Today, in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance, we’re highlighting Tourmaline’s celebration of trans pasts, presents, and futures “Atlantic Is a Sea of Bones,” commissioned by Visual Aids and currently on view in Like Magic.

In the film, legendary performer Egyptt LaBeija gazes from a rooftop over the Chelsea Piers — a place that was simultaneously a place of connection for Black and trans people like herself throughout the ‘80s and a site of historical atrocities as a port during the transatlantic slave trade a century earlier.

Over a synth-based score by Geo Wyex that sounds like the clinking of stage jewelry, LaBeija then communes with a younger version of herself. The two dance around each other in an intergenerational swirl, connecting the fraught pasts and presents that LaBeija carries in her body in a kaleidoscope of color and connection.

The film closes with LaBeija extending her arm upwards over the same rooftop that opens it. Inserting her body into the skyline of the city that shaped her and that she shaped in return, LaBeija cements her legacy in it, providing a beacon of hope for those like her to come.

(Stills from "Atlantic Is a Sea of Bones," on view in Like Magic)

Come warm up at MASS MoCA this winter!

We`re so excited to announce a season of programming that exemplifies the interdisciplinary spirit of our museum and includes performance activations of Jeffrey Gibson’s B5 commission "POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT," a 25-year survey of work by Vincent Valdez, an evening with vanguard cultural critic Fran Lebowitz, concerts by Ani DiFranco, slowdive, and Angélica Garcia, and a community Free Day featuring immersive art encounters and conversations with local and visiting writers.

Visit the link in our bio to see the full roster of events coming to MASS MoCA this season!

Our friends at The FreshGrass Foundation have started a new podcast series in collaboration with Studio 9 at The Porches Inn, right across the street! Check out their interview with MoCA director Kristy Edmunds at the link in our bio!

We’re still basking in the glow of ANOHNI’s performance at the opening celebration of Jeffrey Gibson’s B5 exhibition POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT!

Gibson created the garment that ANOHNI is pictured performing in, embodying the collaborative spirit of the exhibition and animating his larger-than-life works.

Today we’re recognizing Veterans Day with a journey to 2005, where Dave Cole’s “The Knitting Machine” was standing tall in Courtyard A.

Comprised of two excavators specially fitted with massive 20′ knitting needles, “The Knitting Machine” produced an oversized American flag — a flag which could be seen as both a celebratory gesture of pride and a commentary on America’s role in world affairs.

Thank you to the courageous veterans who have fought for our freedom to explore these ideas and opinions — we salute you.

The days may be getting darker, but the brightness from Spencer Finch’s “Cosmic Latte” is making up for it!

Bringing the starry night inside the museum, Finch’s light-based work, “Cosmic Latte” features over 150 specially fabricated LED fixtures suspended from the ceiling over an expanse of the 80-foot long gallery.

Spend some time soaking up this exhibition as we approach the winter season!

Jeffrey Gibson’s “POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT” is now on view in our B5 gallery!

Here are a few of our favorite moments from last night’s Opening Preview Celebration, where MASS MoCA members got a first look into this colorful exhibition and a special pop-up performance by @divideanddissolve .

Plan your visit today to see it for yourself!

📸: Greg Nesbit

On November 1, our lobby will come alive with a vibrant celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) — the Mexican holiday of remembrance for those who have passed away.

Bring photos or tokens of past loved ones to contribute to an altar with your own ofrenda, or enjoy Mexican specialty foods while you listen to the music of student performers throughout the night!

This event is a collaboration with @latinas413, learn more at the link in our bio!