Society of Illustrators Announces Special Comics Exhibits and Free Admission During MoCCA Week

In celebration of the MoCCA Arts Festival, the Society of Illustrators is proud to present several comics-related exhibits and an exhibit opening as part of MoCCA Week, during which visitors may enjoy free admission to the Society of Illustrators. MoCCA Week spans the Society’s open hours from Wednesday, March 19 through Saturday, March 22, in the days following the MoCCA Arts Festival MoCCA Week at the Society of Illustrators serves as an extension of the festival, bringing comics-related exhibits to the museum and expanding the conversation around the art form beyond the weekend’s main event.

On display at the Society’s headquarters at 128 East 63rd Street will be two special exhibits: Modern Comics and Drawn From The New Yorker: A Centennial Celebration.

Modern Comics spotlights the work of four artists whose works are among the major achievements of comics today. John Hankiewicz, Aidan Koch, Olivier Schrauwen and Lale Westvind each make work that consistently surprises readers with fresh insights into the comics form while offering deeply sensitive and highly personalized expressions of the contemporary human condition. On display from March 19 – May 3, this exhibit is curated by comics specialist Bill Kartalopoulos, Programming Director for the MoCCA Arts Festival. The March 20th opening reception will feature live music by Eleanor and Dario and is free and open to the public.

The artists of The New Yorker have long captured culture and politics with subtle wit and sharp insight. From bold brushstrokes to light lines, ink to charcoal, these cartoons reflect our daily lives, helping us laugh through creativity and humor. Now on display at the Society, Drawn From The New Yorker: A Centennial Celebration honors 100 years of the magazine’s iconic cartoons. A selection of this exhibit, curated by Liza Donnelly, will be on display in the second-floor gallery through May 3rd.

To allow visitors to explore these important exhibits at no cost, the Society will offer free admission during MoCCA Week, from Wednesday, March 19, through Saturday, March 22, 2025. 

Additionally, the Society is excited to present a special exhibit on-site at the MoCCA Arts Festival venue, the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W 18th Street). This exhibit will only be on view during the MoCCA Arts Festival on March 15 and 16. Admission is included with the purchase of a Festival Pass.

Located in the exhibitor hall, The Artist Known As M. showcases cartoons by Timothy Patrick Moynihan (known as M.). A  graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, M. was known for transforming a quiet New England town into a hub of unbridled creativity and free speech. His lively pen-and-ink drawings—spanning both personal and political themes—will be on display throughout the hall to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his passing and celebrate his enduring legacy.

In addition to the exhibit, The M. Prize, created in 2015 in his honor, is a financial award recognizing the outstanding work of independent artists exhibiting at the Fest. Judges select their top five pieces—whether short-form comics, long-form comics, zines, or single images—with the goal of awarding up to 15 Best in Show honors. Award winners will be announced on Saturday, March 15, with their entries included in an online gallery following the Festival.

Finally, on display alongside our MoCCA Arts Fest Programming at the SVA Flatiron Gallery (133 West 21st Street) will be Greetings from Pandemic Island by artist Viktor Koen. Spanning a turbulent century, the series documents the brutal realities of the 1918–19 influenza and COVID-19 pandemics, exploring personal and collective responsibility, humanity, and indifference. It also highlights an intricate web of long-existing layers of racial and socioeconomic disparities catalyzed by the epidemics. Guests are invited to view the collection while attending MoCCA Programming. 

Tickets to attend the Fest are available to purchase online as well as at the door. More information about the Fest can be found here.