Whimsical illustrated graphic of three large figures intertwined, who look like they are dancing. Two of the figures are white, the middle figure is black. Surrounding them are flowers with long, curled stems and a black butterfly. There is handwritten white text on the image that reads, “Teens Always Free” and “MCA Denver.”

ADMISSION TO MCA DENVER IS ALWAYS FREE FOR TEENS!

We offer a space for teens that celebrates risk-taking and exploration; a place to connect with other teens, share experiences, and discover the art of our time through their own creation and meaningful interactions with other artists.

Art by Nia Musiba

MEET ARTIST NIA MUSIBA

Nia Musiba is a former MCA Denver Failure Lab participant (2017-18) who designed the art above. Soon when you visit the museum, you can take the artwork home as a print!

Nia lives and eats and sleeps and goes to school and creates work and makes new friends in Portland. Her identity as an African-American woman and the daughter of a Tanzanian immigrant influence her work and her exploration of Blackness throughout history. Her creations are about being human, about hands and feet and bodies and love and sadness and flowers and sunshine. She views her depictions of Black and brown bodies as a direct response to the hyper-sexualization, brutalization, and overall negative depictions of BiPoC individuals within art and media. Nia believes in people, representation, and love, among other things – and has a soft spot for the primary colors.

Artist Nia Musiba standing outside, in front of a mural with figures dancing and hugging. Text on the mural reads, “African Queen” and the mural itself is nestled in some trees. Nia is wearing a black hoodie and is sporting purple braids. Her eyes are closed and her smile is beaming.

 

FOLLOW NIA!

Instagram: @niamusiba

TikTok: @niaer_death

Learn about teen programs:

MCA Denver 2021 Teen Programs | How we continue to be a home away from home for area teens

Black lives matter. We hear you and we see you and we stand with you. Read our full statement
Interested in winning free art for a year? Check out the Octopus Initiative