The ICA at Maine College of Art is free and open to the public Wednesday - Sunday 11am-5pm, Thursday 11am-7pm, and First Fridays 11am-8pm.

Tinderbox 

Trina May Smith, Tyanna Buie, Martine Kaczynski, Adam Manley, Hi Tiger
Opening Reception, January 15, 6:00–9:00pm
January 11–March 5, 2016

Special Event: January 29, 2016

The Abyssinian Meeting House a non-for-profit organization, will gather within the Public Aggregation Space of the exhibition for a special event and discourse on Friday January 29th. Built in 1828, the Abyssinian Meeting House is a modest house of worship with great historic significance to the people in Maine. Serving as a school for African-American children, community center, and a stop on the Underground Railroad, the Abyssinian is the third oldest-standing African-American meeting house in the United States.

We Are What We Hide

June 2013 - June 2016

This exhibition’s inherent relationship between secrecy and disclosure requires all selected works to be buried in the walls of the gallery.  Every six months, beginning in June 2013, another work will be unearthed from within the gallery walls.  Each unveiled work will then be on view until the conclusion of the exhibition in March 2016.  This long running exhibition will be ongoing in the gallery and shown concurrently with other, more temporary, exhibitions throughout its three-year run

Featuring works by: Rick Araluce, Brendan Fernandes, Ethan Hayes-Chute, Catrin Morgan, Amalia Pica, and Ruby Sky Stiler. 

Co-curated by Robert Blackson, director of exhibitions and public programs at Temple Contemporary, and Daniel Fuller, Curator at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center.
 

2015

• Razzle Dazzle Sis Boom Bah : January 21–April 5, 2015
• East to East : June 5-July 3, 2015
• The Sound Closet
• Thomas Moser "Legacy in Wood": July 22–September 20, 2015

2014

• Project _ : August 21 - October 12, 2014
• The Wrong Kind of Bars: August 21 - October 12, 2014
• Rehearsal Space: Dance and Conversation:June 11 - August 3, 2014
• 2014 MFA Thesis Exhibition: May 9 - June 1, 2014
• Bryan Graf: Moving Across the Interior: January 22- April 6, 2014
• Idea of North: February 22, 2014

2013

• 2013 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition: November 7 - December 22, 2013
• Allan Kaprow: How To Make A Happening: November 7 - December 22, 2013
• ARDOR: 2013 Alumni Biennial Juried Exhibition: August 24 - October 13, 2013
• Kate Gilmore: June 3 -August 4, 2013
• Alex Da Corte: Fun Sponge: June 3 - August 4, 2013
• Dan DenDanto and Frank DenDanto: Bump: January 23- April 7, 2013
• Ander Mikalson: A Score for Two Dinosaurs: January 23- April 7, 2013
• The Peninsula School: January 23- April 7, 2013

• The World Over: 2012 MECA Faculty Exhibition:  November 7 - December 22, 2012
• Megawords: August 16 - October 6, 2012
• Lisi Raskin + Kimberely Kay: MotorPark: June 13 - October 6, 2012
• Bridgman & Packer: October 5 - 6th
• The Art Department: Lazer Hotel: June 13 - August 5, 2012
• Francis Cape: Utopian Benches: June 13 - August 5, 2012
• 2012 MFA Thesis Exhibition: May 10 - June 2, 2012
• Consumption: April 17 - 19, 2012
• Access to Tools: Publications from the Whole Earth Catalog, 1968 - 1974: January 25 - April 8, 2012
• Michael Bell-Smith: January 25 - April 8, 2012

2011

• A Perpetual Present: 2011 MECA Faculty Selects Exhibition: November 16 - December 23, 2011
• Time-Lag Records Listening Room: October 12 -26, 2011
• Miguel Calderón: Inverted Star / Poseídos: October 12 -26, 2011
• Rally: 2011 Maine College of Art Alumni Exhibition: August 24 - October 9, 2011
• Speak More Clearly: August 24 - October 9, 2011
• Drawn to Disaster: June 22 - August 7, 2011
• Project Space Videos: June 22 – Sunday, August 7, 2011
• 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition: May 14 - June 12, 2011
• Lili Reynaud-Dewar: Cléda's Chairs: April 26-29, 2011
• FOREST: April 19-23, 2011
• Fracturing the Burning Glass: Between Mirror and Meaning: January 26 - April 10 , 2011
• ICA Collaboration with the Portland Pirates: March 1-6, 2011

