MoMA PS1 is one of the oldest and largest nonprofit contemporary art institutions inthe United States.An exhibition space rather than a collecting institution, MoMA PS1 devotes itsenergy and resources to displaying the most experimental art in the world. Acatalyst and an advocate for new ideas, discourses, and trends in contemporaryart, MoMA PS1 actively pursues emerging artists, new genres, and adventurousnew work by recognized artists in an effort to support innovation incontemporary art. MoMA PS1 achieves this mission by presenting its diverseprogram to a broad audience in a unique and welcoming environment in whichvisitors can discover and explore the work of contemporary artists. Exhibitions at MoMA PS1 include artists' retrospectives,site-specific installations, historical surveys, arts from across the United Statesand the world, and a full schedule of music and performance programming.
MoMA PS1 was founded in 1971 by Alanna Heiss as the Institute for Art and UrbanResources Inc., an organization devoted to organizing exhibitions inunderutilized and abandoned spaces across New York City. In 1976, it opened the first majorexhibition in its permanent location in Long IslandCity, Queens,with the seminalRoomsexhibition. An invitation for artists totransform the building's unique spaces,Roomsestablished the MoMA PS1tradition of transforming the building's spaces into site-specific art thatcontinues today with long-term installations by James Turrell, Keith Sonnier,Richard Serra, Lawrence Weiner, and others.
For the next twenty years, the building was used as studio, performance, andexhibition spaces, in support of artists from around the world. After abuilding-wide renovation, P.S.1 ContemporaryArt Center(now MoMA PS1) reopened in 1997, confirming its position as the leadingcontemporary art center in New York.True to the building's history and form, the renovation preserved much of theoriginal architecture as well as most of its unique classroom-sized galleries.
In 2000, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Centerbecame an affiliate of The Museum of Modern Art to extendthe reach of both institutions, and combine MoMA PS1's contemporary missionwith MoMA's strength as one of the greatest collecting museums of modern art.2010 marks the completed merger of the two institutions and celebrates P.S.1'snew and exciting chapter as MoMA PS1.
A true artistic laboratory, MoMA PS1 aspires to maintain its diverse andinnovative activities to continue to bring contemporary art to internationalaudiences.
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