R/GA Relaunches Museum of Chinese in Australia with New Pop-Up Exhibition

R/GA today revealed a refreshed Museum of Chinese in Australia (MOCA), with an interactive pop-up exhibition at the museum’s iconic home in Sydney’s Chinatown. 

More than a brand refresh, the project breathes new life into an institution, telling the stories of an important part of Australia’s social fabric. The new brand identity features the roof radical 宀, which is one of 47,035 characters that make up the Kangxi dictionary. It’s used in the words for ‘home’, ‘safe’, ‘ancestor’ and ‘treasure’, among others. Here, it acts as a constantly changing roof, connecting to why MOCA exists – to create an ever-evolving home for Chinese Australian stories. 

Next, MOCA reopens its doors with an interactive pop-up exhibition, Stories of Home, marrying their physical space at George Street and the digital world which can be accessed from anywhere. From June 23, 2022 to Sep 23, 2022, people from all walks of life are invited to take in the stories of Chinese Australians past and present. Stories featured include that of Jane Lu, the founder of fashion retailer Showpo; musician Rainbow Chan; artist Louise Zhang and more.

This initial pop-up aims to not just raise awareness of MOCA’s existence, but also drive fundraising efforts to fund the museum’s opening in 2023.

“The world is rebounding from significant disruption and there has never been a more important time to reimagine the role of connection,” said Ben Miles, VP, Executive Creative Director at R/GA. “Working collectively with MOCA and the Chinese Australian community we have sensitively and boldly encapsulated the vision for the museum. The brand and experience is centered around celebrating the contribution, resilience, and ingenuity of Chinese Australians past, present and future. Our hope is that MOCA becomes a beacon for Chinatown and a home where stories collide to encourage positive conversations for all Australians.”

“The sheer amount of incredible, committed and forward-thinking talent within the R/GA community has been the highlight of this working relationship,” said Tony Stephens, executive director, MOCA. “It has been central to MOCA, reflected in our new identity, inseparable from our journey building the organisation towards the opening of the museum. It is not everyday you have the opportunity to work with creatives of this calibre.”

Aside from the pop-up, MOCA would like to call on Australians across the country – and globe – to help build their community by sharing their stories either in-person at the exhibition, or online at their new website (soon to come).

“Crowdsourced and democratic, we invite the public to contribute their story of home so we can all better understand the beauty in our differences as well as our similarities. By contributing your story, you will become part of a project that will create an ever-evolving living archive, mapping changes to our community through our connection to home,” Stephens added.

The interactive pop-up exhibition is located at 744 George Street (entry off Hay Street), Haymarket, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia, and is open Wednesday to Friday, 11am to 4pm.