Artist Ellen Harvey
Ed Gerber and Dan Woog
Thanks to funding from the CORA Foundation, a lively crowd gathered with artist Ellen Harvey, 06880’s Dan Woog, and preservationist Ed Gerber at MoCACT
“Attendees traded memories of beloved locations, demonstrating that nostalgia fosters compassion, inspires us to protect communal spaces, and encourages thoughtful consideration of what we create for generations ahead.”— Robin Jaffee Frank, MoCACT Executive Director
WESTPORT, CT, UNITED STATES, July 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Museum of Contemporary Art Connecticut (MoCACT) hosted an attentive audience last evening for a public event, made possible by the CORA Foundation, tied to its summer exhibition Looking for History. The gathering united artist Ellen Harvey, journalist Dan Woog, and preservation advocate Ed Gerber for a friendly and inviting discussion rooted in the exhibition’s core themes—memory, loss, and the locations that define our communities.
“On behalf of MoCACT, I am deeply thankful to the CORA Foundation for financing a sequence of dialogues inspired by Looking for History,” stated MoCACT Executive Director Robin Jaffee Frank. “While the CORA Foundation’s main grants reach across the globe, Robin Tauck—a cherished Westporter—also kindly steers the Foundation to back local arts, history, and community conversation right here at home. Like Robin, Ellen Harvey—who has depicted vanished sites from over forty nations—adopts a worldwide viewpoint. For MoCA CT’s exhibit, she produced four paintings of lost nearby spots nominated by our community. Last evening, visitors shared stories about fondly remembered places, uncovering that nostalgia builds empathy, drives us to preserve treasured gathering spots, and prompts us to reflect on what we construct for the future.”
Led by Woog, the well-known creator of 06880, the talk centered on Harvey’s The Disappointed Tourist, which examines locations that have vanished due to demolition, catastrophe, or the passage of years. For the exhibition, Harvey crafted four fresh works based on community nominations—The Remarkable Book Shop, Cedar Brook Cafe, Bloodroot, and Allen’s Clam House—employing these familiar spots as a foundation for a wider discussion on change and nostalgia.
The conversation, steered by Woog’s insightful queries, encouraged audience involvement. The evening created room for community voices, many of them enthusiastic, who offered brief thoughts on their own vanished places, bringing humor, emotion, and detail to the dialogue.
Gerber, speaking for Historic New England, contributed a preservation viewpoint, linking these individual recollections to broader themes of cultural and historical stewardship.
“As a Connecticut-based Foundation with a focus on Culture and Heritage, MoCACT’s forward-looking 2026 exhibition and public discussion series is vital for reflecting on our past and future,” remarked Robin Tauck, Founder and President, CORA Foundation, which underwrote the program. “Cherished places, loved and lost through time, shape who we are and our culture. Congratulations to the artists and visionaries behind Looking for History here in Connecticut.”
This event is part of a four-part discussion series funded by a CORA Foundation Impact Grant, which has allowed MoCACT to expand Looking for History outside the gallery and into the wider community. By uniting artists, preservationists, and local residents, the series underscores the importance of contemporary art as a tool for sparking conversation and collective contemplation.
The upcoming CORA Foundation sponsored events are scheduled during the exhibition’s run, and feature:
– Architectural Elegy: A Mourning Ritual for Lost Spaces on Thursday, July 23, from 6-7pm
– The CORA Foundation Community Conversation with artist Rick Shaefer: Saturday, October 24, 4-5pm
– The CORA Foundation Community Conversation with artist Michael Borders: Thursday, November 5, 6-7pm
About MoCACT
The Museum of Contemporary Art Connecticut (MoCACT) is a leading venue for stimulating visual arts displays, musical events, and arts learning programs that enhance the cultural scene of Connecticut and beyond. Via the arts, community involvement, and cross-disciplinary projects, MoCACT links varied audiences with the art and concepts of today. Find out more at mocact.org.
ABOUT CORA
CORA Foundation is committed to backing culture and heritage initiatives worldwide. It holds that culture and heritage link us to our history and inspire dialogue that moves us collectively toward a brighter future.
Now in its 20th Year – previously functioning as Tauck Ritzau Innovative Philanthropy (TRIP) – it is devoted to uplifting those who carry out the work, gathering those who generate ideas, and elevating those who possess knowledge.
THANK YOU TO MOCACT SUPPORTERS
Benefactors
Bill and Jodi Felton + Hofstetter Baron Group + The Joyce Thompson Art Fund + Joyce Pauker + Suzanne and Norman Sorensen
Exhibition Sponsors
The Joyce Thompson Art Fund + CORA Foundation + Bill and Jodi Felton + Kathryn Turley-Sonne + Saatva + Conlon Amendola, Attorneys at Law + Ed Webb Design + Image WorksOur Museum PartnersHonda of Westport + Westport Book Shop + Westport Journal + Dan Woog 06880 + WPKN + WSHU
Sandra Nygaard
MoCA CT
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