2010

• 2010 Faculty Exhibition: Vivaria Particula: November 17, 2010 - January 9, 2011 
• Mind Bending with the Mundane: September 1 - October 17, 2010
• A Meticulous Ferment: June 23 - August 15, 2010
• MFA Thesis Exhibition: May 7 - June 6, 2010
• Exchange: January 20 - April 11, 2010

2009

• Archaeology Above Ground: November 18 - December 20, 2009
• aggregate: September 2 - October 18, 2009
• Magnify: June 24-August 16, 2009
• 2009 MFA Thesis: May 9 - June 7, 2009
• MANIFOLD (Index): March 25 - April 24, 2009
  Selected highlights from BFA Thesis Exhibition presented at the ICA
• TWILIGHT: January 21 - March 8, 2009
  Jim Campbell, Megan Greene, Kim Keever, Bennett Morris

2008

• Out There: The Mediated Landscape: November 19 to December 21, 2008
  Christina Bechstein, Phillip Brou, George LaRou, and Gail Spaien
• Ruminant: August 27 – October 19, 2008
  Adriane Herman, Ling-Wen Tsai, Yumi Janairo Roth, Yoonmi Nam
• Send: Conversations in Evolving Media: June 11 – August 10, 2008
  Meggan Gould, Alex Kahn, Jason Lewis, Carlo Pittore, and YOUNG-HAE CHANG HEAVY INDUSTRIES
• 2008 MFA Thesis Exhibtion: May 10-24, 2008
• 2008 Senior Index Exhibition: April 2 – April 27, 2008
• 2008 Winter Exhition Series: January 25 – March 16, 2008
  Revisioning Portland; Arthur Ganson: Machines Contemplating Time; and Lisa Young: Transcendence and Temporality

2007

• 2007 Faculty Exhibition: November 16, 2007 - Jan 6, 2008
• intervals: MFA Alumni Exhibtion: October 12 - 27, 2007
• Maine College of Art 33rd annual Art Auction: November 9, 2007
• Anthromorph Alumni Exhibtion: August 29 to October 7, 2007
• Corridor at Sea: The Performative Object: June 15 to August 19, 2007
• Maine College of Art MFA Thesis Exhibtion 2007: May 12 to 25, 2007
• 2007 BFA Senior Thesis Exhibtion: May 12 to 29, 2007

2006

• Robert Indiana and MECA Prints
• From Baja to Bar Harbor: Transnational Contemporary Art
• The Body Eclectic: Selections from the RBC Dain Rauscher Collection
• 2006 Faculty Exhibition

2005

• Michael Queenland: Photographs, Sculptures and Shaker Classics
• 2005 MFA in Studio Arts Faculty Exhibition
• 2005 Senior Thesis Index
• Back From Nature:  The Sportsman Redux     
• 2005 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition     
• 2005 Regional Scholastic Art Awards

2004

• Living Green: Examining Sustainability
• MECA Art Auction                                                  
• Wenda Gu: Middle Kingdom to Biological Millennium
• 2004 Senior Thesis Exhibitions
• Curators' Intuition                                     
• 2004 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition
• 2004 Regional Scholastic Art Awards                                     

2003

• MECA Alumni Exhibition                                                
• Art Auction                                                  
• Skowhegan Faculty 2002-03                              
• Senior Thesis Exhibition 2003                                                     
• Sebastiao Salgado: Migrations-Humanity in Transition
• 2003 Scholastic Art Awards      
• 2003 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition                                                   

2002

• MECA Art Auction                                                  
• William Pope.L: eRacism
• Playground                                                
• 2002 Senior Thesis Exhibition                          
• Terrain: Sculpture Today                              
• 2002 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition     
• 2002 Scholastic Art Awards                                                    

