Dona Altemus, the youngest artist in Trading Places 2, is a 2012 graduate of New World School of the Arts, where she earned her BFA with a concentration in painting.  For Trading Places 2, Altemus will investigate installation as a tool and explore spatial relationships that are activated when separate works interact.  Altemus first came to Clearwater’s attention when she presented her work at MOCA’s unique Artist Critique program held twice a year, in which approximately 15 students from South Florida art schools present their work to MOCA’s curators for critique at each session. Clearwater notes, “I was impressed by the initial presentation and the maturity of Altemus’s vision. Trading Places will provide her with the opportunity to determine her post-graduate path.” 

In this second installment of MOCA’s experimental program, Trading Places, South Florida artists will swap their studios for studio spaces in MOCA’s galleries. The program provides the artists with materials, technical assistants and opportunities to interact, respond to and investigate each others’ practices and engage in discussions with the public. Each of the selected artists has reached a critical moment in their career when they can benefit most from the opportunity to work with MOCA’s curatorial and technical staff.

Trading Places II is on view through November 11, 2012.
Trading Places II is made possible by MOCA’s Knight Exhibition Endowment.