Museum of Contemporary Art and Design
Encyclopedia
The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo), founded in 1994, is a Costa Rica
n museum, specialising in contemporary Central America
n art and design, but also representing international work in the field. To comply with this ambitious idea, we define and promote, in a permanent way, the most recent tendencies and dynamics in the world of contemporary art and design.
, the museum has four exhibition rooms, an auditorium, and the Pila de la Melaza — an open-air space for performances installations, and other events. There is also a small sales area, offering access to the museum's Web site, a Documentation Centre, and a Video Library, that includes video-art, documentaries about exhibits and performances. The library also hosts a wide range of art catalogues, art books and contemporary design books, which have been produced by the museum and other institutions.
The museum's permanent collection contains more than 900 works by both young and established artists, in a wide range of media, including painting
, etching
, sculpture
, photography
, installations
, the intervened object, and video art
. Selections from this collection are exhibited each year in the museum's galleries.
Since its founding, MADC has carried out a great quantity of individual and collective exhibits by national and international artists. One of the principal objectives is to exhibit artists and curatorial visions related with aesthetic, cultural and social issues which affect the Central American region and the world. The museum programme consists of art competitions, video-based exhibitions, digital art and emerging artists. The programmes and projects all contribute to the issues and concerns surrounding contemporary art and design in the Central American region.
, and emerging artists. It offers a regular programme of activities, including guided tours, conferences, talks and discussions on the museum exhibits and on general artistic and cultural themes, art workshops, and international video-cinema screenings and other activities that incorporate performance
, video, music, etc. The museum also provides permanent consultation services to artists, specialists, and the general public. This service is based in the Centre of Documentation and the Video Library.
The MADC has a website, that offers wide and complete information about our spaces and principle events: Previous, present and future exhibits, parallel programs of activities, images and data about our permanent collection, art brochures and catalogues, videos about the museum’s exhibits, podcast interviews with artists and curators, seminars, information and images concerning the main national artists, institutions, and contexts from Central America and in relation to contemporary art.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n museum, specialising in contemporary Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n art and design, but also representing international work in the field. To comply with this ambitious idea, we define and promote, in a permanent way, the most recent tendencies and dynamics in the world of contemporary art and design.
Building and collections
Occupying approximately 1,200 square meters in Costa Rica's capital, San JoséSan José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
, the museum has four exhibition rooms, an auditorium, and the Pila de la Melaza — an open-air space for performances installations, and other events. There is also a small sales area, offering access to the museum's Web site, a Documentation Centre, and a Video Library, that includes video-art, documentaries about exhibits and performances. The library also hosts a wide range of art catalogues, art books and contemporary design books, which have been produced by the museum and other institutions.
The museum's permanent collection contains more than 900 works by both young and established artists, in a wide range of media, including painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, etching
Etching
Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal...
, sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, installations
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
, the intervened object, and video art
Video art
Video art is a type of art which relies on moving pictures and comprises video and/or audio data. . Video art came into existence during the 1960s and 1970s, is still widely practiced and has given rise to the widespread use of video installations...
. Selections from this collection are exhibited each year in the museum's galleries.
Since its founding, MADC has carried out a great quantity of individual and collective exhibits by national and international artists. One of the principal objectives is to exhibit artists and curatorial visions related with aesthetic, cultural and social issues which affect the Central American region and the world. The museum programme consists of art competitions, video-based exhibitions, digital art and emerging artists. The programmes and projects all contribute to the issues and concerns surrounding contemporary art and design in the Central American region.
Educational and other activities
The museum holds competitions and hosts exhibitions in fields such as video creation, digital artDigital art
Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process...
, and emerging artists. It offers a regular programme of activities, including guided tours, conferences, talks and discussions on the museum exhibits and on general artistic and cultural themes, art workshops, and international video-cinema screenings and other activities that incorporate performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
, video, music, etc. The museum also provides permanent consultation services to artists, specialists, and the general public. This service is based in the Centre of Documentation and the Video Library.
The MADC has a website, that offers wide and complete information about our spaces and principle events: Previous, present and future exhibits, parallel programs of activities, images and data about our permanent collection, art brochures and catalogues, videos about the museum’s exhibits, podcast interviews with artists and curators, seminars, information and images concerning the main national artists, institutions, and contexts from Central America and in relation to contemporary art.