Museum of Contemporary Art Denver Announces Mark Mothersbaugh Career Retrospective

Six City Tour of Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia Curated and Launched in Denver

DENVER, CO (February 6, 2014) – The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (MCA Denver) is proud to announce the premiere of Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia (October 31, 2014 to February 15, 2015). Organized by MCA Denver, this retrospective exhibition will bring together the first comprehensive presentation of Mothersbaugh’s art and music to date, from the beginning of his career in the early 1970s through the present. This nationally touring exhibition will be accompanied by a major publication, Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia, published by Princeton Architectural Press.

Though well known around the globe as a founding member of the popular band DEVO, Mark Mothersbaugh has been a prolific artist since before the band’s inception, and continues to produce work that makes the case for his position as an important figure in contemporary culture. From his popular music to his personal artwork, Mothersbaugh’s unique artistic view constantly foregrounds the relationship between technology and individuality. A creative polymath moving seamlessly between art and music, he explores the interconnection between humans and machines both in his work with DEVO and throughout his career in a wide range of mediums.

Mark Mothersbaugh and Director & Chief Animator at MCA Denver Adam Lerner. Photograph by Richard Peterson.

“The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is once again breaking new ground with a retrospective exhibition of Mark Mothersbaugh, a truly unconventional artist,” said Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. “Exhibitions like this one help showcase why Colorado is an innovative hub, especially on the cultural landscape.”

The exhibition includes documentation and music from his DEVO days; prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures, rugs and video animations; performances; newly produced musical and sculptural installations; and most notably a life-long series of postcard-sized works, which will be exhibited in its entirety for the first time at MCA Denver.

Positioning Mothersbaugh as a pivotal figure in the history of both contemporary art and indie culture, this exhibition and accompanying book help us understand the artist’s individual work, the creative vision behind a popular yet largely misunderstood band, and Mothersbaugh’s role in the emergence of contemporary culture, including punk rock and even today’s street artists.

Mark Mothersbaugh. 1964 – Monument to the conquerors of space, 2012. Ink jet on paper, 43 x 65 in. Courtesy the artist.

“When I came to Denver while touring with DEVO a few years ago, I was struck by the vitality and positive energy in the city and experiencing the Museum of Contemporary Art was definitely a high point,” said Mark Mothersbaugh. “When MCA invited me to work with their team on an exhibition of this kind, I was happy to have the opportunity to show Denver, and ultimately the world, what I’m really about.”

Originated in Denver and curated by Adam Lerner, Director & Chief Animator at MCA Denver, Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia will complete a six-city tour ending in 2017. The tour dates and venues follow:

The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

October 31, 2014 – February 15 2015

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

June 21 – September 6, 2015

Contemporary Arts Center/Cincinnati Art Museum

October 7, 2015 – January 9, 2016

The Austin Contemporary

February 6 – May 8, 2016