MCASD Unveils ‘New on View: Memories of an American Past’
The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has launched a captivating new installation that brings powerful stories of memory, identity, and politics into sharp focus. New on View: Memories of an American Past draws from the museum’s own permanent collection, curated with a thematic lens by Executive Director Kathryn Kanjo.
The exhibition features major works by Vito Acconci and Gary Simmons, alongside compelling contributions from Amy Adler, Sadie Barnette, Terry Allen, Allan Sekula, Rafael Canogar, and William E. Jones.
Interactive Symbols and the Architecture of Power
Vito Acconci’s Instant House is a kinetic sculpture that blends childhood nostalgia with political symbolism. U.S. and Soviet flags are stitched into the walls of a house-like structure that rises or falls depending on a visitor’s swing—literally putting the tension of Cold War ideologies in motion.
The piece, shown recently at The Broad in LA, is now making its debut in San Diego.
Erased Histories, Remembered Truths
Gary Simmons’ Gazebo, a ghostly chalk drawing partially smudged into abstraction, explores how race and exclusion have been woven into the fabric of American spaces.
Paired with Sadie Barnette’s glitter-splashed FBI files and Terry Allen’s intimate tribute to Vietnam veterans, these works challenge us to reconsider how public narratives are shaped—and who gets to tell them.
A Collective Memory Reconstructed
Each piece in the exhibition reflects on the messiness of history—Adler’s playground portrait feels as eerie as it is beautiful, while Sekula’s photo sequence captures workers in mid-step, balancing the demands of labor and life.
From lithographs to mixed media, the show is a layered meditation on memory, protest, visibility, and change.
See you there!
See New on View: Memories of an American Past and discover how powerful, personal, and political contemporary art can be—only at MCASD, where every visit sparks new perspectives.
📅 Open Thursday–Tuesday, 10 AM–5 PM
📍 700 Prospect St, La Jolla
ℹ️ More info here
See you there, San Diego!
