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Museum of Contemporary Religious Art

DESCRIPTION: The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA) is the first museum of contemporary interfaith art in the world. The museum, which is part of Saint Louis University, seeks to be an ongoing forum for dialogue between contemporary artists and various religious traditions as well as a place for greater understanding among various religions. In addition to its own permanent collection, the museum features changing group and solo exhibitions three times each year.

ADDRESS: Mailing address: 221 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103. The Museum is in the Fusz Building on the campus of Saint Louis University at 3700 John E. Connelly Mall. To reach it, visitors can park in the parking garage at Laclede and Spring avenues, cross Laclede and enter the campus at the nearby entrance. Walk straight ahead toward the clock tower. When you are almost at the tower, turn left. The museum, which has a spire on it, is almost immediately on the left across from the campus bookstore.

LOCATION: Midtown, just south of the Grand Center arts and entertainment district and west of downtown St. Louis.

PHONE: 314-977-7170

WEB SITE: http://mocra.slu.edu

GETTING THERE: From downtown, take I-64/40 west to the Grand Boulevard exit. Turn right on Grand and proceed a short distance to Laclede. Turn left on Laclede to Spring where there is a parking garage.

HOURS: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The museum is closed from approximately mid-December to mid-January and during certain Saint Louis University vacations. Call ahead for detailed information on current exhibits and hours.

ADMISSION: Free

ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: 7,000

WHAT'S NEW: The museum is in the process of developing its own permanent collection.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• MOCRA has an expanding collection of works in its permanent collection.
• Approximately three visiting exhibits are on display at MOCRA each year.
• The building, a former chapel, has a ceiling three stories high with a central nave that measures 100 feet by 40 feet.
• Twelve side chapel galleries allow for works of art to be hung and viewed in semi-private surroundings.
• The museum also has a sanctuary gallery and a balcony gallery.

HISTORY: The president of Saint Louis University gave Rev. Terrance E. Dempsey, SJ, permission to develop a new museum of contemporary religious and spiritual art in the spring of 1991. On February 14, 1993, the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art opened in a former chapel on the Saint Louis University campus. Since that time, MOCRA has been building its permanent collection and it has hosted many visiting exhibitions.

The building, which dates from 1954, was formerly used by Jesuits studying philosophy. Much of the inside of the building was preserved as it had originally been used with 12 side chapels turned into mini-galleries. The altars were de-consecrated but were kept in place. The fronts of the altars are Spanish marble. The tops are limestone.

Fr. Dempsey has said the museum is dedicated to the ongoing dialogue between contemporary artists and the world's faith tradition. He hopes the museum and its ideals will lead to a resurgence of the relationship between religion and art that flourished during medieval, Renaissance and Baroque times when religious institutions were patrons to the arts. According to Dempsey, that relationship changed, and since mid-19th century churches have been generally wary of the arts and most major artists have a disdain for explicit religious imagery.

WHAT'S COMING UP: Future plans call for a research slide library that will house images of thousands of contemporary national and international artists who are exploring the religious and spiritual dimensions in their art. With information about the artists and their work entered in a computer database, visitors will be able to locate artists based on religious traditions, styles, themes and cultural backgrounds.

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: MOCRA is handicapped accessible.

WHERE TO GET LUNCH: There are a number of campus eateries nearby. For a wide selection of eclectic restaurants, visit the Central West End neighborhood about a mile to the west.

GIFT SHOP: None

WHAT'S NEARBY: Nearby are the Fox Theatre, the Sheldon Concert Hall, Powell Symphony Hall, the Portfolio Gallery of African-American art, the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, the Grandel Theatre and the Forum for Contemporary Arts -- all located in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Father Terrence E. Dempsey, SJ, director, 314-977-7170, or David Brinker, assistant to the director. Email for both is mocra@slu.edu.

Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com