2001

• Maine Contemporary Furniture                          
• MECA Art Auction                                   
• Two Photographers
• 2001 Maine College of Art MFA Faculty Exhibition
  Katarina Weslien, Krzysztof Wodiczko, Ulf Rolloff
• Domestic Culture: home in visual culture
• 2001 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition     
• DAY WITH(OUT) Art                                          

2000

• MECA Art Auction                              
• Translation/Seduction/Displacement
• Robert Farber: A Retrospective, 1984-1995
• Senior Thesis Exhibition 2000                         
• Beyond Decorum: The Photography of Iké Udé
• Scholastic Art Awards                                            
• Congressional Art Awards                               
• 2000 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition            

1999

• Rez Williams: Steel Walls and Waterlines                  
• Eva Marco                                                            
• The Art of Reading : Books and Non-Books
• From the Centre to the Edge
• Maine College of Art Alumni Exhibition                  
• Lucy Mitchell: Omnium Gatherum
• Senior Thesis Exhibition 1999                                 
• 1999 Maine College of Art BFA Exhibition                   
• Maine High School Competition                                  
• 3 Installations                                                    
• 1999 Maine College of Art Faculty Exhibition          

1998

• Do It                                                                  
• Tonee Harbert, Bradley McCallum, Martha Rosler           
• Lesley Dill, Judy LaBrasco, Susie Brandt                
• 1998 Senior Thesis Exhibition                               
• 1998 Maine College of Art BFA Exhibition              
• Maine High School Competition                                  
• David Thomas, Tom Friedman, Lucy White                    
• 1998 Maine College of Art Faculty                          
• Uta Barth, Nancy Chunn, Anthony Caro                       
• Zeke Berman, Harvey Quaytman, Deborah Oropallo           
• Quiet in the Land                                                  
• David Ireland  
• Flow Thru Out by Mierle Laderman Ukeles

The Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art features innovative exhibitions and public programs that showcase new perspectives and trends in contemporary art. Located in stunning galleries in our landmark Porteous Building, the ICA at MECA presents cutting edge work by local, national, and international artists. A lively schedule of public programming includes lectures, workshops, and performances. The ICA at MECA provides a unique resource to the MECA community, offering insight into the practices of the professional field and first hand experiences with renowned visiting artists. Internships are also available, providing hands-on museum experiences ranging from the research and development of exhibitions to teaching to museum management.

Education

A variety of public programs, including artist talks, art history lectures, and panel discussions, are organized in conjunction with exhibitions. The ICA also sponsors programs with the local art community and participates in community events.

First Fridays Artwalk
First Friday of the month
5:00-8:00 pm
Portland's open night for galleries and museums.

Internships
The ICA is committed to providing college students with hands-on museum experiences ranging from curatorial assistance to teaching in an educational program or working with artists to develop projects. Students can choose a general, educational or curatorial internship.
 

Art on the Move
This program offers thematic exhibition tours for K-12 schools and college groups. Call to schedule a tour for your group

Programs for Young People

Adventures in Art-School Program
A contemporary art education program for elementary school children, that includes classroom visits, ICA exhibition tours and art-making, student exhibitions, and on-going curriculum connections. 

Contemporary Connections-School Program
A program for grades 6-12 which combines ICA exhibition tours with school curriculum to create connections between contemporary art and everyday life.

K - 12 and College educators are welcome to contact the ICA via email or 207.699.5029  to inquire about customized interactive tours.

Publications

A Meticulous Ferment: Beth Lipman and Kirsten Hassenfeld, 2010
Exhibition catalogue.
Available Summer 2010

Archaeology Above Ground, 2010
Exhibition catalogue
Published by Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary
Art. 15-page catalogue with an essay by Kristine Woods; full color
installation photography. Available for US$ 7.00 postage paid.

Out There, 2009
Exhibition catalogue
Published by Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary
Art. 15-page catalogue with an essay by Patricia C. Phillips; full color
installation photography. Available for US$ 7.00 postage paid.

