University Circle’s expanding art district can’t be sufficiently documented in just one exhibit. So the Museum of Contemporary Art unveils three new shows today which spotlight the region: OPEN: New Designs for Public Spaces, Expanding the Circle: MOCA and the New Uptown District, and The Uptown Launch Pad. “They really work as an ensemble, complementing each other,” says co-curator Bill Mason. OPEN redefines the concept of community area via images, animations, and models — many of them stemming from various cities’ architectural and planning projects. Expanding the Circle gives viewers a linear history of MOCA — from its 1968 start-up to recent construction. And the interactive Uptown Launch Pad allows visitors to survey up-to-date information about the district’s renovation. They can also contribute feedback by writing on the walls. “It’s a very different experience,” says Mason. “It is intended explicitly to be open and a little messy.”
Tuesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Starts: June 1. Continues through Aug. 19

This article appears in May 30 – Jun 5, 2007.