Installation in second gallery at MOCA. Courtesy William Cordova

It’s been a long hot summer for those who loved the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA). The ugly break-up of the institution that really started last winter left the museum bare for the summer, with a splinter group of board of directors decamping and a huge question mark about what would remain hovering. Then, a little over a month ago, signs of life sprang up. New director Babacar MBow promised a new show highlighting local artists would soon be opened, although who would be in it remained a mystery.

On September 25, that exhibit, “Third Space: Inventing the Possible” was unveiled, and the community seemed to take a big sigh of relief. The tightly curated show by William Cordova and Gean Moreno is a real pleasure to see and revel in. Spotlighting artists both well-known and less so, with works from very diverse hands – old and young (and a few even now passed away), male and female, early career and mid-career – the curators hand-picked pieces that would nonetheless relate to each other.

Juana Valdes, Carlos Sandoval de Leon (foreground) Maria Magdelena Campos Pons. Courtesy William Cordova

Cordova says that, not really in response to the current situation of the museum, he thought of the overarching themes of healing, recovery, transmigration and new grounding when picking out artists and pieces to show – something that also feels very Miami. The result is a quiet journey around the uncluttered two main rooms and the video in the side space, one that you keep repeating, where all the art works have ample room to breathe but still seem connected. The color schemes are muted, and include sculpture, painting, drawing and video.

The scope includes 1990s charcoal and acrylic works on paper from Jose Bedia; a large 2012 graphite on canvas that gets its own wall from Glexis Novoa; a 1980 video from Ana Mendieta. But also two small film and plexi-glass sculptures from Ena Marrero – simply splendid pieces; and a 1964 avant garde film from Nicolas Guillen Landrian, En Barrio Viejo. Those are just a taste to whet your appetite for this eclectic exhibit, which also includes Maria Magdalena Campos Pons, Purvis Young and Aramis O’Reilly among the 23 artists. Don’t miss the earthen sculpture from Ralph Provisero and the unexpected video from Charo Oquet.

In fact, it is almost a shame that this isn’t the exhibit that hangs around for Art Basel, for the international interlopers should really see this top-quality spectrum of local art.

“Third Space: Inventing the Possible” runs through Nov. 2 at MOCA, 770 N.E. 125th St., North Miami; www.mymoca.org.