Ruminant, 2008
Exhibition catalogue
Published by Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary
Art. 13-page catalogue with an essay by Nadine Wasserman; full color install
photography. Available for US$ 7.00 postage paid.

Revisioning Portland, 2008
Exhibition catalogue
Published by Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary
Art. 31-page catalogue with essays by Michelle Taylor-Harris and Mark
Klett; full color photography. Available for US$ 7.00 postage paid.

Wenda Gu: Art from Middle Kingdom to Biological Millennium, 2003
Published by MIT Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
London, England
Edited by Mark H. C. Bessire and Designed by MECA faculty Margo Halverson & Charles Melcher of Alice Design Communications.
For more information call the ICA at MECA: (800) 639-4808

(The exhibition: "Wenda Gu: Middle Kingdom to Biological Millennium" is organized by a consortium of art colleges, including The Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art, and will be on display at the ICA at MECA June 21-October 3, 2004.)

William Pope.L: The Friendliest Black Artist in America, 2002
Published by MIT Press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
London, England
Edited by Mark H. C. Bessire and Designed by MECA faculty Margo Halverson & Charles Melcher of Alice Design Communications
This book, which accompanies a nationally touring exhibition of Pope.L's work, explores his impact on American art and culture. It contains sections on practices, body, performance, dialogue, consumption, and a selection of the artist's writings and a chronology. The essays are by Mark H. C. Bessire, C. Carr, Geoffrey Hendricks, Stuart Horodner, Lowery Stokes Sims, Kristine Stiles, and Martha Wilson.
Available for U.S. $24.95
For more information call the ICA at MECA: (800) 639-4808

Translation/Seduction/Displacement: Post- Conceptual and Photographic Work by Artists from South Africa
Exhibition Catalogue
published by Maine College of Art, Portland, Me: Institute of Contemporary Art and Fer Inc.
Edited by Lauri Firstenberg and John Peffer
Essays by Rory Bester, Santu Mofokeng, John Peffer, and Lauri Firstenberg; 47 pages, black and white images. Available for US $15.00 postage paid.

Someday: Robert Farber: A Retrospective
Exhibition Catalogue
published by Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
Essays by Carl Belz, Robert Rosenblum, and Robert Storr; checklist of exhibition; color, 72 pages. Available for US $15.00 postage paid.

Beyond Decorum: The Photography of Ike Ude
published by MIT Press and edited by Mark H.C. Bessire and Lauri Firstenberg with an
interview by Okwui Enwezor and essays by Aimee Bessire, Lauri Firstenberg, Kobena Mercer, Valerie Steele and Ike Ude. In color with 185 pages the book is available through MIT Press. To order call 800-356-0343 0r (617) 625-8569.

Rez Williams: Steel Walls and Waterlines, 1999
Exhibition brochure.
Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary Art. Eight-page fold-out brochure with essay by Mark H.C. Bessire; exhibition checklist; nine black-and-white images. Available for US$ 5.00 postage paid.

Flow Thru Out,1999
Exhibition brochure.
Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary Art. Six-page fold-out brochure with essays by Mark H.C. Bessire and Sasha M. White; four black-and-white images. Available for US$ 5.00 postage paid.

The Art of Reading: Books and Non-Books, 1999
Exhibition brochure.
Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary Art.
Eight-page fold-out brochure with essay by Sasha M. White; exhibition checklist; seven black-and-white images. Available for US$ 5.00 postage paid.

Omnium Gatherum: An Installation by Lucy Mitchell, 1999
Exhibition catalogue.
Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary Art. 32-page catalogue with essays by Aimee H.C. Bessire and Mark H.C. Bessire; exhibition checklist; nine black-and-white images. Available for US$ 8.00 postage paid.

Quiet in the Land: Everyday Life, Contemporary Art and the Shakers, 1997
Exhibition brochure.
Maine College of Art, Portland ME: Institute of Contemporary Art.
Twelve-page fold-out brochure with essay by France Morin; five color images. Available for US$ 5.00 postage paid.