the film is both a cautionary tale about what America stands to lose if we don't rethink what we value and why, and a love letter to those who persevere in their artistic practice in spite of the extraordinary odds of ever achieving commercial success.
Tickets can be purchased for individual screenings ($20) or as a package ($30) for both dates on mocawestport.org; MoCA Members always receive a discount.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to view the Museum’s exhibition, From the Pen to the Knife, featuring the watercolor works of Marian Christy, as part of their experience.
For more information, please contact Liz Leggett, Director of Exhibitions at liz@mocawestport.org, visit mocawestport.org or call 203/222-7070.
The MoCA Film Salon is generously sponsored by Jane and David Preiser.