Jeff Koons at Moco
Aimed specifically at the millennial and Gen-Z generation, who rate everything according to its Instagrammable potential, a bright, light and unremittingly supercool gallery has just opened its doors in central London.
Situated in a stunning Art Deco building at the Marble Arch end of thriving Oxford Street, Moco Museum (short for Modern Contemporary) is a brand-new art gallery, showcasing a diverse collection of dynamic Pop and street art. The expansive, three-storied space that measures over 25,000 square feet provides a perfect backdrop for the high-profile artists who have stamped their creativity on modern society. Warhol, Haring, Basquiat, Koons and Hirst, all instantly recognisable icons of contemporary art, are just some of the stellar names represented here. There are also pieces by Tom Wesselmann, one of the leading pioneers of the 1960s American Pop Art movement, a splashy blue period gouache by Picasso, “Le Peintre (The Painter)” 1964, and in the visually somber basement, some leading exponents of digital and immersive art.
The brainchild of gallery owners Kim Logchies-Prins and her husband, Lionel, the launch of Moco in the heart of London’s West End is the most recent outpost of the brand, with successful galleries already up and running in Amsterdam (2016) and Barcelona (2022). Having collected modern art in a personal capacity for decades, the couple decided to move into the world of museums to create a non-traditional space that would appeal to a younger legion of art fans.
Unlike traditional galleries, which can feel socially elitist, Moco’s accessible shows encourage shared experience and engagement with contemporary art through social media, assuming the arresting imagery on show will be utilized as a means of visual self-expression. Isabella de Souza (MyArtBroker) recently wrote about the seismic shift in the artistic preferences of a younger generation toward more visually striking works, explaining that “the allure of these pieces often lies in their ability to stand out on social media, blending seamlessly with the curated aesthetics of Gen-Z’s online worlds.” The premier art auction house Christie’s has also noted a 65% increase in contemporary art and luxury purchases by Gen-Z buyers.
The spacious site in London provides the opportunity to show large-scale works like Daniel Arsham’s serene “Lunar Gardens,” an extraordinary pink sand garden that combines sculpture, sound and light. The objective, they say, is “to awaken the world to the inspirational power of art.” This life-affirming, artistic philosophy is reinforced on the sparkling white walls of Moco, which are scattered with aspirational, block capital meanderings from the artists on show.
“I think Art teaches us how to feel, what our parameters can be, what sensations can be like; it makes you more engaged with life,” reads a Jeff Koons quote, alongside one of his famously surreal sculptures of a blow-up “plastic” dolphin (cast aluminum) caught full flight, wedged into the middle of a kiddie’s inflatable “rubber” ring (more cast aluminum).
Upstairs on the first floor, vibrant color bombards the senses from every angle, showcasing work that generates a decidedly humorous atmosphere. Alongside Tracey Emin’s famous pink neon love slogans, there is a spectacular 17-meter, multicolored canvas: “Cherry Blossom Season” by the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, known for his simplistic cartoon-like illustrations that combine elements of traditional Japanese art with Western pop culture.
The work of British “light artist” Chris Levine (best known for his subversive portrait of the late Queen of England with her eyes closed) is displayed with a dazzling set of 60 multicolored, holographic headshots of her Majesty, providing a unique take on the conventional portrayal of monarchy.
With the absence of a formal art education, it is surprising to see Robbie Williams canvases on show alongside works by Julian Opie and Banksy. The singer who found fame as part of British boy band Take That, and later as a successful solo star, has trespassed into the highly lucrative field of modern art and reinvented himself as a heart-on-sleeve visual storyteller, championing the merits of artistic expression as an antidote to his own mental health struggles. His childlike block color images, laden with scrawly “handwritten” text reading “I was mentally ill before it was cool,” were first exhibited earlier this year at Moco Museum Amsterdam. There, Williams explained his self-reflective journey into the humorous art he produces as “trying to create a smile for the mind.”
Julian Opie, Robbie Williams and Chris Levine on show at Moco.
Housing a permanent collection of both established and emerging artists from all over the world, the gallery will also stage temporary exhibitions from leading artists. “Healing Frequency,” a brand-new performance art installation by the acclaimed Belgrade artist Marina Abramovic, has just opened and will be displayed until March 2025. Present in London to oversee the installation of “Transitory Objects for Human Use,” the 12 works on show are a culmination of Abramovic’s 55-year journey through the realms of spirituality and consciousness and aim to illuminate the capacity of art to heal and transform.
Consisting of a collection of beautifully crafted chairs, beds and benches, all embedded with the signature crystals she has become known for, the artist’s installation encourages audience participation and introspection. Unlike most galleries, these chairs and benches are for sitting on, and visitors are challenged to disconnect from the noisy world outside, reassess their reliance on digital technology and embrace the potential for human enlightenment.
From the spiritual ideology of Abramovic to the wow factor of the infinity LED mirror room in the basement, Moco’s strategy to embrace a younger audience ensures a gallery that is easy to navigate and unashamedly populist.
Moco Museum London
1-4 Marble Arch, W1H 7EJ