The Museum of Contemporary Art’s new chair Lorraine Tarabay on life after COVID-19
The pandemic is upon us, but it will end eventually and when it does, Sydney’s famed Museum of Contemporary Art is going to be back and with a bang.
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The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is going through a strange period. We all are, what with the pandemic and its accompanying lockdown, but the world of the arts has been particularly hard hit, and obviously the MCA is included.
And yet the announcement of a new Chair in Lorraine Tarabay is a quiet cause for celebration for the museum itself and all those connected to it, plus the city of Sydney in general.
It’s a sign of life, you see, an indicator that while the museum’s heavy doors are currently closed, there is much going on behind the scenes and those doors will most definitely be open again and hopefully soon.
For now though, the MCA’s newly named Chair is creating magic from her Point Piper home. At least she is trying to.
“It’s not ideal,” says Lorraine, a former investment banker and passionate contemporary art collector, with a laugh.
“My husband is here working as well and we have our two kids here also … it’s a bit of a juggle and I never want to hear the words ‘social distancing’ again.”
She’s chuckling little but it’s more due to her good nature than her current circumstances, which have been, shall we say, challenging.
You see, as per above, the MCA is closed, making it difficult for Lorraine and her team to fulfil its mission, but incredibly they are pulling it off. Just.
That mission, by the way, is to take a leadership role in promoting contemporary art and facilitating artists to transform lives and shape a creative Australia. And Lorraine is confident that it is being carried out. Even now.
“We are doing very well,” she says proudly.
“We are the only museum in Australia that focuses solely on living artists. In terms of our collections we only buy living Australian artists and we exhibit both Australian and international artists.
“We were recognised last year as the most visited contemporary art museum in the world with more than 1.1m visitors throughout the year. That’s an incredible achievement.”
And she’s right. It is.
Those visitors, by the way were roughly 60 per cent local residents and 40 per cent international visitors who are known to flock to the MCA in droves.
Part of the reason it draws such impressive crowds is its impossibly perfect location (most international visitors swing by Circular Quay to see the Opera House and often find themselves at the MCA as well), but that’s not its only driver.
The building itself is light and bright and welcoming. The art is phenomenal. The vibe warm.
There’s an entryway on the Quay side and one also on George Street so visitors can come and go as they please.
The MCA is also dedicated to boosting diversity and lives by its message that art is for all. And a stroll through its hallways, or, right now, its website, and this is immediately obvious.
“Art is for everyone is our motto,” explains Lorraine.
“We live and breathe that … even the building itself, its design was created to make it a welcoming space. It has gallery spaces and common areas and it is very accessible. To all. That’s important to us.”
That said, the MCA is clearly not accessible right now.
At least, not in a physical sense.
But the team who work there has put in incredibly long hours and effort to ensure we can still connect with the MCA in spirit and accordingly gain our artistic fill.
There are art projects online daily and the MCA community continues to thrive. There are livestreamed occasions and performances, talks and events. And they’re available to all.
And even though she is currently at home, Lorraine is deeply proud of her new role and of her beloved MCA in general. And she cannot wait to be back in the building.
“Being named Chair is an honour,” she says.
“Admittedly it is very strange becoming the chair of the museum while it’s closed … but we are still working together. We are still here. Just in a different capacity right now. I have always felt a sense of responsibility to the public and the artists and our stakeholders and that has not changed.
“If anything I feel it even more so given the struggles we are facing and that the artistic community on the whole is facing.
“It has been devastated by this pandemic, but we will be back.”
And when the MCA does officially re-open Lorraine would like to invite all of us to visit.
“People need art and especially now. We are craving it,” she says.
“The MCA has played such an integral part of the cultural fabric of Sydney since it opened nearly 30 years ago. It has led the way for broad and diverse audiences to connect with contemporary art through incredible exhibitions and programming, and it is exemplary in showcasing how art can transform lives.
“I’m thrilled to be working in this capacity with the MCA and look forward to contributing to its future,” she adds.
Lorraine, who has led MCA committees and is a member of Tate’s International Council and the Venice Council for Australia’s representation at the Venice Biennale, has also been appointed to lead the MCA’s new “social impact through art fund” which aims to attract philanthropic backers for creative learning programs for children and families.
Lorraine Tarabay commences as the MCA Chairman from July 2020. To find out more about the MCA click here